Pivot Points podcast
The intentional brilliance of an accidental CEO
Episode 27: In conversation with former-CEO of Flatiron Health, Carolyn Starrett
Join Carolyn Starrett on her journey from accidental CEO to transformative leader at Flatiron Health, offering candid insights on team retention, navigating instability, crisis management, and shaping a purpose-driven career with a succession plan at the end of her CEO role.
If you can look at change as an opportunity, not a scary thing, I think that is a characteristic that will just serve you so well in your career, because you’re the person who thrives and gets energised when change is inevitable.
Carolyn Starrett Former CEO, Flatiron Health
Carolyn Starrett’s purpose-led career has shifted from changing how the world connects to changing how the world lives.
She stepped into Flatiron Health amid turbulence. Senior leaders left. Stability wavered. Yet she held the center – not by control, but by conviction. Her strength? Bringing people with her.
An “accidental CEO” who leads with intent, Starrett has turned crisis into cohesion and built belief in a company finding its next chapter.
Today’s conversation is a masterclass in clarity: how to unite a team, lead with purpose, and know when to pass the torch.
A lot of that first year was stepping back and figuring out, what’s the long term strategy going to be now that we are past this inflection point, and how do I build the team and structure to support that?
Carolyn Starrett Former CEO, Flatiron Health
You will learn:
- To lead through change by embracing it.
- That building consensus brings your teams on a change journey with you.
- How to lead with intention, find personal meaning in work, and use vision and mission to motivate teams.
- How curating a strong leadership bench prepares organizations for long-term success.
Key themes:
- Purpose-driven leadership through instability.
- Building a culture of alignment to navigate challenges.
- Embracing change as part of individual and business transformation.
- Team development and succession planning.
To tune in, head here:
We can’t make everyone happy. What we can do is be really clear on where we’re going, why, how we can offer that, and then letting people opt in or opt out.
Carolyn Starrett Former CEO, Flatiron Health
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