When I joined Duke, I was asked several times during the admission process about my personal career goals and aspirations. My answer has never changed: I want to change the global health prospective. As a physician, my focus is healthcare and I feel that any disease treatment should be available to all human beings. For what is more valuable than life? I pursued an MBA because I [think] that the world needs to be a better place, one where my kids can be safe, happy, and healthy no matter where they are.
Business is in the ideal position to drive these changes, but why should business leaders care or invest in these social problems? As our place in the world has evolved, so has our perspective of business, from selling needed goods to wanted services. Most of us live in a consumer culture that does not have to worry about daily needs to survive, but seeks additional comfort to learn, grow, and connect in an increasingly complex global culture. It is this global ecosystem that drives business leaders to new market opportunities that benefit both organization growth and profit, and the betterment of society.
This model of leadership [that] lies at the intersection between innovation, emotional intelligence, and human decency has positive financial consequences. Businesses that adopt corporate social responsibility policies and that invest their capital to make a positive work environment show the greatest revenue growth and return on investment. This is an investment into a better society for a better tomorrow. We call this concept social responsibility and the current Dean of Fuqua, Bill Boulding, states that this idea can be conceptualized as the decency quotient (DQ). Indeed, in his latest article in the Harvard Business Review, [Dr.] Boulding discusses how critical this phenomenon is for transformative leaders and business success. Duke has been a leader in this movement by emphasizing social responsibilities and global vision. Let us continue to strive to become not just successful leaders, but “Leaders of Consequence.”
Dr. Raman Palabindala is a physician committed to medical education, patient safety, and healthcare equality and a member of the Global Executive MBA Program, Class of 2019 at Duke University. He is Division Chief of Hospital Medicine at University of Mississippi Medical Center. Before becoming division chief, he practiced medicine in Alabama for four years as a hospitalist, clerkship director, and home health director at Southeast Health. Recognizing his leadership activities and contribution to hospital medicine, ACP named him one of ten Top Hospitalists in the country in 2016. He is a progressive thinker with dreams about changing global health by preparing future physicians by teaching patient-centered and value-based care.