Physicians are CEOs of their medical floors

The ability to lead is not something that comes naturally to everyone. There are some people out there who are wired to lead right from when they are very young — but these are few and far between. Most of us have to train ourselves, and acquire the necessary leadership skills based on our own learning curve and experiences. The fact is that we are all leaders in one way or another. Whether at home or in our communities, we all find ourselves in positions every day where we are taking charge. In our daily jobs, no matter what our assigned position, there are always little ways to take ownership and lead in our departments if we want to. Typically in any organization, the head honcho is the CEO. The buck stops with him or her. Throughout my career, I’ve met dozens of CEOs, and have also got many close friends and family who have reached the pinnacles of their career. My honest opinion, especially in healthcare, is that the brilliant CEOs are few and far between. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of them, who are truly inspiring and possess those magical leadership skills. Others, to be frank, have been less than inspiring, and you wonder with their general demeanor and communication skills, how on earth they reached such a position! As for physicians, we have a very unique job indeed in terms of leadership, because we have less of a “hierarchy of physicians” when it comes to clinical care. The attending physician is always the clinical leader. When any...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Physician Hospital-Based Medicine Source Type: blogs