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Creating is often easier than managing

Medical Staff Leader Connection, January 6, 2005

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Dear Medical Staff Leader:

The organized medical staff has its roots in the American College of Surgeons' Hospital Standardization Program, which was established in 1918. As hospitals and their medical staffs approach the centennial year of bylaws, rules and regulations, medical executive committees, departments, and other trappings of organization; we must realize that creating an organized staff is relatively easy compared to managing staff and its affairs.

Creating an organized medical staff is often exciting, invigorating, dangerous, and rewarding. But managing staff is often untidy, time-consuming, unrewarding, and hazardous to leaders' professional and social reputations. Many MBA case studies illustrate the difficulty faced by "creators" when the creation requires constant management. The very attributes necessary to conceptualize a new organizational structure-a new way of performing valuable work or electing officers and chairs-are different from those needed to deal with personality quirks, poor or careless patient care, lack of record- keeping, destructive competition, or disharmony between various factions in the hospital.

Therefore, it is important that new leader orientation and training address basic management skills. New leaders must be told to separate the role of management from that of leadership. Leaders set the direction and create the vision, while managers carry out the tasks necessary to overcome obstacles and navigate the path toward the future.

All the best,

Hugh Greeley
http://www.greeley.com/seminars/

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