Organizational failure may result from substandard products or abrupt market shifts; however, internal challenges are equally prevalent. Issues such as ineffective leadership, poor communication, flawed decision-making, insufficient accountability, and employee disengagement frequently reflect underlying systemic concerns that require focused intervention, strategic adjustments, or comprehensive restructuring for meaningful progress. Drawing upon over three decades of experience in leading healthcare organizations, John Thievon has developed actionable methodologies to address underperformance and restore organizational achievement.
Thievon possesses extensive executive leadership experience, having served as CEO for both publicly traded and privately held healthcare organizations, as well as division president of a Fortune 100 company. He has overseen successful restructurings within specialty pharmacy enterprises and a real estate construction firm. Currently, he serves as Advisor to the CEO at a healthcare services organization. His expertise includes identifying operational efficiencies, resolving personnel and structural challenges, and executing commercial strategies that yield tangible outcomes.
Identifying Organizational Creep Issues
Thievon observes that when businesses grow, they add more staff and accountability can decline, leading employees to lose sight of how their work affects revenue. He recommends focusing on controllable factors like accounts receivable (AR) and accounts payable (AP), noting this can increase profit margins by 1–3%. These elements are frequently neglected, yet they play a crucial role in an organization’s cash flow.
Understanding Company Realities First
He advises understanding your starting point before making changes. “Talk to as many stakeholders as possible,” he says. Identify strengths and weaknesses in staff and operations, then focus on managing performance, running meetings, making decisions, and sharing information. Performance management is crucial, but companies often struggle to enforce consequences and reward top performers differently from low performers.
Meeting structure is crucial. Thievon suggests meetings should be under an hour, as attention spans are brief—especially online. Meetings require clear goals, assigned action items with deadlines, and transparent decision-making. Not making decisions can be as harmful as making poor ones.
Information flow is essential. Employees need access to relevant data to perform their jobs well; holding them accountable without the right tools is unreasonable.
Driving Execution with Accountability
This stage is more challenging. Thievon recommends that leaders, including senior staff and the CEO, consistently focus on management development. Regularly review systems, decision-making, and plan adherence without fostering negativity. Profitability and opportunity should drive decisions; while input is welcome, supporting final choices is essential. Managers need to provide clear feedback, and tough conversations are necessary for staff development.
Modern technologies such as AI will create new challenges and opportunities, but Thievon does not think the fundamentals of leadership will change. Companies should bring in experts when needed, the same way big tech companies use outside law firms for specialized problems. His final advice is straightforward. “Companies need to control the controllables, but too often, I see multiple missed opportunities.” Hire right, terminate when necessary, and execute on the basics consistently. “You can’t let the things you can control slip because there are so many things out of your control.” Great cultures are displayed through people’s actions, their work, and reliable execution—not through discussion.
Thievon has guided multiple organizations through transformations that deliver real revenue growth and measurable results. Connect with John Thievon on LinkedIn to explore his insights on leadership and execution.
