In recent years, wellbeing has arrived as a science, complete with research and applications. But as a concept, it has existed for millennia. Religious leaders, poets, writers, and (in the last century) secular self-help experts have written about it ad nauseum. It’s no wonder our modern world is fascinated and mesmerized by the concept.
Read MoreWe know that the ability to achieve a flow state regularly in one’s profession is a key indicator of a physician’s ability to engage in their work. It follows that achieving a flow state consistently should be (so often it’s not!) a priority of organizational management and leadership.
Yet, engagement is more than just flow.
Read MoreSince we’re already well-versed in why low levels of engagement are a problem, let’s move on to what’s needed to create engagement, i.e. flow.
Engagement at an individual level has been studied for nearly five decades and there is significant research to bolster this claim. Positive psychology has contributed the most to studying the connection between engagement and flow. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi popularized the concept of flow as he researched creativity and productivity and conducted interviews with people who were successful in a wide range of professions.
Read MoreThe data speaks for itself, every physician leader should have an executive coach. But when push comes to shove, many shy away from hiring one and never take the steps necessary to improve their leadership and career. Why is this? What’s holding leaders back?
Read MoreBut this isn’t just a “doctor problem”, it exists on the leadership side as well. Physician leaders are pressured to put new initiatives in place and check boxes that they’ve provided “programs” (there’s a vague word) for physician engagement. Rarely are they asked to collect and analyze data about how these programs perform or how they impact the team’s quality of life.
Read MoreWhile lack of trust in any workplace a serious threat, in the healthcare industry, it’s literally a matter of life or death. Lack of trust comes as the culmination of many of the problems already unpacked and discussed. Because physician training is so far removed from Chief Medical Officer (CMO) or physician leader training (or lack thereof), it’s easy to understand why physicians may be wary of their CMO’s motives.
Read MoreThis week we begin to tackle another sizeable problem in the healthcare field: lack of training. A kingpin of the problems in our field, the lack of adequate training for physician leaders steers the entire industry into a quagmire from which it’s nearly impossible to extract ourselves. The position of physician leader is still relatively new and, thankfully, evolving.
Read MoreIt feels strange, because a physician is arguably one of the “most-trained” positions in the modern world. Physicians spend longer in higher education that any other profession. Yet the career transition from physician to physician leader involves minimal and inadequate preparation in the best of situations.
Why aren’t our physician leaders as well prepared for their role as physicians are? And what can we do to change this for the future?
One of the reasons physician leaders aren’t properly trained is they aren’t given time.
Read MoreThe lack of time built into a daily work schedule for quality communication points us to another uncomfortable truth, which is that occasionally (not always everyone, calm down!) physicians can be difficult to talk to. I’ve often heard cited from coaching clients as a reason leaders feel uncomfortable engaging with the physicians on their team. Now, let’s be clear: Leaders, your discomfort speaking to physicians is not a valid reason to let communication fall to the wayside. It’s an excuse and you know the old saying about excuses, right?
Read MoreA surface-level search of the interwebs will show you at first glance that there’s a lot of positivity behind the word “authentic”. But a deep dive reveals a more nuanced look at the word and how it’s come to be perceived in our society today. Generally, people want others to be “authentic” by staying “true to themselves” or “speaking their mind”, but in the workplace? This isn’t always the best strategy to boost your career, build long-lasting relationships, or successfully lead your team.
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