Purpose Factor Licensed Facilitator | Keynote Speaker | Leadership Mentor & Coach

Leadership is rarely a straight line. The leaders are developed with the help of experience, unpredictable issues, and people whom they meet on their way. There are things that one learns through success. The rest come at the time of hardship and challenge patience and confidence.

This is not the case with Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin; she has never considered titles to define leadership. She is direct and very personal. In her opinion, the leadership starts with people.

Having over thirty years of experience in healthcare processes, healthcare leadership,, and mentorship, Dr. Rubin has spent most of her career leading teams and assisting professionals in their growth. She is currently the Senior Vice President of Practice Management Solutions at Beacon Oral Specialists, where she collaborates with healthcare leaders and teams to enhance operations and patient care.

In addition to her executive position, she has her own consulting business, where she coaches professionals and presents on leadership, resilience, and personal development.

This interview with Arabian Business Times presents Dr. Rubin as a person who had to go through the experiences that contributed to her leadership style and the reasons why empathy, curiosity, and courage are the qualities that leaders should have nowadays.

Amira: Your career in healthcare spans more than three decades. How did your journey begin?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
I began my career in positions that many would call entry-level positions. I was an employee of a pharmacy as a pharmacy technician and as a medical assistant. These were jobs that exposed me to the immediate surroundings of patients.

Days were not always free and could be sometimes overwhelming. The work environment in a healthcare facility is fast-paced, and even the slightest of errors is intolerated. However, those initial experiences provided me with an insight into the way healthcare works.

When you deal directly with patients, you witness the human aspect of medicine day in and day out. Anxiety is experienced by some patients. Others are born in distress. Others are just seeking to be assured that they are being heard.

Those are experiences that you hold on to. They instill tolerance and courtesy. They further keep you in mind that all patients who walk through the door must be respected and treated with compassion.

Amira: Did those early roles influence how you approach leadership today?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
Absolutely. They shaped my entire perspective.

After shifting to leadership and administration roles later, I was already aware of the difficulties that frontline healthcare workers have to endure. I was aware of the demanding nature of their jobs.

That is the knowledge that transformed my approach to leadership. I understood that solid operations and effective systems matter, but they are only half of the battle.

People are at the heart of healthcare. Organizations are strengthened when leaders listen to their teams and empower them.

Leadership does not merely deal with process management. It is also concerned with establishing a climate of a sense of belonging and feeling respected.

Amira: Today, you work in senior leadership at Beacon Oral Specialists. What does your role involve?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
At Beacon Oral Specialists, my work focuses on practice management and operational strategy.

There are numerous challenges in healthcare organizations nowadays. Rules are under constant development. Technology changes quickly. The expectations of patients are also increasing.

Due to this, leaders need to continually change. They are called to strike a balance between efficiency and compassion.

My work is to assist healthcare teams to become better in the way of functioning without neglecting patient care as the focus of all decisions. That involves coaching leaders, reinforcing internal systems, and helping teams through the change.

Healthcare leadership needs structure and flexibility in a number of ways. You must have systems that are effective, but you require leaders who are capable of making changes when the situation changes.

Amira: Over time, you expanded your work beyond healthcare leadership. What led you to start your consulting practice?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
During my career, I noticed something that surprised me.

There are a lot of great people in the profession who are unable to overcome self-doubt. They can be highly skilled and experienced, but they are reluctant to take up leadership positions.

Others can experience burnout, or they can become overwhelmed by the demands of their career.

I understood that mentorship and open dialogues on issues of leadership were indeed required. That is what prompted me to establish Carolyn M Rubin Consulting.

With the help of this work, I coach professionals, assist organizations, and advise people who are going through significant career changes.

In many cases, lack of ability is not the greatest obstacle that individuals can encounter. Lack of self-confidence.

Amira: Another initiative you created is EmpowerFuse. What inspired that platform?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
EmpowerFuse grew out of a simple idea. People learn a lot from honest conversations.

We also get to understand that success is not always ideal or predictable when we listen to the actual details of someone’s career.

Leaders have concerns as much as any other person. They make mistakes. They encounter setbacks.

With EmpowerFuse, professionals are able to share such experiences. They discuss the issues and the successes.

Such discussions can be effective as they remind individuals that growth may be achieved through tough situations.

Amira: Emotional intelligence appears to be a major theme in your leadership philosophy. Why does it matter so much?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
Because leadership involves people.

You are able to develop effective systems and powerful strategies, but when you do not comprehend the people that are around you, leading them becomes extremely hard.

Emotional intelligence will enable the leaders to know what their teams are going through. It enables them to react with compassion as opposed to merely reacting to issues.

This awareness is particularly relevant in the area of healthcare. Professionals are usually under pressure and work long hours. They are involved in emotionally charged situations.

The leaders should not forget about that fact. Individuals feel encouraged and valued when they perform better and are more involved in their work.

Amira: You often share a perspective about seeing healthcare through the eyes of a patient. Can you explain that idea?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
It’s a simple principle that I encourage leaders to remember.

A patient is ultimately impacted by every process, every policy and every system. There is always someone who requires care behind the paperwork and technology.

When leaders take a moment to put themselves in the shoes of the patient, this can alter the decision-making process.

It encourages compassion and clarity. And it reminds us why healthcare work matters so much.

Amira: Your work has received several awards and professional recognitions. How do you view those achievements?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
Recognition is always meaningful, and I am grateful for it.
But the moments that matter most are often much quieter.

Occasionally, a person I have mentored will contact me months or even years later. They inform me that a discussion we had assisted them to advance in their profession or provided them with the assurance to assume a managerial position.

Those messages are a lot to me. They keep me in mind why mentorship and coaching are very important.

Influence on individuals is ever better than any prize.

Amira: In addition to leadership and mentoring, you also write about professional development. What role does writing play in your work?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
Writing allows me to share ideas with a broader audience.

Not all people are able to visit a workshop and take part in coaching. There is another way that I can access people who are seeking advice or support, and that is through articles, as well as thought leadership pieces.

Writing is also reflective. As you write things down, you begin to reflect more about those experiences that defined your career.

And in the other cases, those thoughts assist others in getting guidance in their own paths.

Amira: Mentorship has clearly been a major focus throughout your career. Why do you believe it matters so much?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:

Mentorship creates opportunity.

A lot of professionals come to the point where they are not sure what to do next. They may have opportunities that they may not realize without the help of a mentor.

Good mentorship does not entail dictating to a person what to do. Rather, it is about posing considerate questions and empowering people to believe in themselves.

Each leader comes up with his or her style. Mentorship is aimed at helping individuals find out what works well with them.

The old, wise professionals encourage the new generation to become more powerful and confident when they share their knowledge.

Amira: Finally, what advice would you offer to professionals who want to grow into leadership roles?

Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin:
First, remain open to learning.

Careers change with time. The competencies that contributed to your success when you were still in the workforce might have to increase when you become a leader.

Second, be tied to your values. Once you know what really matters to you, leadership will be a lot easier.

And lastly, have faith in your potential to develop.

Most individuals are waiting to be given the go-ahead by someone. Yet they often have the strength they want, inside them.

Leadership begins the moment you choose to believe in your potential and use it to help others succeed.

Connect her at

LinkedIn

https://www.carolynmrubin.com/