THE UNIT CHIEFS

 

Having worked in four continents under different Unit Chiefs and I have learned much more than Plastic Surgery from these superb individuals. They were all different, yet they were all exemplary leaders and outstanding teachers and while imparting a Rolls Royce class training they enriched my life in their own unique and inimitable way. While from some I picked up ‘what to do’ I remain equally indebted to those from whom I learned ‘what not to do’, and they were vitally important for my growth as a professional and development as an individual. Today, when I look back I am convinced that while there is no shortage of motivational books for people who want to improve their management skills, the lessons which these Unit Chiefs taught me were simply priceless and never to be found in books.

 

As you would rightly imagine every Chief is different, his/her man-management styles are different and as a trainee you cannot have a same stereotype attitude towards them all. You are expected to change to suit their style of functioning and therein lies the secret lessons of life. Each one of them will leave behind an indelible impression in your life which you will cherish ever after. From my experience I classify all my Chiefs into 4 categories. This I do to avoid taking names but if you have been to the same training and teaching units you might recognize them.

 

The “Get Down To Business” Chief:  

The “get down to business” Chief is focused on tasks, achievements, and results, and they like to take action and see people working. This Chief is less interested in creating a pleasant work environment and warm relationships among residents and trainees. They are very direct and you probably won’t hear praise from them all too often. Sometimes they can lose their patience when trainees don’t meet goals set for them or take a lot of time to make decisions. This trait is against their personality as for them the most important thing is to move quickly toward goals, show results and manage an efficient and effective team.

Dealing with this Chief is rather easy because their expectations from their trainees are quite predictable:

1. You need to get things done as quickly as possible
2. When talking to them make sure to keep things short and get straight to the point
3. Find solutions and not just problems
4. Try to learn to do your work yourself or seek help of your senior colleagues as the Chief will not spend time helping you out.
5. Don’t try to clash with this Chief or challenge their authority and just do what they expect of you - this is the way to gain their respect and appreciation.

 

The “Turbo Charged Energizer” Chief:

The “turbo charged energizer” Chief is one who is full of energy and optimism and has a radiant personality. This type of Chief knows how to work with people and does it with enthusiasm and a sense of humor, but they also have a tendency to take risks. “Energizer” Chiefs are able to efficiently pass on their ideas to their trainees, and they don’t suffer from mundane routine. They are happy when they are able to concentrate on future ideas and plans, often react quickly. They can sense a research opportunity much before anyone else and they encourage the trainees to achieve greater things by taking the goalposts a little bit farther every time. The “energizer” Chief likes to start new projects, but loses interest in the details or completing small steps on the way to the big goal.

To work with a Chief who is full of energy, you have to adjust to their mood, which means working hard, but not only that but a bit more, or perhaps quite a bit more:

1. Build a personal relationship with them, get excited about their ideas
2. If their ideas aren’t good, don’t try telling them so during planning sessions, rather do it personally and discreetly.
3. Plan well and carry out tasks only after you are ready
4. Finish the unfinished projects of the Chief. He will love it.
   
5. Always check yourself twice so that your Chief doesn’t pick your mistakes, otherwise he/she might feel that you are slowing down progress more than if you were to work slowly.
6. Praise the Chief publicly, they die for it!

 

The “Punctual and Perfectionist” Chief

The “punctual and perfectionist” Chief appreciates quality and accuracy at work. They tend to be organized and orderly, and want to get all the information that exists on a particular subject before making a decision. Usually, the “punctual and perfectionist” boss has a very slow pace and response and is more concerned about mistakes than other Chiefs. They may be perceived as a serious, productive, stubborn person, but among all these, the main quality of perfectionism.

If your Chief conforms to this pattern you must slow down and avoid mistakes because that will not be appreciated.

1. Understand what motivates the Chief in his/her decision making and provide them with solutions that fit their way of doing things.
2. Don’t try to surprise them, even with things you think are good.
3. Read the subject and be prepared for tough questions on the subject you are discussing, because if you aren’t ready, they will doubt your ideas and throw them out the window.
4. Respect their work process, slow down your pace. The Chief isn’t procrastinating, but rather is weighing decisions carefully.
5. Manage your emotions well - learn from criticism and don’t be hurt by it.

 

The “Harmonizer” Chief

The “harmonizer” Chief appreciates people, relationships, stability and of course - harmony. They want to help everyone be successful and happy, and their preferred approach is to come to an agreement with the rest of team regarding the work being done because they believe that this is the only way to get everyone to work as a team. Residents and trainees tend to see this kind of Chief in a positive light, and they are usually perceived as a kind person. The “harmonizer” Chief is very much concerned with the quality of the work, but they don’t respond well to stress and problems that arise – therefore, they aren’t the biggest fan of change.

The good news is that the “harmonizer” Chief seems to be making an effort to make your life easier but stagnation in his/her unit is a distinct possibility. The work that is being currently done will be world class but newer ideas will take time to come in

1. Try working in a team format even if you don’t need the help of others, show the Chief that you aren’t working alone - they will love to it.
2. Don’t create drama at work, but rather talk to your seniors discreetly about what's bothering you.
3. Make sure your new ideas don’t undermine the stability of the team. Try to become the best among equals in the team.
4. Help the Chief to make decisions and remember they are looking more for support rather than suggestions.

While there is no shortage of books to teach you how to win friends and influence people and almost every motivational author have tried to act as Dale Carnegie once in a while, there is a shortage of books for people who would like to learn how to interact and deal with their bosses effectively. You've probably known your boss for a while, and it's very possible that they have read some motivational books and learned how to deal with you, but do you know how to work with them according to their personality? Only after you learn how to do this, you can stand out from all the other employees, impress your higher-ups, and be successful at your job. Plastic Surgery residency is one of the toughest jobs for those who intend to imbibe the knowledge and learn the skills from their Chiefs while delivering excellent patient care all the time. So dealing with different types of Unit Chiefs becomes vital for their personal growth. I feel sad when I learn from social media that residency has left a bad taste in the mouth of the trainees as for me this was perhaps the best period of my life!