By Karen Sibert, MD, FASA
Are true leaders born or made? One definitive answer to this question came from the legendary football coach, Vince Lombardi: “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” Known for his devout Catholicism, Lombardi was equally well known for his zero-tolerance for racism or prejudice of any kind, ahead of his time, famously saying the only quality that mattered to him was for his players to be “Packer green.”
Anesthesiologists are team leaders in the operating room, and we know that the essential attributes of organizational skill, emotional intelligence, and calmness in crisis can enable anesthesiologists to succeed as leaders in hospitals, businesses, and in the halls of government. If anesthesiologists don’t step up to leadership positions, our profession runs a risk of being left out when decisions are made concerning key issues including practice models and payment structure.
Effective leadership in the world of medicine requires additional skill sets that aren’t necessarily taught, or taught well, in medical school. Here’s where CSA can help! Critical skills include:
– Understanding the political and legislative issues facing anesthesiology and your practice today
– Understanding the fundamentals of financial statements
– Developing skills in clear writing and effective speaking
– Articulating your leadership values and explaining them to your team
– Practice in the art of negotiation and conflict resolution
– Understanding change management and articulating strategy choices.
Developing these critical skills can be important at any stage of career, and it’s never too late or too early to begin. Whether an individual’s goals include advancement within your current practice or a full career change, leadership training can help anyone overcome self-perceived weaknesses and develop new areas of expertise.
CSA’s hope is that the educational materials and resources we’re curating on this website will help every CSA member make the strategic decisions and career choices that will lead to long-term satisfaction, professional and personal.
Physician Leadership Courses
Carnegie Mellon University Masters of Medical Management for Physicians
The business of health care is rapidly evolving, and physicians are needed to step into leadership and management positions more than ever before. Get out in front of the change with…the Master of Medical Management (MMM) program at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College.Read more
Horty Springer: The Complete Course for Medical Staff Leaders
Credentialing, privileging, peer review, managing issues of behavior and health…none of this is taught in medical school or residency. The Complete Course for Medical Staff Leaders is a course that will equip you with the essentials to hit the ground running as a new leader!Read more
Dr. Franklin Dexter Education in Operating Room Management
From Dr. Dexter and the Division of Management Consulting at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, this site contains intensive courses, lectures, lecture slides, links to OR management articles, consulting services, and other useful information on OR management.Read more
Leadership Articles & Blogs
Most Doctors Have Little or No Management Training, and That’s a Problem
Rising pressure to achieve better medical outcomes with increasingly limited financial resources has created an acute need for more physician leaders. Several studies have shown that doctors want to be led by other doctors. Yet most doctors in the U.S. aren’t taught management skills in medical school…Read more
Leadership Skills Are Teachable and Vital
Leadership is teachable, but according to NEJM Catalyst’s Insights Council survey reveals that more than half of respondents think their organization’s efforts to develop and train leaders are lacking in quality and time commitment.Read more
McKinsey: Engaging Physicians to Transform Operational and Clinical Performance
Health systems (and health plans) that are serious about transforming themselves must harness the energy of their physicians. To do so, they must develop a true ability to engage physicians effectively.Read more
American Association for Physician Leadership
Helping physicians develop their leadership skills through education, career development and thought leadership.Read more
Leadership/Management Books
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
John C. Maxwell
John C. Maxwell has…combined insights learned from his thirty-plus years of leadership successes and mistakes with observations from the worlds of business, politics, sports, religion, and military conflict. The result is a revealing study of leadership…Read more
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It
A former international hostage negotiator for the FBI offers a new field-tested approach to high-stakes negotiations – whether in the boardroom or at home.Read more
Growing Physician Leaders: Empowering Doctors to Improve Our Healthcare
Mark Hertling
In Growing Physician Leaders, retired Army Lieutenant General Mark Hertling applies his four decades of military leadership to the world of healthcare, resulting in a profoundly constructive and practical book with the power to reshape and reenergize any healthcare organization in America today.Read more
Extraordinary Influence: How Great Leaders Bring Out the Best in Others
Tim Irwin
In most organizations, the methods used to provide feedback to employees such as performance appraisals or multi-rater feedback systems, in fact, often accomplish the exact opposite of what we intend. Brain science tells us that these methods tend to engage a natural “negativity bias,” that is hardwired in us all. Read more