Leading When You Have No Official Authority

One of the greatest ways to build your influence and leadership abilities is to lead when you have no official authority. We most often encounter this situation when working with volunteers. Host, Laura Prisc, wasn’t expecting to discover this framework within a hospital, however, that’s exactly what she uncovered when she engaged in a meaningful conversation with Brent Jackson, MD, VP and Chief Medical Officer of Dignity Health, located in Sacramento, CA.  

While he was a practicing physician and general surgeon for many years, he decided to step away from his practice and shift into an administrative role. While he’s a member of the health center’s Executive Team, the physicians he advocates for, and guides do not report to him in the typical sense. Turns out, they are contracted through the hospital, rather than actual employees.  

As such, Brent had to approach leading them a bit differently than we imagine it working. As the liaison between the Executive Team and the Medical Staff, he sees himself functioning as the voice of the physicians, advocating, supporting, and serving them.  

To do that, he focuses on relationship building, which allows him to earn credibility and build trust over time. They come to see him as transparent, reliable, and having their best interests in mind, and that’s how it works.  

Not surprisingly, these particular skills – what many would frame as ‘soft skills’ – were not taught in medical school. Medical school teaching was more aligned with the command & control model of leadership, which really doesn’t work well long-term.  

It wasn’t until Brent went back to earn his MBA that he saw what he’d been missing. He built new and deeper listening skills, came to understand how much it matters for people to understand why things happen the way they do, and recognizes that each of the people with whom he interacts is having a slightly different experience, with a different perspective about how things work.  

It’s a powerful exploration that touches on all things leadership, embracing growth, relationship building, and self-care (hint: one of his practices, which he shares openly, is playing the guitar).  

Dr. Jackson’s Bio 

Brent C Jackson, MD, MS, MBA, FACS — Dr. Jackson is currently the Chief Medical Officer for Mercy General Hospital, a Dignity Health facility in Sacramento, California.  He was a practicing General Surgeon for 15 years before retiring from clinical practice to pursue a career as a physician leader.  He went back to school for his MBA while working as a Medical Director for River City Medical Group, a Medi-Cal IPA.  He then worked as the Physician Advisor for Mercy General Hospital before being promoted into the VP/CMO role.  He finished his MBA in 2020.  Dr. Jackson also holds a B.A. from UC San Diego in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, an M.S. in Neuroscience from Case Western Reserve University, and an M.D., also from CWRU.  He also served for eight years in the US Air Force Reserves and earned an Honorable Discharge at the rank of Major.  In his spare time, he plays guitar, participates in high-performance driving events, and spends time with family, including his four grandchildren. 

Connect with Brent:  On LinkedIn