Surgery Leadership Lessons

Dr. Kevin J. Tracey is the president and C.E.O. of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research of the North Shore. He spent a lot of time in operating rooms over his medical career and learned some leadership lessons from that experience:

"I've seen the best of management and the absolute worst of management.  The worst is when the team fears the leader, so when someone sees something going wrong, they're afraid to point it out. I've also seen the best. It's about clearly stating the purpose and asking people how they're doing and really listening if someone needs something different that day. If the operating team can accommodate the needs of that person without deviating from the plan, that person will be a better member of the team.

Too often I've experienced surgery teams that have little interest in the team members. It seems to be all about the surgeon, then about the patient and then everyone else…if there is time. And there usually is not. Teams are, by definition, made up of talented, qualified members and without member support and care, the team disintegrates into a dysfunctional anarchy. This is the worst of leadership where fear dominates and frustration abounds.

So has been my recent history and I am becoming more and more disgusted with the environment created by its leaders lacking leadership. It's really very simple: "accommodate the needs of [the team member] without [disrupting the plan of care for the patient]" What exactly is so difficult about that concept? Team members really don't need, want or ask for much. And why are so many surgeons being turned out of training not knowing this simple concept. 

It's not about you, really.