Acad Psychiatry 30:281-282, July-August 2006
doi: 10.1176/appi.ap.30.4.281
© 2006 Academic Psychiatry
What Do You Need to Know About Leadership?
Michele T. Pato, M.D.
Received and accepted November 11, 2005. Dr. Pato is Associate Dean for Academic Scholarship and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, and is Associate Chief of Staff of Education, VA Medical Center, Washington, D.C. Copyright © 2006 Academic Psychiatry
Why read this special feature on leadership and chairmanship in psychiatry? While a number of these articles relate directly to being or becoming a chairman, they also highlight broader themes, such as how to set reasonable goals and how to grow as a professional, regardless of academic rank. This collection of articles not only offers a unique and useful view of the many roles and challenges faced by departmental leaders, it seeks to define further our understanding of what it means to be a true leader.
The articles by Broquet and Greiner (1, 2) focus on leadership qualities in general and provide a good backdrop for this special feature. As Broquet describes the qualities of a good dean, she points out the importance of team-building. She notes that leading a successful team involves not just setting a common goal, but understanding what motivates team members. In his piece, Greiner argues that leadership is not an "all or none" quality, but something that can be built over time. In particular, he notes that it is important to acknowledge weaknesses and either address them or obtain help in those areas. Wilson adds a strong cautionary note in his piece on the "Seven Deadly Sins of a Department Chair" (3) when he points out that "the consequences are arguably worse when the incumbent remains oblivious to his or her shortcomings." Greiner asserts, in a positive vein, that a leader does not have to do everything well at once but runs a real risk of not succeeding if she or he cannot admit to weaknesses and compensate for them. He further asserts that leadership is not simply about doing the right things, but about determining what the right things are. Determining what the right things are and developing the big picture are added burdens of responsibility as one ascends the leadership hierarchy. Yet he notes "the opportunity to make a difference can be one of the most meaningful rewards of leadership" (2).
Buckley (4) offers a refreshing firsthand account of some of the rewards one can potentially experience as chairman. The role of communicator "as a knowledge conduit" between the institution and the department is a unique and valuable charge of a departmental chair. It fits aptly with the tripartite mission of chairman as outlined by Meyer (5), who asserts that chairs lie triangulated between the mission of the medical school, to teach; the hospital, to provide clinical care; and the department, to develop its faculty and stay financially sound through clinical and research endeavors. As Buckley notes, to succeed as chair, one must possess the administrative skills of a manager, the clinical skills of a good doctor, the business acumen of an administrator, and the ability to gather data like a researcher, in addition to the ability to mentor or teach those with whom she or he works. Yet, like Greiner, he argues that there is neither one type of nor "natural born" leader. Rather, leaders come in all shapes and sizes and a leader’s skills can be cultivated and grown.
Vaidya’s (6) reflections on interviewing seven of the 10 female chairs would seem to support this concept of "growing" into a leader. Interestingly, the majority of female chairs she interviewed had been internal candidates who had "grown" in the department. Furthermore, most had not started their leadership journey aspiring to be a chair but had come to the position over time. Most recognized their strengths as mentors, managers, and teachers and sought help with perceived weaknesses. In the end, Vaidya, too, acknowledges the learning process involved in becoming a chair and maintaining a chairmanship. She points to organizations like the American Association for Chairs in Departments of Psychiatry (AACDP) for the role it can play in mentoring and teaching necessary skills.
Munro (7) elaborates on the AACDP’s role in helping chairs learn about their job and establish benchmarks by which they can assess themselves. The "ten commandments" outlined by Winstead (8) have been a key part of this mentoring process and the initial training provided new chairs. But these commandments are more than just a starting point; they are important concepts to hold onto throughout one’s leadership career.
It is reasonable to conclude that this special feature on leadership and chairmanship is something every physician can learn from. Buckley notes, "The position of chair is simultaneously one of leadership and of learning" (4). I would argue, and agree, that every physician can grow through leading and learning.
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REFERENCES
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- Broquet K: From a psychiatric to an institutional perspective. Acad Psychiatry 2006; 30:289–291[Free Full Text]
- Greiner C: Leadership for psychiatrists. Acad Psychiatry 2006; 30:283–288[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Wilson D: Seven deadly sins of a department chair. Acad Psychiatry 2006; 30:304–308[Free Full Text]
- Buckley P: Reflections on leadership as chair of a department of psychiatry. Acad Psychiatry 2006; 30:309–314[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Meyer R: The tripartite mission of an academic psychiatry department and the roles of the chair. Acad Psychiatry 2006; 30:292–297[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Vaidya N: Women chairs in psychiatry: a collective reflection. Acad Psychiatry 2006; 30:315–318[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Munro J: A tool kit for new chairs. Acad Psychiatry 2006; 30:301–303[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Winstead D: Advice to new chairs of academic departments of psychiatry. Acad Psychiatry 2006; 30:298–300[Free Full Text]
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