Doctors at Work Mat Daniel

Helen has had a range of senior leadership roles, and in this episode she tells me how to get into leadership, how to progress, and the skills needed to succeed. Many people will have great skills, but they don't put themselves forward, they wait to be asked, or they wait for the perfect opportunity. However, this means that they may struggle to have the impact that they want, and Helen's tip is to go for it, learn and develop, and don't be afraid to fail. She tells me that it's important to keep eyes open for exciting opportunities, and this also means having to create space by letting go of other things. Our careers are not linear, they evolve all the time, and every step opens up a myriad of new doors and opportunities. Getting to know yourself is key to good leadership, as is knowing the people around you, and picking the battles that you choose to fight. I love her mantra "don't just moan, do something".

Helen Stokes-Lampard, Professor of GP Education, is back at UoB following a three-year secondment (2020-23) as Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) through the Covid19 pandemic. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges is the national body that represents and coordinates the UKs 24 Royal Colleges, Colleges and Medical Faculties that in turn represent all the main medical specialities that award higher professional medical qualifications. AoMRC ensures that patients are safely and properly cared for by setting standards for the ways doctors are educated, trained and monitored throughout their careers. She sits on the Expert Panel which advises the national AI Frontier Taskforce and Chairs the Independent clinical oversight group for the GRAIL/Galleri study. Additionally Helen is a GP Principal in Lichfield, the founding Chair of the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP), the founding Chair of the Dames Commander Society (DCS) and a Trustee of Macmillan Cancer. She was Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) 2016-2019 and has held many other national medical leadership positions. Helen was awarded a DBE for services to General Practice in the New Years Honours list January 2022. You can find out more at https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/clinical-sciences/stokeslampard-helen and on her LinkedIn page.

Listen at https://matdaniel.net/podcast/; https://open.spotify.com/show/1j8uLaUU1g5bYTRVuwUX7j?si=672ec26a73164d7f; https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/doctors-at-work/id1701284564; or watch on www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos.
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You can find out more about Mat's coaching to help doctors create successful and meaningful careers at www.MatDaniel.net. 

In this episode, Manjiri tells me how she became Head of School. We talk about the importance of role models in career planning, and discuss how as doctors we often have a very narrow view of the skills that we have. We discuss how some people have a tendency to talk themselves out of going for roles, and of the importance of confronting the fear that we have and consider what are the worst and best things that can happen. Manjiri tells me how one opportunity often leads to another, and that's it's important to have a mindset that looks for opportunities, development, and growth.

You can also watch on www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos.
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How do you make career decisions? Our careers are never static, they change, we change, and the world around us changes. In this episode, Fiona Setch and I discuss our own career decisions, and identify the importance of doing moves that take you towards your desired future, rather than moves aimed at escaping the current challenges. The key to dealing with career dissatisfaction and critical incidents is then to identify what it is that you want, and to take your life and career in that direction. This might not mean large moves, sometimes small adjustments can help, as can conscious focus on what you enjoy about your current role.

Fiona Setch is a coach. You can find her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-setch-3540a0a/

If you liked this episode you might also enjoy episode 72 on career reinvention after 50, episode 70 in mid career reinvention, 66 on career decisions, 53  and 46 on life balance, episode 23 which contains my tips for making career decisions, and episode 38 and 9 that talk about career coaching.

You can also watch at www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos.
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Ellen Welch is a GP and a book author, and has had a variety of different roles in the past. In this episode we discuss portfolio careers. She outlines how she has reinvented herself multiple times, based on what she wanted and on how work fitted into the rest of her life. She outlines how being flexible is a real asset, even if flexible careers have both up and downsides. Making decent income from portfolio careers might not be easy, but as doctors we should always remember the value that we bring and the skills that we have. I love her can-do mindset, instead of moping about what is wrong, she has repeatedly gone out and made her desired future happen based on what she wants.

Ellen is an NHS GP and writer based in Cumbria. With 20 years clinical experience, she has pursued a variety of portfolio roles worldwide, including stints as a a ski field doctor in New Zealand, an expedition medic in Tanzania and a Cruise Ship Doctor and repatriation doctor around the world. She holds a BA in medical journalism and has pursued her interest in writing alongside her clinical career. She has written  several books and has been published widely in both trade and National press. She has also appeared on TV and Radio in her previous role as co-chair for the Doctors’ Association UK. Her latest book “Why Can’t I See My GP: the past, present and future of General Practice” was released in February 2024. Find out more about her at https://linktr.ee/DrEllenWelch

You might also like Episode 81 on how to define career success, 77 on a career in General Practice, 66 on making career decisions, and 65 on portfolio careers.

Watch at www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos. 
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Careers in medicine are rewarding, and at the same time full of stresses. In this episode, Matthew Fuller and I discuss how to manage challenging situations at work. Matthew tells me that it is important to distinguish emotions from facts, to recognise that emotions are data, and that it pays to step back and focus on what it is that you really want. Some challenges may not be easy to fix, but making a conscious choice on how to engage puts you in a powerful position going forwards.

Matthew Fuller is an ICF-accredited coach specialising in stress and anxiety. He knows firsthand what it's like to be immobilised by stress and anxiety. The emotions and beliefs we carry with us have a huge impact on our success, the success of our teams, and our happiness. That's why he works with people to explore their internal blocks, be they outdated beliefs, negative thought patterns, or unhelpful habits. He works with others as a travel partner, exploring their internal world through a blend of mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Coaching (CBC), and neuroscience to help them overcome the challenges in front of you. You can find him at  www.matthewctfuller.com, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/MatthewCTFuller/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/matthewctfuller.

You can also watch on www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos.
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Phil is a doctor and an Irish Olympian rower. In this episode, we discuss how his understanding of elite sport performance can help doctors at work. He describes a great analogy of his whole life / career being a four legged stool, and that whilst you might only be able to function on three, you cannot do so on two legs. I love the idea of always making choices about what is prioritised today, and always understanding that there are long term as well as short term goals. He tells me that pressure is important for learning, and that the key is to understand what the pressure is and how it helps you progress. And I love how he talks about the importance of having mental clarity instead of jumping into situations in the middle of an adrenaline rush.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like Episode 56 how to perform under pressure, 82 what doctors can learn from elite athletes, and 80 optimising mental performance.

You can also watch at www.youtube.com/@dr-coach/videos.
Production: Shot by Polachek