Douglas Flora: Cultivating My Personal Board of Directors – An Approach that Redefined My Career
Douglas Flora, Executive Medical Director of Oncology Services at St. Elizabeth Healthcare and President-Elect of the Association of Cancer Care Centers, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“The Rx for Professional Growth: Build Your Personal Board of Directors.
You’re a dedicated medical professional – constantly learning, evolving, and navigating complex challenges. But what if there’s a powerful, often overlooked, strategy that could transform your professional trajectory and decision-making?
‘The best advice I ever got was to surround myself with people smarter than I am.’ – Shonda Rhimes.
In our demanding profession, we’re immersed in continuing medical education and seek traditional mentorship. Yet, for me, one approach has truly redefined my career: cultivating my personal board of directors.
Over the past decade, this trusted group has been my core advisory team – guiding me through tough clinical decisions, navigating career transitions, and even finding balance in the demanding world of medicine.
These aren’t just colleagues; they’re individuals genuinely invested in my progress, offering distinct expertise and unique perspectives from diverse specialties and life experiences. The truth is, everyone has their own superpower, and I’m always stronger when I lean on my friends for theirs.
If you’re part of this board, you know I value your insights deeply. And if you’re reading this, chances are you’ve been that trusted voice when I needed it most. Thank you for your time and investment in my growth.
Your personal board is a diverse ecosystem of trusted advisors, each bringing a specialized skill set. Imagine having a seasoned clinician for complex cases, a financial expert, an administrative guru, and an innovative thinker – all focused on your success.
My board has evolved, but certain archetypes remain invaluable. Think of them by the unique strengths they bring:
The Master Clinician: Someone who’s faced the most complex clinical and professional challenges you will, offering unparalleled diagnostic and treatment wisdom.
The Network Architect: The person who intuitively connects you with the right individuals and opens doors to new opportunities or collaborations.
The Unvarnished Truth-Teller: Gives honest, constructive feedback – even when it’s tough to hear, ensuring you stay on the right track.
The Strategic Innovator: Challenges assumptions, pushes unconventional approaches, and helps you identify opportunities others might miss.
The Implementation Driver: Translates ideas into concrete steps, provides accountability, and helps you overcome analysis paralysis.
Building these relationships takes time and effort, but the return is immeasurable. The confidence from informed decisions, the opportunities from their networks, and the professional growth from being challenged – these benefits compound, strengthening your career and well-being in medicine.
Extra points to anyone who can name the character addressing the Justice League.”
More posts featuring Douglas Flora.
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Challenging the Status Quo in Colorectal Cancer 2024
December 6-8, 2024
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ESMO 2024 Congress
September 13-17, 2024
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ASCO Annual Meeting
May 30 - June 4, 2024
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Yvonne Award 2024
May 31, 2024
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OncoThon 2024, Online
Feb. 15, 2024
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Global Summit on War & Cancer 2023, Online
Dec. 14-16, 2023