Former Community – We Moved
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My Journey to Power
Another success to share with you:
As I got back home I received good news in the mail: I am officially a specialist in pediatrics.
I got my degree. Now it takes about 3 months for them to print it (!!!).
Anyway, this is 10 years of work (5 years uni + 5 years working). And if I take all the time it took me to reach this point since I started to study computer science, it's actually 23 years of work to reach this.
So I feel proud and happy. Again this is an opportunity to thank Lucio and the whole TPM community as you guys helped me more than once (euphemism) to overcome challenges in the past 3 years. Both professionally and personally.
But... why are we here?
To talk about power dynamics right? So let's talk about power dynamics.
My sister diminishes my success
So I leave a message on WhatsApp to my friends, colleagues and sister with the picture of the letter. She leaves me voice message: she congratulates me and tells me that her companion got a scientific scholarship. So I'm really happy for him and it's great. But it fells a bit like: "you did this but he did this". And the two are not on the same level at all. It's a bit like what Lucio talked about when someone puts them on the same level as someone else. And it's by proxy (it's not even her success).
It's not too bad, it just shows my sister's character. Anyway I don't care so no answer from me other than congratulate him. I fly higher.
PS: I realize it's my 4th degree... Hahaha life is full of surprises.
Congrats John!
I'm not informed about how much one's status and ranking in an hospital rises when being a specialist, but I believe it has to be a significant one.
I think it's really cool that you decided to be a pediatrician, it's very sad when children get health problems and sometimes die due to an unprofessional medic: lazyness, ego issues, etc. might be usually the cause for this kind of behaviour. But now that you're a professional you'll possibly get to help children and teens even more and prevent idiots from harming kids. Again congrats man.
Congratulations John!
Thank you Power Duck, Lucio!
@PowerDuck: yes you got it right, here is my mission:
To (regarding children):
- Protect: from abuse and neglect (parents, peers, healthcare, school).
- Heal: physical and mental health.
- Care for the well-being: what is the use of being in good health if a child is unhappy. That means comfort at the hospital and making sure everything is right for the child's development at home and school.
Yes, it's a significant step on several levels (apart from the sense of personal achievement):
- Legal: I'm now allowed to exercise medicine independently (outside of any supervision).
- Autonomy and Freedom: as above. I am now a full pediatrician. Not a physician-in-training anymore (at least in general pediatrics). I will always train and evolve but this is like a major step/threshold.
- Financial: I will increase my monthly income (between $500 and $1000).
- Status: Among the 5 attendings we're only 2 to have this degree. By sending it in the group, I elevated my status at the hospital. That also applies to friends and family who followed my long journey and were happy for me.
- Career: when I apply I will now can say that I have this specialized degree. Some do have it but not everyone. You can stay without it and practice medicine in a hospital as an adjunct attending (my current and soon past title). It opens doors for me.
Good news: the power player resident that used to be disrespectful with me is now respectful and accepts me as her superior. She also accepts now me as a judge of her work and performance. I did it through persistance in practicing good leadership and her seeing all that I know that she doesn't. So overconfidence and arrogance from her part. There is no universe where somebody with 1 year experience knows more than somebody with 5 years of experience.
She's still playing power moves: "perfect" or "very good" when I talk with her making me look like I'm her subordinate and she judges me. What I learn is that it's that I did not want to play this game as I found it petty. So I was wishful hoping that it would go away magically. After reading the part of PU about career I understand these games are work are petty but I have to play it or it will cement defavourably. Same with her colleague using "perfect" a lot. I tried to ignore it but it's cementing.
So the next thing for me to learn is to actively counter these. That's what all the executives at my job do.
It's uncomfortable because I find it silly but I started to get out of my comfort zone and do it now.
Hi John,
Great to hear that resident has changed her tune, and congratulations on officially becoming a specialist in pediatrics!
Hi Ali,
Thank you so much for your kind words!
Big thanks to Lucio for “stealing the corner office”!
A game changer at work.
4 main ideas:
- Spend time with leaders: improved my already great relationship with them
- Be objective when proposing or considering an idea: improved my credibility therefore my status and power
- Coach people instead of holding them accountable: improved 10 fold my relationships with residents.
- Focus on career advancement not results: much useful to an (ex-) nice guy like me eager to please.
Thanks a lot!
Today I received more birthday wishes than ever. Also from people I would not expect. So power dynamics is definitely working!
Fifth idea from the book: focus on skill acquisition.
