Healthcare marketing leaders are operating in an environment that rarely slows down. Budgets tighten. Teams shrink. Regulations shift. Now on top of all that, AI has changed the game entirely, accelerating timelines while introducing new norms around trust, accuracy, and impact.

In these uncertain times, we healthcare marketing needs resilient leaders. But what does resilience look like in 2026? We put that question to Swaay.Health Editor Brittany Quemby.

As Brittany Quemby puts resilient leadership is “more about tuning in rather than pushing through.”

“In the healthcare industry we’re always pivoting,” Quemby notes. “There’s a lot of pressures. Regulations are always changing.”

According to Quemby, that constant movement leaves little room for recovery. Many teams are still delivering but are feeling fatigued. Resilient leadership, therefore, starts with noticing that strain rather than ignoring it.

“I think the best leaders aren’t like white knuckling it, but are really in tune with their team and themselves,” said Quemby.

As a leader, being “in tune” means setting a reasonable pace of work, reading staff energy levels, and taking the appropriate mitigating action when the pressure starts to affect their quality and creativity.

Resilience is not just about output. It includes recovery. Quemby talks about “micro recoveries,” – small, intentional pauses that help leaders and teams reset before stress compounds. These moments are not formal programs, but something leaders do in the moment that resets the energy level.

“Another big thing for me is transparency,” stated Quemby.

When leaders are honest about capacity, teams can align more effectively. “If there’s too much on my plate, I can let you know and we can really help each other together.”

That openness makes it easier to redistribute work before burnout sets in.

“Resiliency isn’t just lasting. It’s lasting well, and not just yourself, but you and your team.”

That is the kind of resilient leadership we need right now in healthcare marketing.