How Jefferson Strengthened Executive Leadership and Prepared a High Potential Leader for Enterprise Level Impact
Thomas Jefferson University operates in a large, complex, and high pressure academic medical environment where senior leaders must balance strategic clarity, political nuance, and rapid transformation. The Chief Strategy Officer, a highly capable and widely trusted senior leader, was navigating this complexity with ambition and commitment. He was also carrying the weight of expectations that come with being seen as a future CEO level leader. High Bridge Leadership partnered with Mark to refine his leadership presence, deepen his strategic influence, and help him accelerate toward enterprise level impact.
Key Themes:
Leading at the Enterprise Level
Executive Presence
Influencing Others
Political Savvy
Self-Development / Self-Insight
What was happening in the organization
Jefferson was navigating a period of significant transformation. After a decade of rapid expansion that grew the health system from three hospitals to eighteen, the organization faced increasing fragmentation and complexity across its academic, clinical, and administrative domains. Leadership recognized the need for greater integration and moved to consolidate five divisions into three regional structures. This restructuring changed reporting lines, eliminated roles, and raised expectations for how senior leaders needed to operate.
At the same time, new executive leadership was reshaping the strategic direction of the university. Academic priorities, clinical operations, workforce demands, and financial realities were pulling the enterprise in different directions. Leaders were being asked to show up with more clarity, stronger presence, and a broader view of the system. A new leadership core was forming, and the CSO was part of that shift. The bar for enterprise-level influence rose quickly, creating both opportunity and pressure for a leader ready to move into a larger role.
Where the CSO was in his leadership trajectory
The CSO entered coaching as a respected leader with significant capability and future potential. He also felt the pressure that comes with taking on broader responsibility. His pace was high. His workload was heavy. His influence was solid but not yet fully aligned with enterprise expectations. He had goals around developing CEO level skills, clarifying his presence, and improving how others experienced him. He was ready to grow, but he needed structure, clarity, and a safe space to explore how his leadership needed to evolve.
How High Bridge Leadership supported him
Our work centered on bringing clarity to the capabilities required for CEO readiness and identifying the behaviors that would accelerate or limit Mark’s growth. Through discovery sessions, targeted development planning, leadership feedback, and structured reflection, Mark began to see the specific areas that mattered most. We explored his leadership presence, the impact of his style on others, the expectations of senior stakeholders, and the habits that sustained or drained his energy. We worked on influence, pacing, relationship investment, and the mindset required to lead well in a high complexity system.
The CSO engaged deeply in the process. He embraced feedback, reflected honestly, and began making intentional shifts in how he showed up. He became more aware of how his presence affected others. He learned to manage expectations against readiness and became more thoughtful about where and how to invest his time and relationships.
What results came out of this work
The CSO identified and assessed the key capabilities required for his next stage of leadership and made meaningful progress in several areas. He developed a clearer understanding of his leadership presence and how it shaped the experience of those around him. He learned to manage pressure with better energy and better pacing. He became more intentional in building relationships and aligning expectations. The feedback process was challenging but valuable, giving him new insight into how he was perceived and where he could grow. He stepped forward with greater confidence, stronger influence, and a clearer path toward long term leadership success.