Robert Corona, DO, MBA, was recently asked about the qualities of good leadership by the Syracuse Media Group in “CNY Conversations.”

“Flexibility and adaptability are key,” he told the news organization. “So is humility.

“When good things happen, take less of the credit.
When bad things happen, take a disproportionate amount of the credit. Really take the responsibility. Don‘t just say “I‘m responsible” and not change anything.

“Have imagination. I‘m a huge Disney fan. I love the idea of not accepting that there‘s only one solution.

“Sometimes, when you have to be really focused on a problem, military-style leadership works. You focus. You have to make decisions that may irritate people, but you have to get that problem solved.

“When the tension isn‘t so bad, you have to be softer and use emotional intelligence and get people to buy in and build them a bridge, so they have a pathway to the side that you‘re hoping to get them to.”

Corona, the John B. Henry Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and vice president for innovation at Upstate, leads the Central New York Biotech Accelerator center.

This article appears in the spring 2017 issue of Upstate Health magazine.