As Healthcare and Technology Intersect, Why Are Strong Communication Skills Crucial for Today and Tomorrow?

Laura Wegner, Harvard Class of 2025.

Laura Wegner, Harvard Class of 2025, is a serial entrepreneur passionate about empowering patients to take control of their medical history via the creation of her start-up, Mii (https://www.miistartup.com/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/mii-passport), a digital healthcare passport that empowers patients to manage and access their health records anywhere in the world. In November 2024, Wegner was announced as one of two German recipients of the Rhodes Scholarship, the university’s first from Germany in 10 years.¹

Q. Based upon conversations with current students and alums at Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Wharton, and Columbia, a common theme for 2025 New Year’s resolutions appears to be learning more about emerging technologies like Agentic AI.² So given how many of these students are pursuing junior-level, but well compensated roles in private equity,³ why should they be focused on improving their communication skills? After all, given that they effectively communicated reasons for gaining admittance to these selective schools, perhaps they should just double-down on learning new AI developments for their 2025 resolutions on January 1?

A. Wegner: While staying up to date on emerging technologies is valuable, improving communication skills is equally—if not more—important for long-term success, especially in collaborative and fast-paced environments like start-ups. I co-founded a healthcare technology start-up called Mii, which developed a healthcare passport app. This app empowers patients to access their complete medical history, share it seamlessly with their doctors, and monitor health trends over time, such as changes in blood values.

Early on, when it was just my co-founder and me, communication was straightforward. We divided tasks based on our respective expertise, supported each other when needed, and made decisions collaboratively. However, as Mii expanded, we faced challenges in areas where neither of us had expertise—such as UX/UI design. Decisions in this area were based on our personal aesthetic preferences rather than informed judgment, and that’s when we realized it was time to bring in a UX/UI designer. About 1.5 years in, we also added technical team members to help with more advanced product development.

As the team grew, it became increasingly clear just how critical frequent, honest, and detail-oriented communication is to the daily operations of a start-up. No matter how talented someone is, their skills only make an impact if they can collaborate effectively, communicate what they’re working on, share their timelines, and highlight where they might need help. This emphasis on open and quick communication has been a key factor in our team’s success so far. Strong communication is almost never a natural talent; it’s a skill you develop. Start-ups move fast, and effective communication ensures the whole team moves forward together.

Q. As the oldest postgraduate award in the world, the recent Rhodes Scholarship's acceptance rate for US undergraduates was 3.7%.⁴ Recognizing that the majority of applicants have similar academic pedigrees,⁵ what were your communication strategies to secure an acceptance and how might these be ideas for the readership to consider for their upcoming 2025 New Years’ resolutions?

A. Wegner: First, especially when thinking about new resolutions to write down in the 2025 calendar, I find it important to say that allowing your goals and aspirations to change is essential. It’s easy to fixate on a specific plan for your life, but as you gain new experiences and perspectives, your interests and priorities may evolve.

Embracing this change can lead to unexpected growth and opportunities. Being open to reimagining your path allows you to align your goals with who you are becoming, not just who you once thought you should be.

Second, when it comes to communicating an idea or presenting who you are, it is essential to approach the process with patience and care. For the Rhodes Scholarship, applicants craft a written narrative, followed by an in-person interview for finalists.

While the questions (who you are, what your passion is, and what you plan on doing with that passion) might seem straightforward, the preparation is intense. Building a narrative that authentically conveys your journey and aspirations takes significant time and reflection. It is not something that can be rushed; it demands a deliberate time commitment.

Finally, it is crucial to develop the ability to listen actively, as it allows you to challenge your assumptions and educate yourself on new subjects. As you mentioned, many high-achieving students, such as high-school valedictorians, often face difficulty shifting their mindset to accept constructive feedback—especially when it requires significant changes to their ideas or convictions. This shift can be challenging but is essential for growth.

One of the most important practices is asking questions. Nobody knows everything, and the path of innovation requires venturing into the unknown. Being afraid of not knowing an answer is counterproductive; instead, we need to embrace uncertainty and commit to finding answers to our questions through self-directed research or by asking for help.

Personally, I am a regular at every course’s office hours, where I ask many questions, regardless of whether they sound “smart” or not. While it can be painful at times to reevaluate your approach and incorporate others’ feedback, doing so ultimately results in better ideas.

About the Author

Michael Wong is a Part-time Lecturer for the Wharton Communication Program at the University of Pennsylvania. As an Emeritus Co-President and board member of the Harvard Business School Healthcare Alumni Association as well as a Contributing Writer for the MIT Sloan Career Development Office, Michael’s ideas have been shared in the Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review.

References

1. Laura Wegner ’25 Named Rhodes Scholar from Germany | News | The Harvard Crimson

2. https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/11/13/1106750/unlocking-the-mysteries-of-complex-biological-systems-with-agentic-ai/

3. Goldstein, Jonathan, Rubinetti, 2024 North American Private Equity Investment Professional Compensation Survey, Heidrick & Struggles, 2024, https://www.heidrick.com/-/media/heidrickcom/publications-and-reports/north-american-pe-investment-professional-compensation-survey_2024.pdf

4. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/paying/articles/how-to-become-a-rhodes-scholar

5. https://www.ivycoach.com/the-ivy-coach-blog/college-admissions/rhodes-scholars-by-college/