On Leadership: Plowman Interviews Keith Gray on Being a Problem Solver
Dr. Keith Gray, UT Medical president and CEO, joined Chancellor Donde Plowman for the fifth installment in her On Leadership interview series. The two discussed a community-first approach to leadership, how to identify strategic partnerships, and the importance of taking initiative in your leadership development.
“Leadership is not about a position at all—it’s about serving. I started by focusing on how I could be a leader in my sphere of influence,” said Gray. He emphasized the need to be present and a good listener, attuned to contextual variables that impact a person’s needs. “The question that we always come back to is What are the problems to be solved? You can’t identify those problems unless you go out and witness it.”
Gray described his trajectory to becoming president and CEO of UT Medical, a path shaped by the encouragement of his mother and the mentorship of his predecessor, Joe Landsman. Before his appointment, Gray met quarterly with Landsman to work through problems together as he developed the courage and skills to be an effective health administrator.
“You should have a personal board of directors—people who put wind in your sails all the time,” Gray said. Once he felt called to pursue administrative medicine, he sought guidance from different friends and colleagues in his life who understood both his personality and his work. Those individuals provided the support and constructive feedback that helped him grow.
Gray said his primary role as the leader of UT Medical is “to encourage, to empower, and to equip” his nearly 7,000 employees while also ensuring the medical center is best meeting the needs of the community it serves. Mutually beneficial partnerships are one way to do that, he said, and pointed to the health system’s relationship with UT’s College of Nursing as an example. The partnership includes the BSN Scholars Program, which has expanded access to nursing education and is helping address the region’s nursing shortage.
“That was a three-way win. You win, I win—but more importantly, the community wins by our partnership. What we can do is limitless,” Gray explained.
View the full interview.