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Unsolicited advice for new chairs
Unsolicited Advice for New Chairs C. Douglas Maynard, MD
In 22 years as chair of a radiology department, I learned a lot about succeeding in that role. Even when I stepped down, I still had much more to learn. Most of us are not prepared when we take on such a responsibility. ! would like to share with new chairs a few of the things I have learned--many the hard way, by trial and error. I hope my advice will at least give new chairs some points to consider. Set departmental goals, not personal ones. The biggest change when assuming the chairmanship is to realize that success is now measured by how much the department advances, not how much you advance. How well you promote your faculty and their careers is now the measure of your success. Develop short-term and long-term departmental plans.--The entire faculty should have input in the development of these plans and an opportunity for open discussion. Although changes will be necessary as plans are implemented, letting the faculty know what you envision for the future of the department is absolutely vital. Report to the faculty each year on the department's progress and modifications of the plan for the next year. Strategic plans should be dynamic, "living" creatures. Systematically solicit input from the faculty, residents and fellows, and staff.--The best approach is to talk to each person individually. However, if the department is too large to do this, annual questionnaires covering various topics can be very valuable. Develop a loyal, competent administrative team.--The team can include a business manager, vice chair, administrative assistant, or several people, but it should be appropriate for the size of the department. A department chair's
Acad Radiol 2000; 7:1053-1055 1From the Division of Radiologic Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Bird, Winston-Salem, NC 271571088. Received and accepted July 17, 2000. Address correspondence to the author. ©AUR, 2000
job is anything but a solo operation. You need an informed staff to carry out your departmental plans. An administrative secretary who understands you is likewise a must. Make friends with all the other clinical chairs.~When turf issues arise, as they undoubtedly will, discussing the issues with your fellow chairs will be a lot easier if they are your friends. Develop close relationships with two or three other chairs within your institution.--Many issues that arise will not be appropriate to discuss with your faculty. Often, only other chairs can appreciate the issues and act as appropriate sounding boards. Establish a network with other radiology chairs.--There is no better source for recruits, information, and advice on radiology issues than other radiology chairs who have been there, done that! Being active in the Society of Chairmen of Academic Radiology Departments is a good place to start developing close personal ties with your colleagues at other institutions. Support radiologic societies.--Become involved with radiologic organizations such as the Radiological Society of North America, the American College Of Radiology, the Association of University Radiologists, and the American Roentgen Ray Society. Also encourage your faculty to join these organizations and participate in their activities. By doing so, your faculty can share their interests and ideas, increase their visibility nationally, and make valuable contributions to our field. Society membership also offers a great resource for networking with your colleagues. Meet with the residents as a group at least once a month.--Don't overlook the residents as a good source of information and an asset in solving departmental problems. They are still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! You will enjoy spending time with them. Enjoy recruiting.--Many new chairs believe recruiting will be necessary only in the early period of the chairmanship. The truth is, recruitment is never-ending. Turnover is a constant in any department; retirements, promotions,
1053
departures for private practice, and many other factors mean perpetual staff changes. Make up your mind to enjoy it. You will meet a lot of interesting academic radiologists and will develop friendships with many, even if they don't join your department. Check out prospective faculty members thoroughly.Not hiring people is considerably easier than asking them later to move on. Don't rely exclusively on the list of references provided by the candidate; use your own network. More than likely, your friends will give you the bad news along with the good. Don't postpone unpleasant tasks.--Townsend (1) said, "Ask yourself two questions every morning. Who do I least want to see? What do I least want to do? Chances are they'll be your top priorities for that day." Do the dirty work personally.--Don't ask your faculty or staff to present the bad news or do the unpleasant administrative tasks. In particular, do not ask a member of the faculty to do something you wouldn't do. You are the chair; do it yourself. Give credit, accept blame.---Be quick to give the credit for the department's successes to the faculty and staff. When things go wrong, take the blame. Never belittle any member of your faculty or staff in public. Corrections and reprimands, when necessary, should always be handled privately. Realize that people you work with are like icebergs.