Taking the Lead: A Guide for Emerging Leaders in Academic Medical Centers

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Contents
About the Authors
Part I: Leadership in the Academic Medical Center: Insights and Perspectives
1: Introduction: Why You Should Read this Book
The Need to Develop Leaders
The “Emerging” Leader
What to Expect
References
2: The Milieu of the Academic Medical Center
Some General Observations about Academic Medical Centers
Multiple Missions
Shared Governance
“Government Should Be Run Like a Business” … Or Should It?
Incremental Pluralism
The Leader’s Role as Storyteller
References
3: Transitioning to Leadership in the Academic Medical Center: Conceptual Considerations
Why it Matters to You, the New Leader
Two General Conditions of Hire for a New Leader
Assets, Challenges, and Errors Associated with Being an Internal Hire
Assets, Challenges, and Errors Associated with Being an External Hire
Two Transition Challenges for the Internal or External Hire
Concluding Thoughts
References
4: Transitioning to Leadership in the Academic Medical Center: Practical Considerations
DO Understand Your New Role
DO Clarify Expectations (for Others and Yourself)
DO Establish a Cabinet
DO Hire a Good Administrator
DO Focus on Developing this Important Skill
DO Expect and Respond to Early Leadership Challenges
DON’T Be in Too Big of a Hurry
DON’T Assume Others’ Problems
DON’T Listen to this Advice
DO Take Care of Yourself (DON’T Assume the Academic Medical Center Will)
Concluding Thoughts
References
5: Strengths and Motivations of the Leader
Observation #1: Traits—Duality Versus Continuum
Observation #2: The Impact of Stress on the Manifestation of Traits
Observation #3: Strengths as Weaknesses
Observation #4: The Humility–Ego Dichotomy
Observation #5: Reflective Is Effective
Observation #6: The Value of Emotional Intelligence
Observation #7: The Compelling Motivation to Lead
References
6: The Work of Leading in the Academic Medical Center
What Do Leaders Do?
Leaders Create Meaning (and Manage Uncertainty)
Take Another Look at the List
Developing People
Balancing and Aligning Competing Interests
Power Versus Purpose
Vision Versus People
Individual Versus Collective
So… “What Would Ya’ Say You Do Here?”
References
Part II: Deciding About Decision-Making
7: The Multiple Dimensions of Decision-Making in the Academic Medical Center
A “Wide-Angle” View of Decision-Making
Four Frames of Decision-Making
All the Frames, All the Time
The Nuances of Good Decision-Making
“Stay in Your Lane”
References
8: Making Leadership Decisions Versus Clinical Decisions
What Are Health Professionals Taught?
Why it Matters
A “Non-Decision” May Be the Best Decision
New Day, New Way
References
9: Getting Comfortable with the “Limits” of Decision-Making
The 70% Rule
The 70% Rule’s Impact on Change
The “Late Majority”
Being Deliberate about Deliberative Decision-Making
References
10: Decisions about Your Academic Medical Center Career Trajectory
Developing Your Career as Leader
Opportunities Abound
Abundance Restraint
When Your Supervisor Speaks, Listen
Strategies for Picking the “Right” Opportunities
A Model for Evaluating Opportunities in the AMC
Committing to Opportunities
Concluding Thoughts
References
Part III: It’s the Little (or Not So Little) Things
11: Leading by Following
Following Your Supervisor(s): Tending to Their Tendencies
Courageous Followership
Leading Up
A Note on Manipulation
Following your Followers: Servant Leadership
Following Good Leaders
Concluding Thoughts
References
12: Understanding (and Following) the Academic Medical Center’s “Chain of Command”
Chain of Command
Successfully Navigating the Chain of Command in Your Academic Medical Center
Who’s in This Chain, Anyway?
The Art of Advocating
Other Chains of Communication at the Academic Medical Center
The “Secret of Life”
References
13: The Value of “Invisible” Leadership
Behind the Scenes Is Often the “Scene”
Money
People
Change
Brokering
The Art of Playing the Long Game
Step #1: Seed Your Idea
Step #2: Speaking Your Plan into Existence
Step #3: Getting Your Idea on the “Agenda”
Wait, What? A Note About “Getting Credit”
References
14: The Leader’s Role in Academic Medical Center Philanthropy
The Basics of Philanthropy
The Leader’s Role in Philanthropy
Preparing Your Proposal
An Investment, Not an Ask
The Process
Philanthropists and Elected and Appointed Officials
Concluding Thoughts
References
15: Accreditation: The Regulatory Lifeblood of the Academic Medical Center
Purposes of Accreditation
Accrediting Agencies and Accreditation Standards
Beginning the Accreditation Review Process
Writing the Self-Study
Hosting the Site Visit
A Final Tip on the Schedule for the Site Visit
Concluding Thoughts
References
Part IV: Leadership Challenges and Challenges to Leadership
16: Leading Change in the Academic Medical Center
A “Systems” Perspective on Change
Change as “Perturbation”
Time to Change and Time for Adapting to Change
Practical Recommendations for Leading Change in the Academic Medical Center
Everyone Is a Change Agent
Closing Encouragement
References
17: Leading Conflict Resolution
General Principles of Conflict Resolution
Fundamental Elements of Conflict Resolution
Content or Relationship?
Process
Tenor and Language
Conscious Listening
Avoid Avoiding Difficult Conversations
Steps for Having a Difficult Conversation
The Opening of the Meeting
The Middle of the Meeting
The End of the Meeting
Number and Format of Meetings
Don’t Be Intimidated or Undermined
Concluding Thoughts
References
18: Crisis Leadership in the Academic Medical Center
A Crisis Is Coming
Strategies and Skills for Crisis Leadership
The Great Multiplier
References
19: Betrayal: Such Is the Life of a Leader
Leadership Betrayal
The “Storyline” of Betrayal
Results of Betrayal
How to Respond to Betrayal
Situations Not to Be Confused as Betrayal
Learning from Betrayal
Part V: Epilogue
20: You Can’t Lead if You Don’t Take Care of Yourself
There’s More to Life than Leading
Bicycling as a Metaphor for Leadership
Wind, Wind, and More Wind
What’s Your Destination?
Have a Good Ride!
Index