Dr.Breanna Jain

Most people would say I am a history enthusiast, because I am always researching the events and lives that incited change and wanting to know everything. The most influential figures for me are those that defied the odds, were unique, and most importantly innovative. This could be Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, Queen Isabella, CoCo Chanel, Michael Jordan. There is just something fascinating about people who have a calling and do something groundbreaking with it.

Leadership style

My leadership style is an innovator or builder. I am always looking at what’s going on from all angles and running it through my head and deciding on ways to improve it and saying. “We can do that, lets invoke change!” It requires me to constantly be moving with the times but also looking at history and what hasn’t worked and learning from it. 

You have to get people to believe in your vision and understand it. It is important to motivate people by letting them know how and why their work is important. If others believe in a necessary social mission and there is a powerful solution that will create lasting change, people will do their best work. 

 Everyone in leadership, maybe especially those of us in medicine, face challenges and crises on a daily basis. Precision with improvisation is often necessary for survival, but from there it is critical to ensure a pathway for continued success and stability. Being a lifelong learner and listener is critical. It is vital that I understand the jobs and importance of everyone in the organization. One thing that I feel is key to my role is listening to my patients and never losing touch with clinical practice. I am a health care provider who happens to be a CEO, not the other way around.

Leadership lessons

Leading through COVID tested me like everyone else. We worked with half a staff, opened doors when other organizations closed theirs and dealt with daily challenges we never saw coming. I remember taking care of work even while giving birth to my youngest child! It seemed like the pandemic had taken over our lives and that we all needed answers to things that were never part of the equation before. The organization grew tremendously during that time because the need for mental health was more paramount than ever. I am grateful for having the opportunity to lead the team in helping thousands of people facing mental health crises, and that work is life changing. But I also had to learn how to delegate when necessary, to build a team that I can rely on and to take time to breathe. I had to learn that every crisis is important but when managing them is your job, sometimes you have to safely step away and be a mom and wife, and that having some time to decompress is valuable not just for my life outside of work but also to keep me sharp for my CEO duties.