-You may think you know and understand him or her, but you only "see" and appreciate a very small part of each person. Don't ever be surprised at what people might do. Be constantly reminded that people are everything.Your success and that of your department will depend 100% on your ability to attract and maintain the best faculty and staff you can assemble. You will be successful only if you deal with them as you would like to be dealt with: honestly, forthrightly, openly, dependably, fairly, consistently, and with true interest and concern for their welfare. A loyal faculty and staff will get you through many mistakes, and I guarantee that you will make plenty! Decrees are worthless; only understanding and acceptance will be successfuL--You cannot change behavior for the long term by making proclamations; you have to have buy-in to achieve permanent change. Don't communicate by memorandum.--Keep communications by memo to a minimum. There is a temPtation to send memos instead of speaking with the faculty directly. Memos may seem more efficient, but they are less effective. Two-way communication always accomplishes more than one-way directives. In the long run, you will save time. Learn to "mow the grass. "--Certain issues, such as re-
1054
port turnaround time, file-room problems, and scheduling, will require fixing over and over again. Don't get tired of revisiting such issues; they don't stay solved. Employ the MBA's technique of "managing by walking around. "--This may sound like a clicht, but it is imperative for you to get out of your office. Take frequent, unannounced walks around the department. You will be amazed at what you can learn. Don't underestimate the power of your influence on the faculty and s t a f f - - I f they see you worried, unhappy, or "down in the mouth," their morale will be affected by your demeanor. If you want a happy, productive staff, you must be that way yourself! Happiness breeds happiness; anxiety creates anxiety. What you do, not what you say, is important.--When I was a young Army officer, the motto of the 4th Infantry Division was "Deeds Not Words." I didn't fully appreciate that motto until I became a chairman. Show your department what you want to achieve; don't just talk about it. Where you put your time, how you invest the department's assets--these are the things that will impress the faculty and staff, not what you say at the departmental meetings. Being called at home at night or on weekends is a red flag.--If you are called after hours by faculty, residents, fellows, or staff, go to the hospital and address the problem personally. Although the problem may not seem large to you, it obviously is important to someone else, and it can best be handled on-site. Most people will not disturb the chair at home unless they consider the problem to be very serious. Enjoy your work.--If you don't enjoy the job, quit! Be happy when a faculty member gets a National Institutes of Health grant, receives a promotion, is honored with a Gold Medal, publishes a book or an article in a prestigious journal, or is offered the job of chair at another institution. When a resident gets a great fellowship or a fellow lands a terrific job, that's success for the chair! Give more than lip service to research and education.Provide time for your faculty to engage in such activities. Good research cannot be accomplished on nights and weekends; appropriate members of the faculty must have ample release time if they are to be successful in the "game" of grantsmanship. Good teachers also need preparation time. Strive for a balanced output. There are few if any "triple threats." The time when every faculty member could be a great clinician, teacher, and researcher is behind us. A balanced output in clinical care, education, research, and outreach requires different contributions from each faculty
member and, therefore, different allocations of time. Asset allocation is the chair's responsibility; proportioning time allotments according to each person's abilities is necessary to achieve the desired results. Some should have considerable research time, others none. Some should focus on teaching, others on clinical work. How well the chair performs this balancing act will greatly influence both the happiness and the success of the department. Last but most important, put your family first.--Regardless of the pressures associated with a chairmanship, your family should always be your top priority. A chair does nothing that cannot be handled by others when necessary. Others, however, cannot replace you as a parent or spouse. Chairmanship is a fleeting experience; family is permanent.
I wish I could honestly say I have al~vays "practiced what I preach," but sometimes, out of expediency or laziness, I have lapsed into what I knew was not the best approach. When I followed my instincts, however, I was more effective and happier with my decisions. Being chair of the radiology department at Wake Forest University School of Medicine gave me the opportunity to work with some of the finest faculty and residents anywhere and to make friends in the radiology community all over the world. I can honestly say I enjoyed going to work almost every day of my career. I highly recommend the experience! IEFERENCI 1. Townsend R. Up the organization. New York, NY: Knopf, 1970.
