Accelerating the results of newly hired / promoted physician leaders

When an individual assumes a new or different leadership role they have a 40% chance of failure. That’s a disturbing statistic. Health systems and hospitals across the country recognize the critical role that physician leaders must play in transforming care delivery and are, therefore, committing significant resources to the recruitment and/or promotion of physician leaders. Unfortunately, well-meaning organizations often fail to adequately prepare physician leaders for their new roles. For those moving from practicing physician to administrative leader, the transition is more than just a role change; it’s a career change. Coaching can be a highly valuable component in effectively onboarding and boosting the effectiveness of new and/or transitioning leaders.
One MEDI executive coach recalls, “I work with some physician leaders who have recently transitioned to new roles, two of whom have been promoted within their organizations and a third has joined a new organization from the outside. They have their offices, computer log-ins and have (or will soon have) completed orientation. In some cases, the organization has also identified key individuals with whom the new leaders should meet. While these steps are helpful, they are not enough to position the new leader for success.”
Transition coaching can be a valuable enhancement to the existing process, particularly for those who are moving from practicing clinician to an administrative role. It goes deeper to help the new leader create and implement a proactive, customized and strategic personal onboarding plan. The leader is also better able to leverage his or her leadership strengths and build leadership muscle in targeted areas. The leaders are excited about their plans and the meaningful progress they are making. They, their teams and their organizations all benefit as a result.
There is no question that the success of any organization hinges on selecting the right leaders.  A second critical, and often overlooked, success factor is how well these leaders are oriented to their new roles, on-boarded and integrated into the organization. Recruiting and promoting physician leaders is an important commitment of time, money and human resources for any healthcare organization. Coaching can help maximize the investment.