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A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 | O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T
day. If I'm scheduled to attend to a less-than-desirable case and work
alongside Dr. Very Undesirable, at the very least I'm assured of a
good day. The way I see it, negative behavior or a negative reaction
on my part would only serve to invite the possibility of disaster to
my door.
Be the change you want to see
It's true, this doesn't change the behavior of those around me.
(What could? A Taser, maybe. Can I get my hands on one
of those?) And I'm not suggesting you bow down and get
steamrolled. But changing my approach to the day sim-
ply by resolving that it's going to be a good one affects
how I choose to respond to the idiotic behavior I
sometimes encounter.
• Do I believe that the particulars of a chal-
lenging case warrant cursing, wailing and
gnashing of teeth? No. They deserve compe-
tency, control, concentration and a confident
leader of a skilled team. A surgeon who
throws a hissy fit is only exhibiting his insecu-
rity with the situation. Am I going to run and
hide? Am I going to get my knickers in a wad?
No, I came to work expecting a good day and am
not going to join Dr. Devil in his bad attitude.
• Does the arrogant surgeon who chewed me out over some minor
issue that wasn't my fault in front of a roomful of peers think that whis-
pering "Good job" to me after the case excuses him from an apology? If
so, he's an idiot. Am I thinking about some point in the future when he
gets what's coming to him? You bet I am. Did his tirade ruin my day? Not
