After 25 years of working with clinicians and managers of many kinds, including leading the RCGP leadership programme for 5 years, I have come to the view that, all too often, GPs disempower themselves by responding to even the most valuable and practical of thoughts, ideas, and opportunities with one or more of the following three responses: first, the problem with that is; second, we’re doing that already; and third (we shouldn’t have to because) it’s their fault.
Much of the value in many leadership programmes is in helping people develop alternative responses.
David Zigmond demonstrates all three in his description of how he undermined his colleagues as they tried to develop constructive ways of improving the working lives and experiences of those in primary care, and encouraging younger practitioners to remain and to flourish in their chosen career.
What a pity that he chose to send you his description, and that you chose to publish it. As a sympathetic observer I strongly suggest that challenging this attitude of impotent victimhood would do more to alleviate the recruitment problems in primary care than anything else.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2017
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