Successful Physician Leadership Means "Unlearning" and Getting Uncomfortable
Welcome back to THE HEALTHCARE LEADER'S DIGEST! In this edition, some ideas to help leaders support mental health in healthcare... and we'll catch you up on some recent healthcare news and views.
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Thanks, Chris
In This Edition:
- Featured Article: Sometimes Healthcare Leaders Need to Break the Rules
- The Path of Most Resilience: Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
Overheard this week:
"I'm a cardiologist; I'm used to doing things."
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, during a press briefing discussing the agency's proposal to ban menthol in cigarettes and other tobacco products.
FEATURED ARTICLE:
When you think about outstanding leadership and you conjure up a person who typifies what that means to you, chances are part of what makes them great is the ability to shift perspective and a willingness to break the rules if necessary to move forward.
As a leadership and executive development coach in healthcare, I encourage the people I work with to take the "revolutionary mindset" because the truth is, nothing transformational is by following the same path that everyone else has always taken.
Physician leaders, especially clinicians transitioning into leadership roles, often have a hard time with this idea. It's not because they aren't brilliant, and it is not because they aren't influential leaders. It's because the clinical practice of medicine is risk-averse and rewards clinicians for staying within the lines and doing the same thing our colleagues are doing according to the "community standard." In this context, deviation from "the way we do things around here" can be scary and can even have disastrous professional consequences.
So healthcare leadership has as much to do with unlearning as it does with learning. While a few physician leaders are willing to step outside of their comfort zone and shift their mindset, the best are ready to break any rules between them and the goals necessary to achieve shared purpose according to their values and across the organization.
Here are some of the rules I often encourage them to break:
Trying to be the "heroic leader." In healthcare, many of us grow up in a system where the "shape" of leadership looks like a triangle... with the leader on top and everyone else layered below. We all know the mythology of the heroic leader, the one who has all the answers, who is never wrong, and never compromises. Turn on the television, and on any given show about doctors, you'll see this main character. But this is far from reality. In the real world, the best leaders know when to ask for help and empower every voice in the room to elicit feedback. They know they can't accomplish everything on their own, and they nurture a support system that will help them become the best leader they can be.
Thinking you have to be the smartest person in the room. Physicians get rewarded for knowledge and skills. Every day they are rewarded for what they know and how they apply that to problem-solving. Yes, physicians are pretty smart people. When it comes to working well within teams, it's important not to let our IQ get in the way of our emotional intelligence. While conventional wisdom says the leader needs to be the smartest, this often prevents us from building strong teams, and in healthcare, strong teams matter. It's better to surround yourself with the smartest people you can find and when you do that, you amplify yourself.
Following the mantra, "if it's not broken, don't fix it." Every improvement we've ever made in the healthcare sector comes from asking if there's a better way to do something. Can we improve this process? Can we increase quality and safety here? We often take a reactive approach when something isn't working (think morbidity and mortality, and adverse event debriefs), but fixing things that aren't broken is another way to bring innovation, creativity, and new ways to move forward.
Promoting for knowledge and skills. Yes, knowledge and skills are critically important. The conventional wisdom says to raise people up who know their stuff. But this is just the starting point. No matter how well people perform in their current position, this doesn't mean that they will automatically do well in roles with increasing responsibility, especially positions that require working well within teams. Beyond this, not everybody wants to make this move. Don't promote people into graduated responsibility or leadership unless they have the aptitude and desire and are ready to make a move.
Applying the same approach to everyone. One of the great fallacies of leadership is that it's essential to treat everyone the same and give them the same level of support and attention. The truth is that people have a wide range of strengths, weaknesses, and challenges at the individual level. We're all different. Yes, we want to avoid favoritism. But one of the essential qualities of impactful leadership is the ability to recognize motivation, style, and a way of thinking at the individual level and working with people to promote the best possible version of who they are. This means moving away from hierarchical leadership and into what we call "dynamic subordination,"... moving through your organizational chart at the individual level, assessing the needs of your team members, and being the leader that they need you to be. Take this approach and sit back and watch what blossoms. You'll be amazed.
BONUS Article:
Growing Outside Your Comfort Zone: The Benefits You'll Gain.
Getting outside your comfort zone is something that everyone needs to do from time to time. What does this mean? It means doing things you never imagined you would do, trying new food, exploring a new town or city, or taking up a new hobby.
But it's not always easy to stretch beyond your comfort level. (We like being safe with what's familiar.) You might be afraid of what other people will think of you or how they'll react. Or you might worry you won't follow through. But taking the first step is powerful. And many benefits to lie ahead. So let's determine where you're at.
What is your comfort zone?
What is your comfort zone? Is it your physical space like your home? A set of beliefs or values? Or is it being around certain types of people? It's good to know the answer to these questions. The awareness will give you direction and insight into breaking your mold.
For example, let's say that an old friend you haven't seen in years visits and wants to hang out. They tell you that they love going to karaoke bars. But you're not sure. You have no desire to get up and sing. This would be a perfect opportunity to be a little adventurous.
How going outside your comfort zone benefits you.
Stepping outside your safety zone is something everyone needs to do to grow. Being afraid of what other people will think or how they'll react is part of the process. Just remember, you're in control of what you think. Take a look at how you'll benefit...
- You learn new things about yourself
- You find new hobbies
- You give yourself a pattern interrupt - break from routine
- And your confidence increases (which can lead to a host of personal and professional advancements!)
Why it's important to nudge yourself once in a while
When you try new things, you're perspective expands. You connect with people and yourself in ways you never did. You feel more alive and develop a new appreciation for being you.
Life is full of patterns and rhythms. Challenging yourself allows you to experience feelings, people, and places you never thought you'd like. There's nothing wrong with routines and comfort--they keep us in line. But you need to cross those lines, at least once in a while, because the other side could be life-changing.
How do you know it's time to grow?
Opportunities to stretch yourself show up in all areas of life:
- When you're feeling stuck, stagnant, and stale
- When you're unfulfilled or bored
- When you're feeling couped up by routines or relationships
How to get out of a comfort zone
The first thing is to remember that everyone started where you are. You have to let go of what-ifs and get out of your head long enough to say yes!
Make a decision and see where the moment leads you. You still want to listen to yourself; it's not about taking foolish risks. Place yourself around good friends or a supportive group, people who want to see you succeed.
What now?
The next time you feel ready to quit, remember that it's possible to push yourself outside your boundaries. Doing something new is not always easy, but it will make you more versatile in the long run.
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