Medical Leaders Identify Personal Characteristics and Experiences that Contribute to Leadership Success in Medicine

Abstract

Introduction: The approach of medical educators to preparing learners for leadership reflects the emphasis leadership theories once placed on experiential learning. But, contemporary theories now also show a renewed interest in the role of personal characteristics in effective leadership. This shift raises questions explored here: What characteristics mark top medical leaders? What experiences nurture those characteristics? Method: In a 2015 qualitative study, 48 University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) medical graduates who met criteria for outstanding leadership participated in semi-structured interviews. Investigators applied directed contentanalysis to their responses. Then, using iterative open-coding, investigators identified personal characteristics leaders said contributed to their leadership, clustered them into types, and counted the number of leaders who spoke to each type. Next, they coded and categorized experiences leaders discussed and counted the number of leaders who mentioned each type of experience. Finally, they identified leaders' comments about which types of experiences helped develop which types of characteristics. Results: Most leaders mentioned four types of characteristics: openness to new ideas/opportunities/astute risktaking; intense motivation/active involvement/commitment; people-orientation; and capability/competence/ intelligence. Many discussed two additional types: self-awareness and service-orientation. Leaders said these types of experiences nurtured their characteristics: family traditions, high-school co-curricular activities, participation in medical school learning communities plus interaction with role models/mentors and authentic opportunities to practice leadership, innovation, and excellence throughout their education and in the workplace. Conclusions: Medical leaders' views of the role of personal characteristics in outstanding leadership and the power of educational and workplace experiences, especially informal ones, to mold those characteristics have enriched

Leadership Institute for Faculty Development

“…Self-awareness: Self-awareness is "an inwardly-focused evaluative process in which individuals make self/standard comparisons with the goal of better self-knowledge and improvement" [11]. Self-awareness was noted by medical leaders an important personal characteristic that enabled their leadership [12]. Likewise, self-awareness is a key driver of leadership development and awareness is especially important in adaption, transition, and changes [11].…”

A three-year post-graduate Doctorate in Pharmacy course incorporating professional, experiential and research activities: A collaborative innovative approach

“…Appropriate interpretation and processing of evidence-based information and critical-thinking capability are necessary research skills which help in adequate medication management and pharmaceutical care ( Katajavuori, Hirvonent and Lindblom-Ylänne, 2003 ; Langley et al, 2007 ; Slack, Warholak and Murphy, 2015 ; Krajewski et al, 2013 ; Magwenzi, 2020 ; Smith-Gorvie et al, 2020 ). Leadership skills are given increasing interest in medical educational programmes and should be developed in postgraduate pharmacy education programmes since these skills positively impact the pharmacy profession and pharmaceutical care settings ( Janke, Traynor and Boyle, 2013 ; Black, Wilby and Jewesson, 2014 ; Fierke, Kading and Scott, 2014 ; Bowman and Raney, 2016 ; Barry et al, 2019 ; Arnold et al, 2019 ). Implementation of critical thinking skills is an ability acquired through complex and scientific problem solving and application of knowledge gained ( White et al, 2015 ).…”