Home From The Editor A leader, or a follower? Both work

A leader, or a follower? Both work

March 2019

IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE, we look at two ways that hospitalists can move from the clinical trenches to positions in leadership. One is fairly traditional, while the other is more high-tech.

Our cover story gives hospitalists advice on how to beat a path to their organization’s C-suite. But before you go out and enroll in business school, take a step back and ask yourself what draws you to wanting a leadership position.

Are you truly interested in working as an executive, or do you just want to escape the stress and routine of clinical practice? Hospitalist leaders we spoke with said that too many physicians view administrative work as an easier alternative to clinical life. In doing so, they underestimate the challenges of working in leadership and wind up unhappy or failing.

If a C-suite slot isn’t a good fit, you have other leadership options, courtesy of social media. Our story looks at several hospitalists using Twitter to establish themselves as thought leaders.

That platform has allowed them to connect with colleagues across specialties. While the type of information they disseminate varies— from medical literature or education to technology and clinical practice—the consensus among them is that, far from serving as a distraction, Twitter has energized their practices and kept them engaged with a vital online community.

Do either of these paths sound right for you? Even if they’re not a good personal fit, both types of leadership are great for the field. Hospitalists moving into executive roles may turn the tide of this frequent complaint: having to deal with “suits” who have no insight into clinical practice.

And even if you never post anything yourself, online communities can provide connection and collegiality. You may not be a leader, but you now have rich opportunities to follow those who are.

Edward Doyle
Editor & Publisher
edoyle@todayshospitalist.com

 

Published in the March 2019 issue of Today’s Hospitalist
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments