It's So Tempting

 
 

Doctors, if you're in private practice chances are you feel alone with no one to vent to if you have frustrations.

I've talked to doctors who have fallen into the trap of venting to team members about other team members and this can be very damaging not only to your team, but to your credibility as a leader.

When you feel the urge to vent I want you to look at two things:

  1. Is this something I need help processing before I can take action?

  • If so consult a colleague, a consultant or a coach ... someone other than another team member.

  1. Am I venting to the wrong person to get temporary relief, so I can avoid conflict and not really address the issue?

  • If that's the case, it's really important that you step outside of your comfort zone to handle your frustrations in a productive way.

This may feel harder, but the team member who really needs to hear your frustrations is the team member you're frustrated with.

Venting is like eating comfort food. It feels good in the moment, but you may not feel good about it later. I encourage you to really look at what's behind your frustration and take a more positive approach to resolving the issue.