When Dr. Crow encounters a conflict among colleagues, which is rare, she will typically meet with individuals to fully understand the issue. “I emphasize patience when working cohesively to minimize or eliminate conflict,” she says. “During a group meeting, it is best to spend time fine-tuning the overall objective of the group’s work so that there is a clear understanding of group expectations, which will in turn prevent negative encounters among colleagues.”
No. 9: Stick to the Set End Time
Ending on time is critical, because you want to honor everyone’s time. If you need to continue the meeting, ask the group for permission to do so. Make sure this doesn’t happen at every meeting, because this can create anxiety in attendees who will anticipate that the agenda won’t be covered.
Mr. Hird
Another problem this creates is that attendees will think the organizer doesn’t care about their time and other responsibilities. “If you’re nearing the end time and there is more discussion to have, tell participants that you’ll send a follow-up communication or schedule a brief discussion to finish at a later time,” Mr. Hird says.
If you’re consistently running late with meetings, it’s likely a sign of larger issues, Mr. Hird continues. For example, you may be trying to pack too much into the time slot, discussions are poorly organized or your meetings run off topic.
No. 10: Close with an Action Plan
A meeting will be successful only if you take action on what was discussed and keep timelines in mind. But too many actions can be overwhelming, says Dr. Crow. Ideally, only two or three stated actions will be defined to make them more likely to be remembered and acted upon.
Some covered items will need an immediate decision, and others need to incubate for a while. “Make sure the next step is communicated consistently to those who didn’t attend,” Ms. Amundson says. “One person should share what was decided with absent members.”
You Can Do It
Keep in mind that what makes you a good doctor makes you a good leader. When you feel like you have to be two different people, you are probably acting like two different people and quite literally coming across as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. “This professional duality can cause numerous challenges, because people don’t know what to expect from you or when you’re being your authentic self,” Ms. Fraser says. “Leading with who you are and what has made you an effective physician is how you’ll be able to successfully navigate the challenges of being an effective business owner or manager.”
