The 2026 OWL Leadership Summit featured an incredibly inspiring panel titled "The Future of Leadership". Moderated by Cynthia Matossian, MD (Matossian Eye Assoc.), industry experts DeAnna Kovach (Genentech), Pierre Simon (Glaucoma Associates of Texas), and Carla Mack, OD (Alcon), opened up about their unique career paths and the leadership skills that actually matter.

As the moderator, Cynthia set the stage by explaining exactly why adaptive leadership is so crucial right now. She noted that "leadership is changing at a very rapid pace," driven by external forces like "geopolitical uncertainties," workforce shortages, and the intense "pressure to integrate all kinds of new technology" into the field.

Here are the biggest takeaways on how these incredible leaders reached the top and the essential skills needed to successfully lead a team.

DeAnna Kovach, PharmD

For DeAnna, getting ahead was not about being the loudest voice in the room. Early in her career, she relied heavily on watching team dynamics. She noted that "observation really had become the foundation for empathy," which she considers one of the most vital skills she ever learned. This quiet observation eventually sparked some deep self-reflection after she was repeatedly passed over for management roles. She realized that she "was misunderstanding what exactly I was trying to become" and discovered a crucial truth: managing people is very different from actually leading them.

As her career progressed, DeAnna found immense freedom in letting go of the need to have all the answers. Looking at her own mentors, she noticed the most inspiring leaders openly admitted when they did not know something. To build mutual trust, she started asking her team to "help me understand". She emphasized how important it is "to lean on others, to lean on your team, to lean on the people around you" to make the best decisions. By intentionally seeking out diverse perspectives, you can create a space where people realize they already carry the solutions intrinsically.

Ultimately, DeAnna encouraged everyone to approach conversations with a genuine desire to learn. She highlighted the importance of continuing to "lead with curiosity" and expressing humility, which allows the people you engage with to help shape your experiences.

Pierre Simon, MBA

Building on DeAnna's perspective on leading with curiosity, Pierre emphasized that the person you are supposed to become will often find you before you find it, as long as you remain open-minded and "never stop being curious". He advised anyone starting their leadership journey to be courageous and truly believe in their own effort-based accomplishments.

This open-mindedness was put to the test when Pierre transitioned into management, a shift that required unlearning his competitive, former-athlete mentality as a sole contributor. He quickly realized that not everyone is driven to win every single award. Instead, a great leader learns how each team member measures success and marries those individual goals with the organization's overarching mission.

A huge part of aligning those goals comes down to placement. Pierre pointed out that when employees fail to meet expectations, they might be perfectly capable but simply sitting in the wrong seat. He challenged leaders to identify the unique strengths of their people and ensure they are placed where they can truly thrive. When an employee is in the right position, the organization, the leader, and the individual all win. 

Carla Mack, OD

Much like DeAnna, Carla highlighted how important it is to release the pressure of knowing everything. As she climbed the leadership ladder, she found it "very liberating" to realize she did not need to have all the answers.

Looking back, Carla wished she had developed "all of the EQ side of leadership" much earlier in her career instead of just relying on being direct and clear. She recognized that if bluntness is all people see, "then you're kind of that person nobody wants to approach". When team members struggle with performance, she explained that "it's probably not just a work thing". It is crucial to check in on what might be troubling them personally so you can help them be their best.

Leading with that kind of empathy naturally builds trust, which Carla says you need to establish long before you actually need it. This strong foundation allows you to lead without authority and navigate tricky situations by collaborating with people, rather than treating them like obstacles you need to get past.

To build these genuine connections, Carla learned from personal setbacks that you cannot separate the "professional human" from the "personal human". There is only one version of you. She encouraged leaders to "live with consistency" and show up the same way at the office as they do at home.

During the Q&A, Carla shared a beautiful real-world example of this authentic connection. She scheduled a coffee chat with a new colleague who had just moved from Switzerland. Instead of jumping right into organizational improvements, Carla prioritized learning about her colleague's personal life and the stress of the move.

Dr. Cynthia Matossian

Piggybacking off DeAnna's thoughts on watching team dynamics, Cynthia highlighted the immense value of quiet observation.

A huge part of aligning those goals comes down to placement. Pierre pointed out that when employees fail to meet expectations, they might be perfectly capable but simply sitting in the wrong seat. He challenged leaders to identify the unique strengths of their people and ensure they are placed where they can truly thrive. When an employee is in the right position, the organization, the leader, and the individual all win.

She shared a golden insight from a book on board governance, noting that the very first mistake new board members make is talking too much just to show everyone they are smart. Instead, she advised leaders to "be an observer," stay quiet, and get a feel for the landscape before jumping in to contribute.

Finally, Cynthia reminded the audience that while building networks is essential, maintaining those relationships takes genuine effort. She explained that keeping connections alive after moving to a different role or company requires hard work and thoughtfulness. It takes an "intentional reach out," whether that is a quick text or an email, to truly nurture those professional bonds over time.

Grateful for Real World Perspectives

We are incredibly grateful that attendees at the OWL Leadership Summit had the opportunity to learn these firsthand, real-world perspectives directly from such dynamic leading voices - masterfully guided by Dr Cynthia Matossian. As the landscape continues to evolve and innovate, their insights serve as a wonderful reminder that true leadership is a continuous, deeply human practice rooted in empathy, courage, and authenticity.