Bright Side

In medicine, we have a habit of "eating our young." And this mentality seem to extend from clinical leadership for the most part; Searching extensively for the negative qualities, deficits in people instead of their value(s).

Leadership guru Balconi encourages wise leaders to look at what an employee can do rather than what he cannot do. This subtle perspective change is extremely valuable in this age of "team" medical care and not something trained in medical school.

The glass 1/2 full attitude in medical leadership would go a long way and I've been lucky to experience such leadership in my tenure. Talent of our colleagues in medicine should be about identify core skills a person can do, and helping each other in those areas that are holding us back from achieving individually or for the team, or patient.

As Balconi says, "Talent is not a commodity. It is the lifeblood of the enterprise and those leaders who look for it, nurture it, and seek to capitalize on it are ones who achieve their objectives." We can only hope for more enlightened leaders in medicine who can make such a reality.