Throughout one’s career, very few will reach the penultimate level of being the top level executive. Instead, the vast majority of medical educators are called upon to lead from the middle of the organization. If we define leadership as “the ability of one individual to influence a group of people to accomplish a common goal”, we see that there is potential for all physicians to lead up, down, and across an organization. To be an effective leader, one must appreciate the different approaches required to exert positive influence in these different realms. Four key areas that one must master to effectively lead from the middle of an organization include 1) understanding the needs of the organization, 2) aligning personal vision with that of the organization, 3) effective communication, and 4) understanding how to both lead and manage. Using case studies, participants will outline strategies they can employ to exert influence and impart change within their organization, regardless of job title or position. By the end of this session, participants will be able to delineate the overlapping relationship between leadership and management in medical education, describe the key leadership competencies needed to effectively lead from the middle of an organization, and develop actionable strategies.
Presenters: Nancy Miller, MD, FACP; Kristin Mangalindan, DO; and Elexis McBee, DO, MPH, FACP