Elizabeth Edsall Kromm, Ph.D.

Vice President, Population Health and Advancement
Howard County General Hospital/ A member of Johns Hopkins Medicine

What about your leadership style has helped grow your career and how have you had to change your leadership role/style during the past year?

I subscribe to the situational leadership model and adapt my style to the task and needs of team members. I make a concerted effort to ensure my team sees how their individual contributions and collective strengths have impact and link to organization’s mission. Thanks to COVID-19, I began emphasizing resilience. In a prolonged crisis, it is necessary to hear that you are strong and capable but not sufficient. You need to know that, it is okay to not be okay, and that we can and will be okay again. I also found myself sharing more “just for fun” content such as penguins touring an art museum!

As women leaders, it is our role to help grow the next generation of leaders. What advice can you share to help impact not only the younger generation but also the women who are trying to grow in their careers and create positive change?

There will be times where you are the “only one” of something in the room. The youngest, the only woman, the one with a very unique life experience, etc. Focus on the value you bring to that table. Your perspective and voice have value. Accept it as fact. Please don’t waste time trying to justify why you are in the room. You are needed and it is time to get to work. Once in the room or around that table, the next step is to find allies who will prioritize an inclusive workplace culture. You might not think that you have a role to play in evolving your organization’s culture, but you do.