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October 05, 2020
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Leaders in GI need to be ‘part of the solution not the problem’

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Leadership poses challenges for gastroenterologists in the health care landscape that is always evolving and consolidating.

In his presentation for the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy’s virtual GI Outlook conference, Charles M. Nunn, Jr., MD, CPE, MMM, FACPE, from Lynchburg, Virginia, offered six pearls for GIs on how to be the best leader at their practice or institution.

Nunn offered six pearls for GIs is leadership roles.

Nunn said as a leader, “your challenge is to jump into the arena and be a leader.”

“You need to take an active role and be part of the solution and not the problem,” he said. “You have to be different in a leadership role compared with a clinician.”

He noted clinicians are doers while leaders need to be planners and think of the future and what changes need to be made for the practice or institution. Leaders need to have multiple interactions and be proactive and be about teamwork compared with clinicians.

“As a leader you need to work on structure, policy, culture, work process and technology,” Nunn said. “All of these things effect people. You have to have some of these skills to make a difference.”

Nunn said communication is very important as a leader.

“Be efficient in how you communicate,” he said. “Less is more.”

Nunn noted tone and body language is vital as a leader. He said it is better to speak face-to-face than sending an email.

Thirdly, Nunn said leaders need to have the ability to listen. He said leaders need to actively listen and be able to paraphrase what someone else is says, it proves they are listening.

“A lot of leadership is just listening,” Nunn said. “Actively listen and paraphrase what you hear.”

He said GIs in leadership roles need to be positive leaders.

He noted they should be constantly ready to be encourage every person (CREEP).

Leaders need to recognize the dynamic between them and those below them. They need to be able to bring themselves down to their subordinates’ level, he said.

“Be a there you are, not a here I am leader,” Nunn said.

Leaders need to be able to have difficult conversations, he said. Leaders need to have the tough conversations but have it tentatively. People are turned off by leaders who speak authoritatively.

Lastly, he said leaders need to network.

“You’ve got to get out of your space,” he said. “You learn more by [networking].”

He said leaders who innovate and want to improve their practice or institution, 90% of time network.

“What kind of leader do you want to be,” Nunn said.