Effective leadership in medical practices today requires more than operational expertise — it demands the ability to regulate your own internal state. As author and psychotherapist Britt Frank explains, developing the mental discipline to stay clear-headed and grounded isn't just a wellness practice — it’s a strategic leadership skill.
Frank shares practical strategies for managing internal stress, setting realistic expectations, and improving self-leadership. Her new book, Align Your Mind, focuses on "parts work," a model that reframes how leaders understand and manage their mental dynamics. On this episode of the MGMA Insights podcast, Frank joins host Daniel Williams to explore how healthcare professionals can lead themselves and their teams more effectively.
Understanding Internal Conflict: "Parts Work" in Action
Frank explains that internal struggles are not a sign of failure but a normal part of how the mind works. "Parts work is the idea that your mind—just like your body, just like your car, just like any complex item—is not this singular thing, but it's made of parts."
Wanting to care for patients while feeling burned out can often leave healthcare professionals feeling conflicted. Recognizing these competing "parts" can prevent internal tension from spiraling into stress or poor decision-making. "You would not treat a sore throat the same way you would a fractured knee,” Frank notes. “So why do we think our mind can be approached in this singular, unified way?"
Neutralizing the Inner Critic
Dealing with the "inner critic" can compound the stress that healthcare professionals face daily. Instead of ignoring or resisting this inner critic, Frank recommends validating it as a more constructive approach to handling inner turmoil.
"What if you validated it? What if you said, ‘You are right. You know what? There's not enough work I could do to solve the problems facing the healthcare industry.’" Frank offers a practical phrase healthcare leaders can use: "That's a little bit true."
"Any critical thought when it's met with, 'yeah, that's a little true,' deactivates its charge," Frank says, highlighting how this simple phrase can reduce the emotional escalation that can impair leadership and decision-making.
Realistic Expectations During Chaos
Frank underscores that the chaos that medical practices often face, especially during staff shortages, isn't the real threat to leadership effectiveness. "It's not actually the chaos that takes us out of alignment,” she says. “What takes us out of alignment is the belief that we should be more, or do more, or have more, or be able to give more."
Frank emphasizes striving for excellence over perfection, noting, "Striving for excellence is going to produce, if not joy, at least a sense of peace. Striving for perfection will always be shame."
Action Step: The Micro-Yes Strategy
To combat overwhelm, Frank introduces the "micro-yes" strategy—a tool especially useful for leaders managing large teams and projects.
"Break that down into as many pieces as it takes to get a tiny little win under your belts," she says. "A micro-yes is taking a step so small, you feel silly doing it. That's how you know it's a micro-yes."
This incremental approach helps leaders build momentum and maintain focus during peak stress periods. For example, when implementing a new EHR system across a busy practice, rather than tackling the entire transition at once, leaders can ask: “What is the one document I need to review today? What is the one workflow I can walk a team member through?” By stacking these micro-yeses, large transitions become much more manageable.
Leading Yourself to Lead Others
Frank stresses the importance of internal leadership, stating, "We can treat our minds with the same skill that leaders treat companies.” Healthcare leaders can model stability by managing their own internal "parts," maintaining self-awareness, and aligning action with achievable expectations.
Key Takeaways for Medical Practice Leaders:
- Recognize competing internal "parts" and validate their presence.
- Deactivate critical self-talk with "That's a little bit true."
- Set realistic expectations during chaotic times; excellence over perfection.
- Use the "micro-yes" strategy to reduce overwhelm and take immediate action.
- Treat self-leadership with the same discipline as leading a practice.
Resources:
- Learn more about Britt Frank
- Purchase Align Your Mind at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Target
- Connect with Britt Frank on LinkedIn
Additional Resources:
Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com if you would like to appear on an episode. If you have a question about your practice that you would like us to answer, send an email to advisor@mgma.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our network wherever you get your podcasts.
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