Isn’t it the chief medical officer, program director or managing partner’s job to just take charge and dictate the solution to a particular conflict?

For conflict resolution to be effective between two parties, it must be a collaborative effort–and that’s where a physician’s tendency to take charge can sabotage the process.

Most physicians are trained to be autocratic managers, and they’ve become that way because they’re in charge.  However this management style is ineffective when it comes to conflict resolution.  If the physician takes charge and dictates the solution, it’s a win-lose situation, and no real agreement to change is gained.  But when the physician facilitates the solution, it’s a win-win proposition. Taking a step back to let someone else determine the course of action isn’t always easy, as some physicians don’t usually want to accept the solutions of others; they want to determine the solutions themselves, but if a physician never accepts another’s recommendations or solutions, they’ll continue to have conflict.