Kendall L. Stewart, M.D.
Why are physician leaders hesitant to do this?
We physicians are a fairly opinionated lot. We have invested many years convincing ourselves and others that we are special. We know what’s best. We are all above average. We are the experts. If we don’t know it, it’s not worth knowing. We rarely make mistakes. When a mistake occurs, it is almost always someone else’s fault. And we feel very strongly about all of this. If you don’t believe it, just question us and watch now arrogantly most of us will respond.
What is the case for doing it anyway?
Emotional arousal is blinding. It is hard to think clearly when you are angry, fearful, hurt or embarrassed. Moreover, people pick up on how you feel. You cannot hide your feelings. And the people around you will react instinctively to how you feel. They may attack, defend or retreat into stony silence, but they will not take risks or offer creative solutions. If you remain emotionally detached and genuinely curious, they are much more likely to speak to you honestly about what they think and feel. The pool of available options will deepen as a result.
How can you do it?
1. Recognize the problem. Most leaders believe that their negative emotional arousal is both justified and motivating. It is neither. It is a leadership failure.
2. Recognize your own arousal. This is not as easy as it sounds. Strong feelings erupt without warning and trigger problematic behaviors before we even realize we are aroused.
3. Do not act on your feelings. Keep your mouth shut until you calm down. Never click “Send” while you are still upset.
4. Help others recognize their arousal. They are no better at seeing themselves objectively than you are. Offer to consult with them about their arousal if they will do the same for you.
5. Ask clarifying questions. “Might we be overreacting?” “Should we sleep on this?” “Are we allowing our emotions to blind us to other options?”
How have you observed physician leaders improve the decision-making process by remaining detached and curious?

