Insights for New Physician Leaders.

Abstract

As a senior health care administrator in both the Northern and Southern California Regions of Kaiser Permanente, I was intrigued by ways to enhance the skills of a new physician leader. The role of a leader is to help others succeed. Although emotional intelligence is a key characteristic of an effective leader, skills and behaviors can be learned and leaders can be developed. Emerging leaders can learn to listen to various points of view, develop a "let's go see" attitude, gather all the facts before making a decision, train others to be leaders, embrace a spirit of adventure, and develop a knowledge of statistics and finance. Additionally, recognizing and avoiding common pitfalls in leadership will augment effective leadership skills and behaviors.