Is stepping away from the CIO role the key to becoming a stronger leader? It may seem antithetical, but for Beth Lindsay-Wood, Chief Informatics and Technology Officer at Moffitt Cancer Center, the strategy proved quite effective.
“When you’ve been in a single place for a while, you don’t really have the perspective of what else is going on and what other people are doing,” she said in a recent Town Hall: Road to Flourish episode with Erica Williams, Regional Technology Officer-Texas, Ascension Health. During the interview, Lindsay-Wood reflected on her career journey, including her decision to break from the CIO post, she discussed the qualities she finds most valuable in team members.
Beth Lindsay-Wood
One of the seminal moments of her career came in 2013 when she faced a major crossroads: whether to remain in the CIO seat or pursue what she believed would be “a great opportunity” to pursue an advisory role. Ultimately, “I made the pivot to be partner at a consulting firm,” she said, which wasn’t an easy decision considering she had amassed 27 years of experience on the provider side.
However, it proved to be the right move, as she “learned more about the operations” of the organizations where she served in interim roles – including Stanford Medicine and Atlantic Health – and how tasks are prioritized. And while that particular chapter offered valuable insights into the industry, it also provided clarity in terms of her career direction.
“It was a great experience, but I missed being part of the provider side,” said Lindsay-Wood. “I wanted to be part of a team.” And so, after 7 years in consulting, she transitioned back to the hospital environment, assuming the CIO role at Moffitt Cancer Center, then spending a few years with City of Hope before returning to Moffitt in June, 2024.
Not surprisingly, she has been able to draw upon the knowledge gained from working in an advisory capacity, especially when it comes to prioritization. “Being a partner is important to me, as well as working with the board or senior leadership to move the needle from within,” she recalled. “That can be hard to do, but once you’ve seen it a few times in different organizations, you can get some ideas on how to approach the problems we all have.”
At Moffitt, where she has oversight of clinical informatics, IT, digital operations, and cybersecurity, her team is approaching those common problems through a series of initiatives. One of those is CancerX, a digital ventures arm that identifies technologies that can improve patient and provider experiences and incorporates them into the workflow.
Moffitt is also rolling out an integrated ERP system and launching a new strategic plan that will leverage transformative technologies such as GenAI to boost clinical outcomes. “We’re looking at how we tie all of that together using AI,” she said. “We’re on a path to do a lot of exciting things.”
For Lindsay-Wood, that “path” hasn’t always been an easy one, and getting there has meant being willing to take risks and embrace career gaps. “I’ve had setbacks just like everyone else,” she said. “Sometimes you’re going to part ways with an organization because it’s not working.”
When that happens, it’s important to use those gaps “as a time to reflect on what you really want to do,” she added. The next step? “Get back on your feet and start to look at different opportunities. Look around and think about what makes you passionate.” Of course, some situations are more difficult to navigate than others. But no matter the circumstance, it’s critical to “dust yourself off and keep moving forward,” she said. “You need some internal and intestinal fortitude to do that. Remember, the end is usually a better place than where you came from. It’s a great experience to move into a new role where you feel valued and can make a strong contribution.”
The challenge for many, she noted, isn’t in identifying the next career step, but rather, positioning themselves to take it. This is where career coaching can play an enormous role. “We’re all in the business of sales in one form or another. We have to do that for ourselves too,” LIndsay-Wood stated. “You need to make sure you have a brand” and that “people see the best of you.”
By investing in coaching, individuals can learn about opportunities that are available and position themselves as viable candidates, she said, noting that networking and staying engaged are also critically important, especially in the current landscape. “It’s a little bit of marketing, and that can be hard, but having that confidence in yourself is critical.”
Finally, she encouraged both leaders and staff to be open to feedback – even if it isn’t positive. “Those conversations can be hard, but we all have things we need to work on,” Lindsay-Wood added. “There’s no golden ticket. It’s hard work, but your career has to be a priority.”
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