#282: Peter Wharton-Hood, CEO, LIFE Healthcare Group – Pick team players over individual performers episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 12, 2026 · 1H 7M

#282: Peter Wharton-Hood, CEO, LIFE Healthcare Group – Pick team players over individual performers

from How Leaders Lead with David Novak · host David Novak

Peter Wharton-Hood became CEO of LIFE Healthcare in August 2020 – right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic – with no healthcare experience. He was an accomplished banking executive, but he had zero context for what it takes to run a hospital. And it was his job to lead 16,000 healthcare workers through a generational crisis. But Peter stepped into the role with a team-first philosophy that’s shaped his whole career. His people are his priority. He puts the team’s best interest before his own, and he isn’t afraid to cut a top performer if they aren’t a team player. This episode will help you think differently about what really matters when building a team, and it’ll give you the courage to make the hard calls that great team culture requires. You’ll also learn: The most important factor when making a career move (most people miss it) A fun exercise you can use to bring your team into the vision and strategy process How to have a tough personnel conversation Why you may NOT want to be a tech trailblazer Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you’ll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

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#282: Peter Wharton-Hood, CEO, LIFE Healthcare Group – Pick team players over individual performers

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