Navigating Bad Leadership in Healthcare: A Call for Change

Leadership in healthcare is dynamic and important. It is like a compass guiding teams to be their best. Unfortunately, not all leaders point their ship in the right way and direction. We have all seen or dealt with leaders who are too pushy, are overbearing or abusive, or shift blame to their staff when things go awry. It is time we expose these issues because they impact productivity, and morale.

• Overbearing and Abusive Bosses. We often have one impression of abusive bosses, but the abuse can take on many different forms. Leaders are to inspire, not intimidate. So leaders that cut others down, demean efforts of direct reports, become too pushy, assign work that is unachievable, or can never give guidance to help direct reports and others succeed actually fall into this category. In healthcare where teamwork matters so much, this kind of leadership hinders patient care, staff wellbeing, and departmental success. If you see this happening to you or others, don't be afraid to seek support form human resources, mentors, colleagues, or other leaders you trust. Collectively it is best to address it together.
• Blame-Shifting Leaders. These are leaders who blame failure on others and do not accept accountability for poor performance. In these leaders you can see them take accolades when things go well, but point the finger at one or more members of their team when deadlines are missed, goals are not achieved, and pressure is placed on them by their leaders. To address this, foster open and transparent communication within your team, take copious notes when in meetings, send meeting notes to your leader to have them validated, and attempt to have others be involved in conversations.Some important items to remember when dealing with bad leadership: - Document everything. Just as spoken about above, keep records of inappropriate behavior, conversations, assignments, and discussions you have had that others hear about. These records can be invaluable if you need to escalate the issue.- Seek support. This support can come for anywhere, but some ideas are human resources, mentors, trusted colleagues, other trusted leaders, or a pastor. Their insights can provide you with perspective on navigating the situation but they can also help you survive in the moment.- Communicate. Address your concerns with the problematic leader. This can be done, but must be done calmly and professionally. There is a chance they may not be aware of the impact of their actions.- Advocate. If the situation persists, don't hesitate to escalate the issue to higher management, human resources, or relevant authorities. Healthcare organizations should be committed to fostering healthy leadership.- Self-Care. Prioritize your well being. Remember, bad leaders can take a toll on your mental and physical health. Forgetfulness, anxiety, panic-attacks, and physical problems can all be a way of your body telling you that the stress is really affecting you. Seek support form counselors or employee assistance programs.Change begins with awareness and action. In healthcare, where the stakes are very high, it is imperative that we create a culture of leadership that fosters growth, collaboration, and patient-centric care. It takes all of us to work together to drive positive change and ensure the best for every healthcare professional. You are too valuable and important to become someone else's failure.#HealthcareLeadership #BadLeadership #Healthcare Change #LeadershipMatters #$EmployeeWellbeing