Chapter 13
Leadership in Medicine
L
eadership concepts are not taught to providers. Instead, we are filled with knowledge and protocols and unleashed into a world in which we are viewed as leaders but are wholly unequipped to act like them. Despite the talk of some people being born leaders, there are very few effective leaders who did not receive training. Training could come in college classes but more often occurs in dedicated mentoring and experiential settings. For example, a friend of mine once worked for Ford Motor Company. He was brought into their leadership track. Approximately every two years, he was moved to a different department in the company—a few years in sales, a few years in marketing, a few years in accounting, and so on. He was even sent to South America to work in a branch of the company in Brazil. In each setting, he was mentored in the leadership skills needed to succeed and become well-rounded. It was on-the-job training, deliberate, and the company organized it. I have never heard of an intentional program such as this occurring during medical training. I believe we are worse off because of it.
Mentors While a thorough review of leadership skills important to providers is beyond the scope of this book, I can highlight a few concepts that I have found helpful. Developing leadership skills is foreign to most providers. Nonetheless, we have all had influential persons acting as 157
