Why it takes more than “two to tango”

In the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, I attended many webinars & virtual conferences. Just like everyone else, I guess? Did you? What a great experience that was despite the daunting prospect of an unknown virus unfolding across the world. Getting to see & know people across all continents; amazing. During one of those, I stumbled over an eye-opening concept that I immediately knew would become the guiding theme for this book!

Pablo Pugliese is a renowned tango dancer who has been dancing tango all his life. He created a leadership institute completely based on tango principles. Executive leadership & Tango? You might think ‘I’m not a dancer, what can I possibly learn from this?’ The particular aspect of tango he brings to his leadership training is the fact that there is no clearly defined set of rules & steps that govern a tango, making it unlike other dances such as a waltz or a cha-cha-cha. Instead, there is a set of common vocabulary – or principles – that both dancers use to communicate. Furthermore, what Pablo & his partner Noel exemplify perfectly is the fact that there is no one constant or dominant leader. Both partners can slip into that leader role at any time, without competition, and swap responsibility for the lead back & forth.

By learning a common vocabulary, and by co-owning leadership, both partners co-create innovative new dances every time they get on stage.

In health care, it is even more complex. To solve a problem, it takes not 2 to tango, but 5. Principles instead of rules, and cooperation instead of competition. How true is this in health care?

If you think about it, it all starts & ends with the patient.

Patients receiving care, doctors delivering care, pharma developing care, payers paying for care, and policymakers providing the ethical & regulatory frameworks for the health care delivery chain. Among the top 5 actors – patient, provider, pharma, payer & policymaker – no one is the boss. Every actor is highly interconnected on every step along the way.

WHAT IF all actors would co-create solutions in a transparent, collaborative & fair manner, and constantly communicate in a dance that juggles all actors, interests & needs?

Let’s dance! We can do it. For the benefit of patients. For the benefits of our societies & economies!