““In working with Pam, I have been able to become a better leader within my organization. I was able to get a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses and understand how to better myself all around and navigate through different obstacles that come up within my scope of practice. I am very appreciative of my time with Pam.”.”

“Great opportunity to develop and foster leadership skills by realizing your strengths and weaknesses to benefit your practice and patients. I didn’t realize that by not addressing my daily angst I was in turn condoning their existence. This has lead to a healthier more efficient work environment!

“Pam’s coaching was a welcome touchstone for me during a very confusing and uncertain time in my professional and personal life.  Pam is trustworthy, has good judgment, and is a sympathetic yet non-patronizing listener.  She is patient with defeats and enthusiastically supportive in triumphs.  She asks rather than tells, provokes thought rather than giving directions, and holds you accountable for self-determined goals.  She helped me to see blind spots and increased my self-awareness: showing me areas in which I was strong and areas in which I needed to develop.  My assumptions were challenged, which broadened my thinking and ultimately allowed me to increase my effectiveness at home and at work at a time when I felt like I was failing at both.  Her coaching helped me to learn in a way so that I can continue to grow even though our sessions are complete.”

“Healthcare is becoming increasingly complex, with changes happening at an exponential rate. In order for healthcare organizations to survive and for healthcare providers to thrive, we need strong physician leaders at all levels of our organizations. Yes – we also need exceptionally skilled and dedicated business, finance, IT and other leaders, but ultimately it is the patient-centered clinical perspective physician leaders provide that will guide organizations of all sizes and structures through the ever-evolving environment. Strong physicians leaders are best positioned to direct decisions to make their organizations ideal places to both deliver and receive healthcare. 

Unfortunately, the skills that make us good clinicians often make us poor leaders – quickly narrowing a conversation down to a limited differential diagnosis and then single-handedly prescribing a solution. I don’t remember spending any time in medical school or residency learning medical leadership basics, such as communication and meeting facilitation skills, teamwork and team leadership skills, understanding financial reports, stress management and burnout prevention skills.  

Since residency, I have attended many leadership classes and programs and read many articles and books that aimed to teach me and other physicians how to lead – how to look like a leader, talk like a leader, and run a meeting like a leader. But the Physician Leadership Academy sponsored by the Nebraska Medical Association is one of the very few opportunities I have had to help me become a leader. Through this adventure I learned so much about myself – my strengths, my tendencies, my worries, my fears, my misperceptions, and how I am seen by those I work with. Armed with that understanding and through the blessing of working with Pam and my fellow course participants over many months, I have been able to become more of the person those in my stewardship deserve as their leader. Like all true adventures, it has not been easy, but it has definitely been worth it. 

Now more than ever, we need more and more physicians who not only act like leaders, but who truly are leaders. Our organizations need it. Our healthcare teams, our patients, and our communities deserve nothing less”