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In 22 years as chair of a radiology department, I learned a lot about succeeding in that role. Even when I stepped down, I still had much more to learn. Most of us are not prepared when we take on such a responsibility. ! would like to share with new chairs a few of the things I have learned--many the hard way, by trial and error. I hope my advice will at least give new chairs some points to consider. Set departmental goals, not personal ones. The biggest change when assuming the chairmanship is to realize that success is now measured by how much the department advances, not how much you advance. How well you promote your faculty and their careers is now the measure of your success. Develop short-term and long-term departmental plans.--The entire faculty should have input in the development of these plans and an opportunity for open discussion. Although changes will be necessary as plans are implemented, letting the faculty know what you envision for the future of the department is absolutely vital. Report to the faculty each year on the department's progress and modifications of the plan for the next year. Strategic plans should be dynamic, "living" creatures. Systematically solicit input from the faculty, residents and fellows, and staff.--The best approach is to talk to each person individually. However, if the department is too large to do this, annual questionnaires covering various topics can be very valuable. Develop a loyal, competent administrative team.--The team can include a business manager, vice chair, administrative assistant, or several people, but it should be appropriate for the size of the department. A department chair's
Acad Radiol 2000; 7:1053-1055 1From the Division of Radiologic Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Bird, Winston-Salem, NC 271571088. Received and accepted July 17, 2000. Address correspondence to the author. ©AUR, 2000
job is anything but a solo operation. You need an informed staff to carry out your departmental plans. An administrative secretary who understands you is likewise a must. Make friends with all the other clinical chairs.~When turf issues arise, as they undoubtedly will, discussing the issues with your fellow chairs will be a lot easier if they are your friends. Develop close relationships with two or three other chairs within your institution.--Many issues that arise will not be appropriate to discuss with your faculty. Often, only other chairs can appreciate the issues and act as appropriate sounding boards. Establish a network with other radiology chairs.--There is no better source for recruits, information, and advice on radiology issues than other radiology chairs who have been there, done that! Being active in the Society of Chairmen of Academic Radiology Departments is a good place to start developing close personal ties with your colleagues at other institutions. Support radiologic societies.--Become involved with radiologic organizations such as the Radiological Society of North America, the American College Of Radiology, the Association of University Radiologists, and the American Roentgen Ray Society. Also encourage your faculty to join these organizations and participate in their activities. By doing so, your faculty can share their interests and ideas, increase their visibility nationally, and make valuable contributions to our field. Society membership also offers a great resource for networking with your colleagues. Meet with the residents as a group at least once a month.--Don't overlook the residents as a good source of information and an asset in solving departmental problems. They are still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! You will enjoy spending time with them. Enjoy recruiting.--Many new chairs believe recruiting will be necessary only in the early period of the chairmanship. The truth is, recruitment is never-ending. Turnover is a constant in any department; retirements, promotions,
1053
departures for private practice, and many other factors mean perpetual staff changes. Make up your mind to enjoy it. You will meet a lot of interesting academic radiologists and will develop friendships with many, even if they don't join your department. Check out prospective faculty members thoroughly.Not hiring people is considerably easier than asking them later to move on. Don't rely exclusively on the list of references provided by the candidate; use your own network. More than likely, your friends will give you the bad news along with the good. Don't postpone unpleasant tasks.--Townsend (1) said, "Ask yourself two questions every morning. Who do I least want to see? What do I least want to do? Chances are they'll be your top priorities for that day." Do the dirty work personally.--Don't ask your faculty or staff to present the bad news or do the unpleasant administrative tasks. In particular, do not ask a member of the faculty to do something you wouldn't do. You are the chair; do it yourself. Give credit, accept blame.---Be quick to give the credit for the department's successes to the faculty and staff. When things go wrong, take the blame. Never belittle any member of your faculty or staff in public. Corrections and reprimands, when necessary, should always be handled privately. Realize that people you work with are like icebergs.