What’s a dyad and how do I fit into it?
What do I do? These are the questions every new health care leader asks themselves, as I did, when they first join a dyad partnership. Although there has been much academic writing regarding leadership dyads in health care, with a macro focus on structure and accountability and implementation, there is a paucity of material on the practical aspects of a dyad leadership structure and how it can be successful. What sets apart high-functioning, successful dyads from those that are unsuccessful? How can dyad partnerships be improved? How can we ensure we have an effective dyad from the beginning?
There must be trust.
Implicit trust is the core foundation of a successful dyad. It must be all-encompassing because, without such trust, the dyad cannot function in its intended role. A leadership dyad is by definition a high trust relationship: The partners must trust each other to follow through on tasks, keep each other informed of events, and support each other. There have been countless times where I’ve said, “I’ll handle this” and my dyad partner didn’t need to ask again—because she trusted me to follow through, and to let her know when I did so. The onus is on me to communicate my follow-through. That trust isn’t just efficiency; it’s the core of our working relationship. We know that it exists because we have explicitly talked about the need for a high-trust relationship.
You must communicate.
This seems obvious but can be quite difficult. Each half of the dyad should be very familiar with what their partner is working on, no matter the scope of the work. My partner and I make it a point to update each other, even on things that seem trivial. You must intentionally make time to keep each other updated via scheduled meetings or informal “catch up” sessions. Share your calendars, update each other frequently, even if it seems like it’s “too much”; it’s OK to over-communicate. The other side of this is that you must be responsive to your partner and never discourage communication. Most leaders are involved in many projects, especially in rural settings where resources are limited. We often find ourselves pulled into projects because no one else is available or a colleague needs help. My dyad partner is my primary resource in any setting, but she has to be aware of everything I am involved in, and vice versa, in order to maintain situational awareness and help when needed. Sometimes I don’t even know that I need help until my partner lets me know that I have overlooked something. I trust her to do that and I communicate with her accordingly.
The dyad as a singular entity.
The dyad should be seen as a cohesive relationship of two people who act with singular focus. Each dyad partner speaks for the dyad and has the authority of the other partner. It should be organizationally accepted that dyads function this way and that one partner speaks for both. Our colleagues and staff know that whether they come to me or my partner, they will get the same message. We operate and speak for each other when needed and trust each other’s intent when doing so. Trust permeates everything. The dyad partnership is like a web: Each partner weaves their part using their unique expertise, but the final structure is seamless and stronger because it’s interconnected.
Stepping into a dyad relationship, especially for the first time, can be difficult. It takes time and effort to build trust and figure out how to best communicate within your unique context. Treat the relationship like a core aspect of your job: Spend the necessary time to develop the relationship and be intentional in developing good dyad habits. Set out your expectations for each other from the beginning and work towards a common goal. When a dyad works well, it is noticeable to everyone around you, and makes every other part of the job much more enjoyable and meaningful.
Amir Atabeygi is a family physician. Christina Mitchell is a clinic operations manager.
