An excerpt from The Leadership Prescription: How High-Performing Clinicians Become Visionary Leaders.

There I was in my habitual rhythm, seeing patients back-to-back and enjoying it. After all, seeing the patients was the fun part; the administrative burden that accompanied it was nauseating and heralded the real risk of burnout. The administrators regarded me as someone who could easily create rapport with the patients. I was the kind of physician who came in early and stayed late. I stayed focused and prided myself on clinical excellence.

The pull toward physician leadership

That rhythm felt safe and familiar, like a well-worn pair of scrubs. But beneath the surface, I sensed a pull toward something more, a chance to shape health care beyond the exam room. Maybe you are feeling that pull too. You are exceptional at patient care, trusted by your patients and colleagues, yet you wonder if there is a bigger role for you, one where your ideas can transform systems, teams, and lives. This book is for you, the clinician who is ready to step into leadership but hesitates, unsure if you have what it takes.

I am here to tell you: You do. I am living proof, and by the end of this journey, you will see the proof in yourself.

One day, I was diligently taking care of one of my patients when my supervisor came in, asked me politely to step out of the exam room, and told me about a new leadership role. This opportunity was open for all who met the minimal criteria to apply, and he shared it not only with me but also with each of my peers. He went on to say that this position would be responsible for recruitment and retention of clinicians, shoring up preventative health measures, partnering with other disciplines, and ensuring timely access to patient care. Immediately, I got excited and thought that this would be a great opportunity for me to finally share my ideas and make the changes that I had been wanting to see in our clinics for quite some time.

Facing the fear of the unknown

Suddenly, my heart started to race, and I thought to myself that I did not have any formal management training. I was a single mom juggling two toddlers, and I was not sure I had it in me to lead my physician peers. I thought about the data and strongly doubted my ability to decipher complex data on graphs in order to create impact. And then, the thought of having to lay down the law over a bunch of physicians sounded like a headache to me. Overwhelmed by the obstacles I saw, I politely told my supervisor that I was flattered, but that type of role was just not for me. I swiftly went back into my exam room and resumed care with my patient.

That moment was a crossroads. The excitement I felt was real, but so was the fear. It is the same fear you might be facing, fear of stepping into the unknown, of failing, of not being “enough.”

But here is the truth: That fear is a sign you are on the edge of something transformative. Let me share a story to bring this home. Dr. Sarah, an ob-gyn, was offered a chance to lead her hospital’s women’s health program. Like me, she was thrilled but paralyzed by doubt. “I am great with patients, but I have never led a team,” she expressed. She worried about managing budgets and navigating politics. Through coaching, she learned to reframe her fear as a signal of growth. She applied, leaned on her clinical expertise, and won the role, thus proving that leadership is not about having all the answers, it is about trusting your ability to find them.

Finding your personal board of directors

When I was approached about the leadership role, I was flattered, but also uncertain. I would be competing against other more experienced physicians who had both management training and experience under their belt. I went home and discussed it with my personal board of directors, my parents. After my divorce, my parents were the only two people in the world that I trusted. This local organization had not seen a leader that looked like me or sounded like me, and they definitely had not had a woman leader who was divorced with two babies. The board deliberated, and the decision was to apply for the position. With the board having my back, I mustered up enough confidence to garner a shift in my mindset.

That support was everything. It reminded me I was not alone, and you are not either. Your “board of directors”, whether family, friends, or mentors, can help you see the leader you are becoming.

Maia Carter is a physician executive and author of The Leadership Prescription: How High-Performing Clinicians Become Visionary Leaders.