cians came to me and said, "I want to be part of the solution. What
can I do to help?"
Great leaders always own their mistakes and work at improv-
ing themselves. "When things go well, be last in line. When
things go wrong, stand up in front." This Abe Lincoln quote applies to
all great leaders. Own your mistakes. Not only will doing this earn you
the trust and respect of your team, but it will also inspire more account-
ability among your staff.
Owning your mistakes is only part of it, though. Great leaders con-
stantly work to improve on their weaknesses. Your survival as a
leader depends on constant self-improvement. The best leaders will
often seek professional help. One way: Enlisting the services of an
executive coach — a qualified professional who works with execu-
tives and other high-potential employees to help them clarify goals
and reach pre-determined objectives (such as reducing turnover in
your facility by a certain percent). Of course, because health care is
so team-focused, an organizational coach may be better suited for
your facility. These coaches operate in much the same way as exec-
utive coaches, albeit on the group level. Organizational coaches
(often called organizational psychologists) come into dysfunctional
workplaces to create wholesale culture changes.
Be a leader, not a boss
The choice is yours: You can be an inspirational leader who brings out
the best in people, or you can be a manager who maintains the status
quo, focuses on the process over the people and is often feared. The
choice is clear: Always strive to be a leader.
OSM
Dr. Wyman (chetw7@gmail.com) is a physician, educator and nationally
recognized speaker who serves as a member of the Department of
Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at
Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Md.
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