What Makes Successful Leaders?

The attributes once sought in physician leaders have changed along with the evolving healthcare landscape. Healthcare organizations demand leaders with collaboration and adaptability, facilitation of tough issues, communication and relationship skills, transparency, political savvy, stakeholder alignment, as well as energy, enthusiasm and engagement. They want leaders with positive, invigorated attitudes that are adaptable and energized by challenges and possibilities. Leaders are expected to shape the future, guide “the change,” make things happen, and foster an environment to build the organization’s next generation of leaders.

But what makes a successful leader?

Consider leadership vs. expertise – they are not the same. It’s not about knowing more than anyone else. Being good at the work makes someone an expert, not a leader, and many organizations confuse expertise and leadership skills.

Good leadership skills can be defined as those actions and behaviors that support leadership – the ability to influence, motivate, and direct others. According to the 2011 Physician Retention Survey, 84 percent of respondents said a physician’s teamwork qualities are more important today as compared to five years ago. This view also was unanimous among the audience of physician leaders at the recent AMGA annual conference in San Diego.

With a clear mandate for enhanced teamwork, successful healthcare organizations will sharpen their focus on assessing teamwork skills in physician candidates and developing team leadership within the organization. While medical training focuses on honing technical skills (the “what”), effective teamwork and team leadership are soft skills that require specific behaviors (the “how”). For example, successful leaders:

• Handle stress with composure
• Handle mistakes gracefully
• Focus on getting people to help solve problems
• Get along with a wide variety of people

While these may be difficult to assess during recruitment, Tools such as the Winslow Assessment will help determine whether or not a candidate possesses the traits of a successful leader. Most survey respondents (77 percent) believe references are an effective method for assessing teamwork qualities, but this approach relies heavily on the quality and qualifications of the reference. At the other end of the spectrum, about half the respondents indicated they use emotional intelligence assessments, yet only 35 percent of those believe these assessments are effective.

Fundamentally, the natural progression of a leader starts with the ability to lead onself, followed by leading others and eventually leading the organization. Healthcare organizations need to identify and create advancement pathways for physicians who perform well and demonstrate leadership in an integrated team environment.

The 2011 survey findings complement numerous published insights from medical group leaders across the United States in a variety of practice settings and delivery structures. A resounding common theme is the growing need for establishing strong relationships with physicians who possess the attributes and motivation to work as partners in delivering care that is accountable to patients and payers.

To do this, consider the following characteristics of “best practice” leadership development programs:

• Should balance an “instructional” academy approach with personal development initiatives
• Is both an organizational and individual responsibility
• Must align characteristics and needs of individuals with organization goals
• Must be a strategic priority

Don't miss this presentation at HIMSS

Savvy Clinician's Guide to IT Career Success
Monday, April 6, 2009 from 2:15 - 5:15 p.m. in room S 503 b

If you are attending HIMSS in Chicago, IL, mark your calendars to attend this informational workshop on career development and coaching for clinical information technology professionals.

An employer, an employee and a recruiter will help you understand today's job market for clinical IT, set goals, assess skills, compose a winning resume, and learn interviewing and negotiating secrets:

• Bonnie Siegel, FHIMSS, Vice President, Healthcare IT Practice, Executive Search Division, Cejka Search
• Brenda Herrmann, MSN, RN-BC, PMP, Senior Specialist, Perot Systems
• Kathleen Kimmel, RN, MHA, FHIMSS, Vice President, Nursing Informatics, McKesson Corporation

The workshop will examine the dynamics of the current IT job market and how it affects clinicians. Attend this session and you will learn how to:

• assess personal skills and career goals
• identify the skills and attributes needed for the "ideal" next job
• learn how to build these skills and attributes
• develop insightful resume critiquing skills, editing abilities
• apply these skills to a personal resume writing makeover

For more information, please contact:

Bonnie Siegel FHIMSS
Vice President, Healthcare IT Practice
800-678-7858
847-305-0730 cell
bsiegel@cejkasearch.com

Physician Executive Career Workshop

Friday, February 6, 2009
University of Texas at Dallas
1:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Make plans now to join us for a half-day workshop on physician executive careers.

Physician executives are practicing physicians who have stepped up into a position of administrative leadership in their hospital, health system or medical organization.

Hosted by three leading physician executive recruiters and a panel of nationally recognized physician leaders, you’ll learn:

• What roles do physician executives play? What are their responsibilities?
• What different career paths are available to physician executives?
• How large is the market for physician executives? How fast is it growing?
• How do you get started as a physician executive? How do you advance?
• What compensation and contract terms do physician executives typically receive?
• What credentials do you need to advance as a physician executive?
• How do you deal with physician executive recruiters? What are they looking for?
• What’s the difference between a CV and a resume?

What are the pluses and minuses of a physician executive career? You’ll hear presentations and have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with three of the nation’s foremost physician executive recruiters:

• Jennifer Grebenschikoff, Vice President, Physician Executive Management Center
• Lois Dister, Vice President and Practice Leader, Cejka Search
• Bonnie Siegel, Vice President, Cejka Search

You’ll also hear from a panel of distinguished physician executive leaders:

• David Teegarden MD, MS, President and Chief Medical Officer, Trinity Mother Frances Health System
• David Winter, MD, MS, President, MedProvider and Chairman, Baylor Health Texas Provider Network
• William Rayburn, MD, MBA, Chief of Staff and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
  

This event qualifies for 4 hours of Category 1 credit toward the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award.

Cost of the workshop is only $50, but seating is limited.

Register today by going to: http://amme.utdallas.edu and click on: Physician Executive Careers

Careers in IT panel session at TEPR conference

Careers in IT panel session at TEPR conference in Palm Springs, CA- February 4, 2009

Cejka Search is proud to announce our participation in a 90-minute panel discussion on Careers in IT at the TEPR conference.

Presenting the panel is Bonnie Siegel, FHIMSS, Vice President at Cejka Search, along with three co-presenters:

- Gerard Burns, MD, CMIO at Medstar Health in Columbia, MD
- Pamela Griffith, RN, Director of Applications, University of California Irvine Medical Center, Irvine, CA
- Robert Bahr, MD, CMO, Cerner Corp, Overland Park, KS


The Panel discussion is entitled "Viewpoints on Career Success in Clinical IT" and it takes place Wednesday, February 4, 2009 from 10:30 am to 12 noon in the Santa Rosa Room.

Abstract:
Clinician IT leaders are in strong demand and will continue to be for many years as more EMRs are adopted. Our panel will examine the current clinical IT job market, skill sets needed to succeed and career resources to use.

Three clinical IT leaders - a CMIO at a large multi-site health system, a CMO of Pediatrics at a major clinical IT software vendor, and a Director of Applications, an RN, at a university health system will discuss their unique stories of moving from direct patient care to clinical IT leadership positions.

Our discussion will include recommendations for career success and indicate any potential pitfalls for clinicians moving into IT leadership roles.