Year End Reflection: Build Serendipity into Health Leadership

Health leaders can be open to and encourage serendipity in their lives and careers.

I have a one-word tattoo imprinted on my left inner wrist - "kismet".

What is kismet? Kismet is often referred to as "destiny". It's one's purpose, lot in life or fate. One often hears "it was meant to be".

From an early age, I've been fortunate to have had a clear passion for health care and embarked on a wonderful career in health leadership. After 30 years as a senior executive in health care, in the last ten years, I have redirected my energy and time into health care leadership mentoring and teaching.

As part of this shift, Vernissage Health has been a core focus. The program focuses on the often neglected inner work of leadership. Vernissage Health is a unique leadership development forum where health leaders from diverse backgrounds and experiences can share their stories, dreams, and setbacks in a supportive, safe environment in order to develop or deepen their leadership practice.

The program has been in operation since 2017, and over 400 early, mid-career, and established leaders have taken part in this curated experience. For me, it's been a wonderful and meaningful way to give back and help develop the next generation of health leaders in Canada. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have transitioned my leadership career in this manner.

For me, this is all kismet - or destiny. It's how my life was meant to unfold.

But, on reflection, my leadership journey was also tremendously impacted by serendipity. I can easily recall pivotal moments - a number of seemingly unconnected, chance encounters, conversations, or events - that changed the course of my life and career.

What Is Serendipity and Why is Matters?

So, this year end blog is about how we, as health leaders, can manifest serendipity in our lives and work. I've come to the conclusion that leveraging serendipity might even be the secret sauce in leadership!

Lately, I've been exploring the concept of serendipity and pondering its impact on life and career. What part does luck or chance play? How can we, as leaders in healthcare, embrace and foster serendipity?

Serendipity is the unplanned, unforeseen, chance meetings and bizaar coincidences that happen to all of us each and every day. As Christian Busch wrote in the Serendipity Mindset, "it's when you see something that is totally unexpected and you connect the dots in order to capitalize on these moments. These are not just minor distractions in our well-oiled lives, but often the critical factor - often the force that makes the greatest difference in our lives".

Serendipity is different from "blind luck" which implies people have no influence or control. Serendipity is consequential when people are receptive and then leverage the unexpected. In its best form, serendipity is smart luck that we can harness! With a serendipity mindset, Busch says, we can make our own luck!

Here is an example of serendipity in my life. In the final days of my undergraduate business degree at the University of Wisconsin, my marketing professor casually passed by my deck and asked what I was doing after graduation. I replied that although I had been accepted in a number of graduate programs in health management in the US, I found none of the programs particularly exciting. He laughed and replied, "You should study abroad in a different health system."

A few days later, he walked past my desk and handed me a piece of paper containing the contact information for the University of Toronto's Health Administration program. He said "This is Canada's top health management program." The next day, I dialled the number on the paper, and within two weeks, I was flying to Toronto for my student interview. Two months later, I had secured a student visa and was on a Greyhound bus to study abroad. Embracing a mindset of serendipity, I truly created my own luck!

Interesting story, but here's the catch. In today's virtual and digital work setting, everyday personal interactions that lead to spontaneous encounters are becoming increasingly rare. The classroom, cafeteria lunch table, and hallway office conversations—core elements of human relationships and serendipity—are either nonexistent or significantly less frequent.

Serendipity Resolutions for 2026

So, what's a health leader to do today to cultivate serendipity and make one's own luck? Here are some thoughts about how health leaders can embrace serendipity in 2026:

• Sow Serendipity:

  
  

  To embrace serendipity, step out of the office or normal work space, be it virtual or physical. Position yourself to create or discover spontaneous encounters. Practice saying "yes" to invitations. Attend events and in-person learning forums to reconnect with old friends and meet new people. Alternatively, organize your own meet ups and events. The key is to get out there and genuinely build connections!

  
  

• Cultivate Serendipity:

  
  

  Prepare to take advantage of these unexpected meetings. Be curious and ask questions. Engage as an attentive listener - hear others' stories and share your own. Show interest and be engaging. REMEMBER: You are interesting and engaging! This will assist you in building a future connection.

  
  

• Deepen Chance Encounters:

  
  

  After planting the seed, you can "connect the dots" to make the most of seemingly chance encounters. Share contact details to maintain open connections about common interests. To follow up, be inventive in your communication methods. Starting with a fresh approach to typical emails or texts can be beneficial. Take time to make a personal phone call. Aim to communicate promptly and in a more engaging and personal way. A bit of humour and playfulness can be very effective!

  
  

• Build a Culture of Serendipity:

  
  

  Last, make serendipity part of one's ongoing leadership practice. You might even help build a culture of serendipity in your organization or work team. What all work places need is more human connection or serendipity. Small unexpected human interactions by many leaders can have huge and positive consequences within organizations. Lead by example and encourage everyone to find small ways to sow serendipity.

So, in 2026, I might have a "serendipity" tattoo put on my right wrist! It goes hand in hand with "kismet".

As the year closes, wishing you all a very happy holiday season and all best wishes for a serendipitous New Year!