Right sizing the solution

“Dress for the job you want,” is something we’ve all heard. Essentially, it’s saying act as if you have what you want, and you’ll get it.

The thing is, almost all advice is situationally appropriate, and not globally applicable.

I’m building a global organisation to help address doctor burnout. Based on the above thinking, 12 months ago I put in place an extra layer of management, an executive team, because this is what big businesses have.

The extra layer further distanced me from the front line, and it created a culture of telling, not doing.

Three months ago, we restructured to remove the executive layer and have a senior leadership team of experts in their fields, people who do as well as lead. We’re a 150-person organisation; we don’t need talkers, we need doers.

If you’re currently a surgeon but you want to be a baker, it might pay to keep that target in mind, but you sure as heck better not dress like one!