Volume 2 Number 2 In This Issue

Waste of time or teachable moment?

Johny Van Aerde, MD, PhD

Currently, we are in the midst of a huge learning opportunity, a “teachable moment” in Canada’s health care system. If we don’t embrace that collective leadership opportunity, all leadership development programs, past and present, will have been a terrible waste of time because, so far, there are no outcomes in terms of direction, alignment, and commitment to show for those efforts. read article

A physician leader’s role in managing patient safety incidents

Tracy Murphy

and Gordon Wallace, MD

Physician leaders can nurture a quality culture and achieve quality improvement (QI) goals by empowering health care providers to deliver high-quality, safe care; setting goals and expectations for QI; enabling staff to seek solutions and implement changes; and taking an active role in QI work.

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The facilitative leader: Managing the behaviour of challenging team members

Monica Olsen, MHRD and

Mary Yates, MEd

Whether facing a new team or an established one, facilitative leaders can prevent difficult behaviour among its members by ensuring clear communication, an open environment, and effective meetings. In this article, we provide a number of tips for accomplishing these goals and intervening when poor behaviour demands it. read article

Communicate clearly: a key way to protect against human rights complaints

Ena Chadha, LLB, LLM

Human rights complaints against physicians most often arise when patients believe they have received inadequate care as a result of discrimination. Such issues can often be avoided when physicians take time to explain their actions in treating the patient and the reasons for them. read article

Creating a powerful speaking style

Mila Naimark

Whether you are presenting at a conference to educate the public, to share research findings with your peers, to influence government officials, or to inspire communities, these five simple tips will greatly enhance your impact. read article

Leading the medical division: a small business in academia

Nahid Azad, MD

The organization of academic medical staff is complex. A division, the smallest unit in the structure, is essentially a small business that needs full-time entrepreneurial leadership to succeed. The leader must develop a strategic plan, establish goals, build teams, and develop a budget. A division should strive to become a centre of excellence.  read article

Physician identity: benefit or curse?

Graham Dickson, PhD

Physicians who move into leadership roles have the benefit of knowing the physician world and, therefore, are the bridge between the profession and public management. However, such moves are often viewed as a betrayal of the physician identity, a move to the “dark side” by their colleagues. Doubts about their identity may also influence their ability to be confident in their new role.  read article

BOOK REVIEW: Inspired Physician Leadership: Creating Influence and Impact

Charles R. Stoner and

Jason S. Stoner

American Association for Physician Leadership, 2015

Reviewed by Johny Van Aerde, MD, PhD

read review