March/April 2026

Physician Leadership Journal

March/April 2026

Vol. 13, No. 2 · 12 articles

  1. Signing Your Work and Signing Your Life

    PLJ March/April 2026 Spencer Borden, IV, MD, MBA, CPE, DFAAPL, FAAP, FACR, FACMQ, FACHE

    Every action and interaction reflects your values and shapes your persona, trust, authenticity, and brand. Strive to ensure every deed, word, and decision represents your best.

  2. Making SMART Goals Smarter for Physician Quality Incentive Compensation

    PLJ March/April 2026 O. Scott Lauter, MD, MBA, FACP, FHM

    Enhancing SMART goals with additional mnemonics ensures physician quality incentives are fair, achievable, and relevant, especially when compensation is at risk.

  3. Addressing the Underperforming Clinician: A Leadership Challenge

    PLJ March/April 2026 Howard B. Graman, MD, FACP

    Medical groups often face issues with underperforming clinicians in areas such as productivity, clinical quality, and patient experience. Common causes include inefficiencies, poor communication, and lack of empathy. ...

  4. Improving the Physician Experience to Attract, Retain, and Engage Top Physician Talent — Part 2: Refocusing the Physician Leader’s Role on Engaging the Team

    PLJ March/April 2026 R. John Sawyer, II, PhD, ABPP-CN

    This article explores physician leadership's evolving role and suggests strategies to enhance effectiveness, including role clarity, structured meetings, and self-leadership, to improve well-being and reduce burnout.

  5. Followership and Leadership: A Symbiotic Partnership for Success

    PLJ March/April 2026 Ronald Dwinnells, MD, MBA, CPE

    Followership is a vital aspect of leadership, emphasizing active engagement, critical thinking, and shared vision. Strong leader-follower partnerships rely on trust, respect, communication, and adaptability.

  6. A Comparison of Flourishing Questions and Healthy Days in Population Health

    PLJ March/April 2026 Chiara J. Antonioli, MSPH, Anna F. Ballou, MSPH, Sierra Inks, MS, Meaghan Pilcher, MS, Houda Rabah, PhD, Naakesh Dewan, MD, CPE, DLFAPA, FASAM

    This study explored whether Flourishing Questions from The Human Flourishing Program align with Healthy Days, a population health measure. Using survey data, it found moderately negative but significant correlations, ...

  7. The Interprofessional Advantage: How Mixed-Team Leadership Training Builds Trust, Communication, and Performance in Healthcare

    PLJ March/April 2026 Mark Hertling, DBA, Kim Smith-Jentsch, PhD

    This study highlights how interprofessional education (IPE) boosts physician leadership by improving collaboration, communication, trust, and inclusive behaviors, enhancing team performance in healthcare.

  8. The Emerging Physicians Leadership Program at Boston Children’s Hospital: A Unique Program Equipping Exemplary Mid-Career Physicians to Successfully Transition to Leadership Within the Organization

    PLJ March/April 2026 Sarah Bixby, MD, MBA, Peter Laussen, MBBS, FANZA, FCICM, Kevin Churchwell, MD, Vincent Chiang, MD, William Meehan, III, MD

    Physician leadership is key to healthcare quality. Boston Children’s Emerging Physicians Leadership Program (EPLP) trains mid-career physicians, fostering skills for leadership, collaboration, and operational improvem...

  9. Beyond Burnout: Why the Chief Medical Officer Must Build Belonging, Purpose, Storytelling, and Transcendence

    PLJ March/April 2026 Mark D. Olszyk, MD, MBA, CPE, FACEP, FACHE

    CMOs can combat burnout by fostering meaning through belonging, purpose, storytelling, and transcendence. These strategies enhance well-being, resilience, and transform healthcare into a thriving community.

  10. Transforming Medical Leadership: Formulation of an 11-Competency Physician Leadership Model for Next-Generation Healthcare Leaders

    PLJ March/April 2026 Rob Bogosian, EdD, Lindsay Gainer, MSN, RN, FACHE, Rebecca S. Lee, MD

    Mass General Brigham developed an 11-competency leadership model for physician leaders, offering a validated framework to enhance leadership, navigate healthcare challenges, and drive excellence nationwide.

  11. The One-Page Manager Framework for Effective Calls, Meetings, and Negotiations: A Leadership Communication Tool

    PLJ March/April 2026 John W. Richards, Jr., MD, MMM, CPE

    Calls, meetings, and negotiations dominate executives' workdays. Here are three tools to enhance outcomes and key skills like communication, management, innovation, and leadership.

  12. Championing Physician Leadership Development: AAPL’s Five-Decade Commitment Meets Healthcare’s Critical Moment

    PLJ March/April 2026 Peter B. Angood, MD, FRCS(C), FACS, MCCM, FAAPL(Hon)

    Healthcare's complexity — value-based care, AI, virtual care, workforce shifts—requires physicians with strong leadership. Yet many organizations rely on chance, not systematic development, to prepare leaders.