Geoff Martha, Medtronic's new CEO, penned an important and inspiring letter to employees on his first day in the position.
The letter shows strong empathy, clear vision, impressive industry knowledge - and of course sound leadership.
Honored and humbled to be a part of Medtronic
"I’m honored to be part of this amazing, diverse organization, and I want to thank Omar Ishrak [former CEO] and the Board of Directors for having faith in me to lead Medtronic into this new era," Geoff writes.
"As you know, Omar will continue to serve as Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board at Medtronic. For the last nine years, Omar has guided us, championed and operationalized our Mission, and firmly re-established our leadership role in medical technology all around the world. I will be forever grateful for his ongoing friendship and his support."
"I’m truly humbled by this opportunity. For more than 60 years, thousands of employees have come to Medtronic to fulfill our Mission ― to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. This simple and compelling Mission has guided our people to create some of the most meaningful products and therapies in the history of healthcare. To lead such an enterprise and its people is incredibly inspiring and a tremendous privilege. I’m honored to be your CEO, and I can assure you that the Mission will always be our north star."
Facing new challenges during Covid-19
"As we embark on a new journey together, we begin in the midst of one of the most challenging times the world has ever faced, driven by the coronavirus pandemic. This has presented all of us with a multitude of challenges, on both professional and personal levels. I know it has deeply affected us all," Geoff adds.
Geoff explains that he, along with the rest of the leadership team, is focused on employee well-being and where to take Medtronic forward during such a challenging time around the world.
"We see a path through this pandemic, and it’ll come in phases. First, the initial impact phase that we’ve all been living through over the last few months. Second, a recovery phase, where we begin to return to more normal operations by Medtronic and our hospital customers, and where we begin to actively re-engage in our communities and with our friends. And finally, a 'new normal' will emerge. Throughout, we must support customers and patients in entirely new ways," he states.
"There are tremendous learnings for all of us from this crisis. I’m learning every day, and I’ve been continually reminded of things that remain fundamentally true for us ― things that will be central to my leadership themes and vision going forward."
People are relying on the company more than ever
Geoff reminds readers that people rely on Medtronic for innovative, life-saving technologies. And now people are relying on the company like no other time in its history.
"Patients rely on us for so many things ― pacemakers, heart valves, insulin pumps, ventilators, and so much more. Everything we make and everything we do works to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. We provide health, and we provide hope. People are depending on us, and we cannot let them down. We must continue to innovate and fulfill our Mission," he writes.
"Throughout this pandemic, I’ve also been reminded of the great disparity of access and quality of care throughout the world. Your location in the world should not determine your level of access to quality care. As Medtronic, we can do something about this. Our Mission does not say alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life for certain people of means. Our therapies reach more than 75 million patients per year, but this is only a small fraction of the people who need our help. We can and we must make our products and therapies available in more places and to more people around the world."
Geoff adds that he has learned that Medtronic can move with speed, with clarity, and with impact when in a crisis. The walls of its organizational structures come down, the sense of urgency goes up, and a collaborative spirit takes over to solve problems for customers.
Medtronic colleagues are passionate, innovative and smart
Finally, Geoff adds that he continues to be impressed by the strength and talent in Medtronic's workforce.
"I’m learning, yet again, how great our people are. This is a company of people ― innovative, passionate, and smart people. I know we can out innovate our peers and solve the problems of healthcare because I know we have the best people in the world. And I will ensure we have a workplace that allows you to meet your personal goals and aspirations," he tells employees.
"Diversifying our company will also play a large part in creating the workplace of innovation and ingenuity we need going forward. We must bring the best minds into Medtronic ― no matter your color, your gender, your religion, or your orientation. Inclusion and diversity will be a critical factor in our future success, and I intend to take us to the next level of representation in all areas and levels of our organization.
"I’m excited about being your CEO and energized by what the future holds. I promise you that I will always put Medtronic first. I will always have the Mission as my compass and my true north."
Read the full letter here.
Enter Geoff Martha's new era at Medtronic
Medtronic has shown that, in times of crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic, colleagues can join together and continue to make a difference.
If you want to work with leaders such as Geoff, search and apply for a job at Medtronic.
Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.