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  • Leadership Institute

    The CNS Leadership Institute offers a uniquely practical and transformative approach to physician leadership. Led by a team of neurosurgeon leaders, administrators, and organizational change management professionals, the program’s structured peer-learning environment provides rare access to a community of equally motivated physician leaders tackling similar challenges in their institutions. 

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  • The CNS Leadership Institute is a 12-month leadership program designed to empower neurosurgeons with the practical skills and business acumen needed to engage hospital administrators and lead multidisciplinary teams.

    Following a series of introductory virtual sessions and a leadership strengths assessment, participants will be invited to one of three live courses in Chicago for a deep dive into critical healthcare leadership concepts. Participants then return home to apply the learning to their individual projects, supported by supplemental webinars, continued mentorship, and peer networking opportunities.

    Applications for the 2026 Leadership Institute are now open! Applications are due by March 13, 2026. Please contact Shannon Foglio at sfoglio@cns.org with any questions.

    Leadership in Health Care Course

    Designed for early-career neurosurgeons (2-5 years into practice) interested in pursuing leadership opportunities within their institution or organized neurosurgery.

    The Leadership in Health Care Course offers a rare, practice-grounded bridge between leadership development and the business realities of neurosurgical and health care service lines. Gain meaningful insights into how the specialty fits into the overall health care system, understanding the business decisions driving administrators, and how to communicate in the "language of business" while developing practical leadership skills and strategies to build influence.

    As part of the Leadership Institute, you will identify an individual leadership project within your home institution to workshop in small groups. By applying course concepts to these projects, you will build and test change management strategies in the real world. Ongoing programming throughout the year will help you refine your approach and move the project forward with support from your Leadership Institute peers and mentors. 

    Course topics include*:

    • Group Dynamics: Building Influence and Change Management Skills
    • Optimizing Neuroscience Service Line for Care Delivery
    • Leveraging Your Leadership Strengths
    • Art of Negotiation


    Vanguard Leadership in Health Care Course

    Designed for mid-career surgeons (6-12 years into practice) and those in formal leadership roles.

    The Vanguard Leadership in Health Care Course builds upon the foundational concepts from the Leadership in Health Care Course, giving participants a deeper understanding of behavioral psychology, change management, and the "shadow networks" that shape real organizational influence. Learn to navigate the intricate structure of neurosurgical service lines and concrete tactics for managing up, engaging the C-suite, securing executive sponsorship, and strategically partnering with administration.

    Course topics include*:

    • Culture and Influence: Navigating Your Institutional Dynamics to Ensure Success
    • Physician Payment Incentives: Intended and Unintended Consequences
    • Transforming from Physician to Leader and Mentor
    • Art of Negotiation

    Executive Leadership in Health Care Course

    Designed for advanced career surgeons in executive leadership roles within their institutions.

    The Executive Leadership in Health Care Course focuses on high-level strategic skills and knowledge essential for leading large teams, shaping institutional culture, and driving systemic change in complex healthcare systems. By leveraging experience and real-world examples of executives in healthcare and industry, this program delivers essential, practice-ready skills—particularly in strategic planning, service-line development, financial stewardship, resource allocation, and crafting organizational culture.  

    Course topics include*:

    • Healthcare Strategic Planning for Sustainable Change
    • Distributed Leadership in Healthcare and the Role of Neurosurgery
    • Development and Maturation of a Service Line Within an Academic Medical Center
    • Preparing for Financial Headwinds
    • Supporting Research & Innovation within Resource Constraints
    • Talent Development, Retention, and Organizational Culture

    Note: a $500 Registration Fee applies for those selected to participate in the Executive Leadership in Healthcare Course.

    *Course topics are subject to change. Participants will be assigned to the appropriate course based on their tenure and experience.

    Note: The CNS Leadership Institute is designed for CNS Member neurosurgeons who are 2 or more years into active practice.  Residents and trainees are not eligible to participate at this time. We encourage them to access valuable leadership content through our Annual Meeting courses, including weekend symposium "CNS Leadership Institute Primer: Neurosurgery Career Essentials."

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  • Thank you to our Leadership Institute Corporate Partners

  • Questions about the CNS Leadership Institute?

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