Physician Leadership. Karen J. Nichols
that behavior likely has its roots in their natural personality type. Remember, it is not about the type as much as about the approach employed by the person. And I must also point out that most personality type systems are descriptive, not prescriptive. More about that later.
I had another enlightening experience with a team member who tests almost the exact opposite on the MBTI assessment scale. I type as ENFJ. He types as ISTJ. He and I worked together for years, and while we always approached a question from a different perspective and through a different set of lenses, we invariably would come to the same conclusion. Our different approaches helped us realize that we were affirming each other's decisions because of our different approaches to issues. Bottom line: having a diversity of types in the decision‐making processes strengthens an organization's function. That is a theme that is wise for all leaders to follow as we progress down the leadership road.
There is another lesson to be learned from my experience. Any type can work with any other type, as long as at least one of the persons is willing to consider and appreciate what the other person's type brings to the table. Being of the same type may seem comfortable as you understand each other's perspective, but if two people are thinking alike, why do you need both of them to participate? On the other hand, a person with the opposite typing of your dichotomous pairs can be viewed as annoying or can be valued for opening up different thoughts on a topic.
What I also came to learn was that depending on the power structure in the room, some people modified their approach, at least for a while. Most seasoned people can modify their behavior and not participate “true to type,” based on the setting and what is at stake. I also experienced this shift from a different perspective. As a new dean, I was very uncomfortable when interacting with all the much more experienced deans and administrators. When I completed my first MBTI assessment in that environment, I typed as strongly introverted. Repeated assessments in later years showed that I type as an extrovert.
Why the shift? I realize now that I was modifying my approach, even unconsciously, curtailing my naturally outgoing personality due to feeling so inexperienced. I got over that!
The other important point to remember is that regardless of how well modulated and modified the seasoned leader and team member might be, when put under extreme stress and pressure with high stakes, it is the rare individual who does NOT revert to their original type. So, watch out when you really put the pressure on, as you may find some different and less‐effective approaches/responses and perspectives start to pop up from the group members. And from you! The rocky patch of road in leadership can shake a leader to the core if you don't have a good set of shock absorbers.
There is another interesting point about different personality types and approaches. You know what annoys you about other personality types and approaches? Be careful, as the things that annoy you may be reflecting aspects of your own personality and approach. A wise person once said that others are mirrors of you. You will see what you love or hate in yourself, in the behavior of others. Which is why it is often not solving your problem to move from one work setting to another. “There” is no better than “here,” especially when I must bring myself and all my quirks and foibles with me from “there” to “here.” Sometimes the lack of a leadership roadmap results in the novice leader going in circles! Think about it.
I am recommending that you consider taking the MBTI and also the DiSC assessments listed in the Resources at the end of this chapter, as they are the most well studied in leadership settings. As you are aware that there are different types, you will benefit from spending a little time perusing the literature that explains how each type likes to function; what are the best leadership approaches to work with each type, especially based on your type; what kind of culture the leader's type creates; and what kind of culture develops in response to the predominant type in the team. Even if you don't have time to take the assessments, remember what Yogi Berra supposedly said: “You can observe a lot by just watching.”
Anais Nin is credited with saying: “We don't see things as THEY are, we see things as WE are!”
Steven Covey (2004) made a similar point: “The way we see the problem IS the problem.” And yes, it can be hard to work with people who see the world differently from how you see it. It can also be an excellent learning opportunity. More on these points in Perspectives, Chapter 4.
NOW! Quit guessing what type you are and take either the short version or the fully analyzed versions of these most common assessment tools.
Takeaways for the Wise Physician Leader
We are not all alike; we do not bring the same approaches to the table. But all personality types have important contributions to make. Diversity is a good thing! The good news is that some very smart people have figured this out long ago and have developed categories and assessment tools to determine the categories. Take advantage of the personality assessment tools available to learn about yourself and come to learn, appreciate, and welcome others' approaches and perspectives. Your road will be much smoother and result in more effective leadership if you do so!
Questions
1 Have you experienced a situation where your perception of an issue differed from another person's view? How did that influence the outcome of the issue? Why did the other person perceive the issue differently than you? What personality approach might that person have brought to the issue?
2 Have you ever seen a scenario where the extrovert in the group drove the direction of the discussion of an issue? And that direction may have been facilitated/exacerbated by a leader who did not seek to bring out other perspectives. How did that promote or inhibit the best solution?
3 Have you encountered a statistics‐driven individual who is always asking “give me the data”? How did that approach facilitate or slow down the process? When was that approach necessary to move the analysis forward? When did that approach serve to divert the discussion from the real issue at hand? Could that have been the intent?
4 What have you learned about how you personally approach a problem or situation? How does your natural approach assist or hinder the understanding of the options? What situations are more comfortable for you? What situations do you try to avoid, either intentionally or inadvertently?
5 Consider a situation where you do not know the other individuals. Do you squelch your natural‐type approach until you see the direction of the group? Or do you follow your usual type reaction, which you have employed in a similar situation? How will those choices facilitate or hinder the situation?Take a break for a minute and consider this. If you are going to get the most benefit from this or any leadership study, you need to periodically reflect on your performance with the person who is watching you in every leadership situation, you! This appendix will guide you through a short daily/weekly reflection exercise. Additionally, as you read through each subsequent chapter in this book, bounce back to this reflection exercise and plan how you will regularly use this guide to facilitate your leadership development progression, based on analyzing what worked and what could have been handled more effectively.
Appendix: Reflection Exercise
I recommend reflection or thinking as a helpful exercise to prepare for each roadmap chapter.
“Thinking? Really? I'm a doctor! I think all the time!”
Yes, I get that, but I'm recommending a focused, organized logical system. Spending even a few minutes at the end of the day reviewing that day's interactions will be instructional. We tend to spend time analyzing why something didn't work; we are less likely to analyze why something did work. Both outcomes deserve equal attention When something doesn't work well, we tend to ask this question of ourselves: “What were you thinking?” We also need to ask ourselves, “What WEREN'T you thinking?”
What worked well, and why? (General Overview)