Preparing new physician leaders for their roles

Assuming a leadership position has its burdens, as anyone involved heavily in medical staff affairs will readily attest. It is important to be frank and open with physician recruits about the challenges and risks inherent in leadership roles. Clearly articulating these concerns helps new and potential leaders adequately plan for the stresses involved, and keeps them from being "sandbagged" by unanticipated burdens.

Those new to leadership will need to be reminded of the time commitments involved. In the burdens column, physicians new to leadership will need to be told the potential effects on referrals to their practice. They must understand that personal and professional attacks can sometimes be a consequence of principled and thoughtful decisions made by medical staff leaders - in the extreme, lawsuits can be directed at such leaders. The potential recruit should be given a thorough understanding of the many effective legal protections that exist for medical staff leaders.

To help you acclimate new physician leaders to their roles, provide them with the following 10 survival steps:

• Read your bylaws, rules, and regulations
• Schedule a meeting with the vice president for medical affairs, medical staff coordinator, a colleague in the same position, and the CEO
• Discuss your position time commitments with your family, partners, and staff
• Find a wise, supportive friend to keep your confidences, provide counsel, and give you ideas
• Avoid colleagues who gossip, criticize, and snipe at you
• Always ask, "Is this confidential information?" - and then keep it so!
• Identify your support staff, in the medical staff office, the administration, and your office, and then use them
• Insist on leadership skills training programs as soon as possible
• Schedule time (at least 30 minutes each week) for self-learning with cassettes, videos, books, and journals
• Identify community resources for your leadership development