Leaderwreck instead of leadership: The 5 key mistakes German GPs and specialists make in their role as team leaders

What it’s all about

The results of benchmarking studies on practice management show clear deficits among German GPs and specialists when it comes to leading their staff. This article highlights the five most common mistakes and explains the underlying psychological mechanisms.

Mistake 1: No leadership

The most common and most serious mistake made by around 40% of German GPs and specialists is a complete lack of leadership. These doctors do not realise that their inaction or reluctance to lead is itself a form of leadership, but an ineffective and damaging one. This passive attitude explains the lack of direction, motivation and clarity in their practices.

The background: doctors are primarily focussed on their medical tasks and tend to neglect or consider less important management tasks with which they are less familiar. This attitude can be reinforced by so-called “avoidance behaviour”, in which unpleasant or perceived difficult tasks are ignored. In addition, the “illusion of control” plays a role, in which doctors are convinced that their team functions autonomously and reliably without their active leadership.

Mistake 2: Lack of communication

Another common mistake is inadequate or ineffective communication. Practice owners fail to clearly communicate their expectations, provide feedback or hold regular discussions with their staff. This leads to misunderstandings, uncertainty and a feeling of neglect among employees.

The background: These communication errors can be explained by “cognitive overload”, in which medical professionals are overwhelmed by their numerous tasks and responsibilities and neglect important aspects of communication. “Asymmetrical perception” also plays a role, whereby doctors overestimate their own communication skills and underestimate the communication needs of their staff.

Mistake 3: Lack of recognition and appreciation

Practice owners also neglect to recognise and appreciate their employees for good performance. The lack of praise and recognition significantly impairs employee motivation and job satisfaction and creates unproductive feelings of dissatisfaction and demotivation.

The background: The explanatory approach can be found in the “habituation theory”, in which GPs and specialists tend to take their employees’ performance for granted and not consciously recognise it. The “self-esteem protection theory” also plays a role, in which they unconsciously avoid praising others in order to protect their own self-esteem.

Mistake 4: Micromanagement

The opposite extreme of lack of leadership is micromanagement. Some doctors tend to control their staff too much and intervene in every little decision. This undermines employees’ trust, stifles their own initiative and creates a feeling of paternalism.

The background: micromanagement can be explained by the “fear of losing control”, where the practice owner feels that they could lose control of their practice if they do not monitor every aspect. The “perfectionist tendency” also plays a role. This is where doctors feel the urge to do everything perfectly and to their own high standards.

Mistake 5: Lack of delegation

The fifth point on the list is the lack of delegation of tasks. Many doctors feel obliged to complete all tasks themselves, regardless of their desire for perfection, which automatically leads to overwork and burnout. At the same time, staff are under-challenged and under-appreciated because they are not given responsible tasks.

The background: The “self-efficacy theory” explains this mistake, in which practice owners underestimate the trust in the abilities of their employees and believe that only they themselves can perform certain tasks satisfactorily. The “illusion of control” phenomenon also plays a role, which is based on the false assumption by doctors that they will always achieve better results by personally performing tasks.

Conclusion

The leadership mistakes described above are common and deep-rooted problems that are reinforced by complex psychological mechanisms. By becoming aware of these mistakes and their backgrounds, doctors can begin to reflect on their leadership practices and improve them in the long term. A deeper understanding of the psychological background can be the first step towards taking on a more effective and fulfilling leadership role and thus increasing job satisfaction and efficiency in practice.