UHN Foundation CEO Julie Quenneville on Changemaking in the Healthcare Sector – Canadian Business – How to Do Business Better
When Julie Quenneville started her profession in journalism, her mission was to encourage change. Today, greater than 20 years later and much from the newsrooms and broadcast studios she as soon as employed, Quenneville’s mission stays the identical because the newly appointed CEO of UHN Foundation. “My background in journalism instilled in me a commitment to storytelling and advocacy, which has carried over into my work in public service and philanthropy,” she says. “Whether it’s raising awareness about healthcare issues or mobilizing support for important causes, I see parallels between journalism and my more recent roles in terms of their potential to effect positive change.”
Prior to becoming a member of UHN Foundation, Quenneville entered the healthcare sector as affiliate chief of workers to the Quebec Minister of Health and Social Services. She later joined the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) as chief of workers to the CEO earlier than turning into president and CEO of MUHC Foundation In 2015. Over the years, she’s earned quite a few accolades, together with being named one in all Canada’s Most Powerful Women, one in all Concordia University’s Top 50 beneath 50, winner of the Women We Admire Award in 2023, and receiving the Medal of the Quebec National Assembly.
As Canadian Business’s leader-in-residence this month, Quenneville sat down with us to debate her profession milestones, aspirations and recommendation for future leaders.
You started your profession in journalism. Can you share what sparked your enterprise into public service and, finally, led you to UHN Foundation?
This could also be a controversial take, however I do contemplate journalism to be a type of public service. Though, in observing the numerous challenges our society faces as a reporter, I shortly grew to become desirous to become involved, and simply as shortly annoyed with the speed at which change was being made. What impressed me to shift gears was the chance to function affiliate chief of workers for the well being minister in Quebec. Here, I used to be in a position to spearhead efforts to cut back the provincial smoking price by roughly 10%. It was a major change for Quebec, which, on the time, had the best smoking price within the nation—it was very corresponding to France.
This expertise taught me that if you carry individuals along with a standard purpose of doing good for society, you at all times discover a path ahead. It confirmed me the ability of collaboration and impressed me to proceed working in direction of constructive changemaking. Transitioning to roles in philanthropy, comparable to my tenure on the MUHC Foundation in Montreal, got here naturally and allowed me to additional contribute to constructing and remodeling establishments like UHN Foundation.
Do you assume your youthful self can be stunned to see the place you’re at this time?
Throughout my profession, I’ve at all times lived by my values. For that motive, I don’t assume she can be stunned. My intent as a journalist was to be a civil servant, and as my profession trajectory shifted into authorities, I discovered myself working in hospitals, constructing establishments and actually remodeling healthcare. Today, as CEO of UHN Foundation, a lot of my work is knowledgeable by philanthropy, which additionally exists to serve. It exists to permit our group to guard and improve our medical establishments. The extra I give it some thought, the one factor that has modified is a strengthened perception you could really result in change. I’ve seen it with my very own eyes.
What would you say has been a major milestone in your profession?
Personally, I contemplate elevating kids to be essentially the most vital milestone. Balancing a profession with parenthood has been a journey, however seeing my kids develop into compassionate, community-minded people brings me immense delight. From an expert standpoint, main the MUHC Foundation and reaching vital income progress whereas fostering a constructive company tradition was a noteworthy achievement.
As a pacesetter, how do you prioritize and stability the assorted wants and targets of UHN Foundation?
Prioritization is each the important thing and the toughest a part of a management function. In my expertise, I’ve realized that discovering stability begins with having a transparent imaginative and prescient and technique. I encompass myself with gifted people who share this perception and empower them to make choices aligned with our overarching targets. While we are able to’t do every part directly, having a long-term and impressive imaginative and prescient guides our decision-making and ensures that we deal with initiatives with the best potential for influence.
How are you aware when your imaginative and prescient is aligned along with your long-term targets or whether or not or not it’s bold sufficient?
If it’s not bold and it’s not aspirational, it is going to by no means encourage these round you. I believe as long as progress is on the centre of your imaginative and prescient, you’re heading in the right direction. It’s our job as leaders to seek out alternatives for continued progress, and to assist establish the methods to get us from level A to level B.
What units aside an distinctive chief, and the way do you embody these qualities in your management at UHN Foundation?
Empathy is paramount for efficient management. I attempt to steer with empathy, and understanding that our group members are people with their very own experiences and challenges. It’s an exquisite a part of a hybrid work mannequin— the possibility to witness individuals’s lives outdoors of the workplace by means of a video name. I believe it reminded numerous leaders to steer with empathy. Additionally, I imagine in transparency and vulnerability, acknowledging that I’m not infallible and inspiring a tradition the place it’s okay to take dangers and be taught from failure. Creating a supportive setting the place individuals really feel empowered to be their genuine selves additionally fosters innovation and collaboration. It’s not solely the proper factor to do, it’s efficient.
What is one piece of recommendation that has influenced your management model at this time?
One piece of recommendation that resonates with me is to domesticate a various community of mentors. Each mentor provides distinctive insights and views which can be precious at totally different phases of 1’s profession. Additionally, I’ve been reminded of the significance of balancing work and household life, understanding that success in each areas requires help and prioritization. Finally, treating everybody with respect and recognizing the contributions of each particular person, no matter their function, is important in fostering a constructive and inclusive organizational tradition.
One of my biggest mentors and mates was the previous premier of Quebec, Jean Charest, who at all times handled the custodian, the intern and the CEO as equals. When we’d attend occasions or conferences, he would go round and introduce himself to utterly all people—reminding us that it was extraordinarily essential to guarantee that everybody understood how essential they had been to the corporate. These are the forms of values that I attempt to stay by.
Canadian Business hosted a digital hearth chat with Julie Quenneville to speak about her profession, girls in management and to debate how expertise and financial megatrends disrupt philanthropy.
