Most Important Skills For A Head Of Transformation At Optum
Zach, Head of Transformation at Optum, emphasizes that technical skills are learnable, prioritizing instead "intellectual curiosity" and a willingness to understand the bigger picture of the business and its impact on patients. Success, Zach explains, hinges on a desire to "help people" and "put yourself in uncomfortable situations," rather than limiting oneself to narrowly defined roles.
Intellectual Curiosity, Problem-Solving, Communication, Teamwork, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Zach Goldman
Head of Transformation
Optum
USC, 2007
UCLA Anderson MBA
Political Science, American Studies
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Strategic Management and Executive
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Student Athlete, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Intellectual curiosity and a willingness to learn are crucial, as many technical skills are learnable.
2. A broad perspective on how different parts of the business fit together and serve patients is essential.
3. Proactive engagement, collaboration, and a willingness to help others, even outside immediate responsibilities, are highly valued.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
Honestly, I would say intellectual curiosity. A lot of the stuff that we do is learnable. You can learn how to code and Excel, you can learn SQL, you can learn how to become better at PowerPoint presentations or telling narrative stories.
I think what tends to differentiate folks and make them successful in the work that I do, or in working with me, is an interest in learning more about how this business functions, about how the different parts of it fit together, about how we ultimately serve patients.
What I see is people that are less successful tend to think very narrowly about their roles. It's "that's my job" or "it's not my job." Or, "leave me alone, it's not something I'm interested in."
Folks that are, as an alternative, hungry to get to know others better, hungry to find ways to help people, and just interested in how things come together at work, they will serve you well.
You can learn the technical skills again. You can learn coding, you can learn how to make decks. There's plenty of stuff available out there to help you with that. I think it's just the willingness to put yourself in uncomfortable situations, to not be afraid to ask what may feel like dumb questions from time to time, and to help out folks that may not feel like they're part of your day-to-day responsibilities.