-You may think you know and understand him or her, but you only "see" and appreciate a very small part of each person. Don't ever be surprised at what people might do. Be constantly reminded that people are everything.Your success and that of your department will depend 100% on your ability to attract and maintain the best faculty and staff you can assemble. You will be successful only if you deal with them as you would like to be dealt with: honestly, forthrightly, openly, dependably, fairly, consistently, and with true interest and concern for their welfare. A loyal faculty and staff will get you through many mistakes, and I guarantee that you will make plenty! Decrees are worthless; only understanding and acceptance will be successfuL--You cannot change behavior for the long term by making proclamations; you have to have buy-in to achieve permanent change. Don't communicate by memorandum.--Keep communications by memo to a minimum. There is a temPtation to send memos instead of speaking with the faculty directly. Memos may seem more efficient, but they are less effective. Two-way communication always accomplishes more than one-way directives. In the long run, you will save time. Learn to "mow the grass. "--Certain issues, such as re-
1054
port turnaround time, file-room problems, and scheduling, will require fixing over and over again. Don't get tired of revisiting such issues; they don't stay solved. Employ the MBA's technique of "managing by walking around. "--This may sound like a clicht, but it is imperative for you to get out of your office. Take frequent, unannounced walks around the department. You will be amazed at what you can learn. Don't underestimate the power of your influence on the faculty and s t a f f - - I f they see you worried, unhappy, or "down in the mouth," their morale will be affected by your demeanor. If you want a happy, productive staff, you must be that way yourself! Happiness breeds happiness; anxiety creates anxiety. What you do, not what you say, is important.--When I was a young Army officer, the motto of the 4th Infantry Division was "Deeds Not Words." I didn't fully appreciate that motto until I became a chairman. Show your department what you want to achieve; don't just talk about it. Where you put your time, how you invest the department's assets--these are the things that will impress the faculty and staff, not what you say at the departmental meetings. Being called at home at night or on weekends is a red flag.--If you are called after hours by faculty, residents, fellows, or staff, go to the hospital and address the problem personally. Although the problem may not seem large to you, it obviously is important to someone else, and it can best be handled on-site. Most people will not disturb the chair at home unless they consider the problem to be very serious. Enjoy your work.--If you don't enjoy the job, quit! Be happy when a faculty member gets a National Institutes of Health grant, receives a promotion, is honored with a Gold Medal, publishes a book or an article in a prestigious journal, or is offered the job of chair at another institution. When a resident gets a great fellowship or a fellow lands a terrific job, that's success for the chair! Give more than lip service to research and education.Provide time for your faculty to engage in such activities. Good research cannot be accomplished on nights and weekends; appropriate members of the faculty must have ample release time if they are to be successful in the "game" of grantsmanship. Good teachers also need preparation time. Strive for a balanced output. There are few if any "triple threats." The time when every faculty member could be a great clinician, teacher, and researcher is behind us. A balanced output in clinical care, education, research, and outreach requires different contributions from each faculty
member and, therefore, different allocations of time. Asset allocation is the chair's responsibility; proportioning time allotments according to each person's abilities is necessary to achieve the desired results. Some should have considerable research time, others none. Some should focus on teaching, others on clinical work. How well the chair performs this balancing act will greatly influence both the happiness and the success of the department. Last but most important, put your family first.--Regardless of the pressures associated with a chairmanship, your family should always be your top priority. A chair does nothing that cannot be handled by others when necessary. Others, however, cannot replace you as a parent or spouse. Chairmanship is a fleeting experience; family is permanent.
I wish I could honestly say I have al~vays "practiced what I preach," but sometimes, out of expediency or laziness, I have lapsed into what I knew was not the best approach. When I followed my instincts, however, I was more effective and happier with my decisions. Being chair of the radiology department at Wake Forest University School of Medicine gave me the opportunity to work with some of the finest faculty and residents anywhere and to make friends in the radiology community all over the world. I can honestly say I enjoyed going to work almost every day of my career. I highly recommend the experience! IEFERENCI 1. Townsend R. Up the organization. New York, NY: Knopf, 1970.
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