Episode 121
121. Physician Leader’s SHADOW PROTOCOL for Evidence Based Leadership
Many physician leaders become disconnected from the realities of frontline work as they move up the chain of command. Don't Let That Be You!
This episode addresses a simple, powerful solution: shadowing your team. When you do Shadowing right, you'll gain evidence-based insights, foster trust, and improve team engagement and morale—all while avoiding the common pitfalls of surface-level physician leadership.
In this episode, you'll learn:
~~ The difference between shadowing and rounding and why shadowing is more impactful for leadership success.
~~ A step-by-step shadowing protocol to prepare, execute, and debrief effectively.
~~ How regular shadowing boosts morale, trust, and engagement by showing your team that their challenges matter to you.
Don’t miss out on this essential leadership habit! Listen now to learn how shadowing can elevate your physician leadership effectiveness and build a culture of trust in your organization.
Physician Leader's SHADOW PROTOCOL - Get Your FREE COPY HERE:
https://bit.ly/Shadow_Protocol
~~~~~
Explore physician leadership tools and strategies to stop physician burnout, enhance physician wellness and give you the power of personal influence in the C-Suite. All the tools you need to play your role in leading the charge to wellness - at three levels - for you, your teams and your entire organization.
Takeaways:
- Shadowing your team members on the front line is essential for effective leadership.
- Regular shadowing provides crucial insights into daily operations and team dynamics.
- Prepare mentally and logistically before engaging in shadowing activities with your team.
- Debriefing after shadowing is critical to discuss observations and gather feedback.
- Maintaining a shadower's mindset allows leaders to observe without immediately solving problems.
- Communicating findings and solutions back to the team builds trust and respect among staff.
Transcript
In this episode, you'll discover the physician leader's number one habit for excellence. This is the one thing you can do that you’re probably not doing now—a habit that can dramatically improve your leadership skills and boost the engagement and satisfaction of your team. It’s all about how to shadow your people on the front lines. There’s a right way and a wrong way to do this, and today, I’ll show you the right way.
Let’s dive in.
Rounding vs. Shadowing
There’s a huge difference between rounding on your people and shadowing them. In this episode, I’ll walk you through a shadow protocol—including what to do before, during, and after your shadowing events. We’ll also discuss how to prepare your mindset and energy to get the most out of each shadowing session.
Why Shadowing Matters
One of the great failures of physician leadership is the disconnect from frontline realities. The farther you go up the chain of command, the less likely you are to understand what’s happening on the front lines unless you actively shadow your people.
It’s like being a leader in a manufacturing organization and never walking the assembly line. Shadowing helps you witness frontline work firsthand, express gratitude to your team, and build a strong culture.
It’s astonishing how many senior leaders believe that reviewing spreadsheets in their office gives them insight into their team’s challenges. That’s simply not true.
Even if you’re a physician who sees patients occasionally, you only experience your own specialty and setting. You don’t know what it’s like in other departments or locations. To lead effectively, you must shadow your direct reports regularly. Without this, you’ll never truly understand the obstacles they face.
Shadowing Benefits
Shadowing allows you to:
Gain Evidence-Based Insights: All your recommendations will be grounded in firsthand experience.
Boost Morale and Trust: Your willingness to spend time with your team shows you care about their work.
Identify and Solve Problems: See issues in real-time and fix them at the root.
If you follow this protocol, you’ll become a more effective leader and foster a healthier workplace culture.
Time Commitment and Scheduling
I know time is scarce. The whirlwind of task overwhelm is ever-present in healthcare. But if you don’t block out time and defend it, you’re sacrificing invaluable insights and opportunities to improve your culture.
Recommendation:
Block out half a day per week (four hours).
The actual shadowing session will be about two hours, but you need time for preparation and debriefing.
Shadowing isn’t complete until you’ve debriefed the provider afterward. If the provider reports to another supervisor, you’ll want to debrief that supervisor too, though this can be done later.
Preparing for Shadowing
1. Mindset and Inner Game
Adopt a shadower’s mindset: You’re there to observe and learn, not to solve problems in the moment.
Assume that every worker is doing their best given the systems and culture.
Ask yourself:
“How can I help this provider get their work done more effectively?”
“What do I need to know about what’s going wrong here?”
2. Permissions and Logistics
Get permission from the provider and their supervisor.
Check with your legal department for any patient consent protocols.
Be ready with an introduction for the provider and patients. For example:
“I’m here to observe how you do things around here. I’ll be a second pair of eyes to help identify and remove obstacles to you doing your job.”
During the Shadowing Session
Stay Mostly Silent: Don’t interrupt or ask questions during patient interactions.
Observe and Take Notes: Note any issues or observations to discuss later.
Focus on the provider’s experience first and the patient’s experience second.
Debriefing After Shadowing
After the two-hour session, spend time debriefing the provider. Ask questions like:
“How was that for you?”
“What should I learn from what I observed today?”
“I noticed [specific issue]. Did you notice that too?”
“Was today a typical day for you, or was it unusual?”
Identify any obstacles or challenges and discuss potential solutions.
Follow-Up with the Supervisor
Later, check in with the provider’s supervisor. Ask how things went and discuss any issues that need attention.
The Power of Shadowing: Triple Trust Building
Shadowing builds trust in three powerful ways:
Your Presence: Showing up demonstrates that you care.
Problem-Solving: Identifying and addressing challenges shows commitment.
Communication: When you fix an issue, communicate what you did to the larger team and teach them how to apply the fix.
This three-layered approach boosts trust and engagement, helping you reach the 5:1 magic ratio of trust-building actions for every corrective action.
Final Thoughts
Shadowing is a fundamental leadership habit that can transform your effectiveness. No spreadsheet or meeting can replace the insights you’ll gain from two hours of shadowing your team.
Grab a copy of the shadow protocol handout (link in the show notes), and block out time on your calendar. Whether it’s weekly or bi-weekly, this habit will make a huge difference for you and your people.
Get ready to understand how the sausage is made and experience frontline realities in a way no spreadsheet ever could.
That’s it for today’s episode of the Stop Physician Burnout Podcast. We come to you twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, with quick, actionable leadership insights from my 40,000-doctor coaching practice.
Subscribe and leave a review if you’re enjoying the show. Until next time, keep breathing and have a great day!
