12 Things Radiology Managers Can Learn From Successful People

I regularly receive blogs written by Marc and Angel Chernoff by e-mail that offer productive tips for living.  A few months ago I received a blog which I feel is appropriate to share with you as we approach 2015.  These 12 things are easy to emulate and can only help us as we take on radiology management in the coming year.

 1.  They create and pursue S.M.A.R.T Goals. S.M.A.R.T. goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Remember that a goal is merely a wish until it is written down.  

2. They take decisive and immediate action. Nothing can be changed or real progress made unless action is taken. An individual can have all the knowledge and intelligence in the world, however, both are useless without action.

3. They focus on being productive, not being busy. The next time you are at a meeting or at work, look around, and also look at your outlook calendar. People are running from meeting to meeting, typically walking in late and texting messages at supersonic speed.    We are like hamsters running on a wheel. Just because our outlook calendar is full everyday does not mean we are being productive.  We need to take time and smell the roses and figure out what tasks are making us productive and cut out the tasks that just make us busy.

4. They make logical, informed decisions. Make sure to gather the facts and never make decisions when you are on an emotional roller coaster. Make decisions when you are on solid ground emotionally and the outcome will usually be a positive one.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_crop","fid":"29640","attributes":{"alt":"Jim Lipcamon","class":"media-image media-image-right","id":"media_crop_1236062943206","media_crop_h":"0","media_crop_image_style":"-1","media_crop_instance":"3077","media_crop_rotate":"0","media_crop_scale_h":"0","media_crop_scale_w":"0","media_crop_w":"0","media_crop_x":"0","media_crop_y":"0","style":"height: 215px; width: 160px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; margin: 1px; float: right;","title":" ","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]

5. They avoid the trap of trying to make things perfect. Do not get carried away with perfection. Sure, striving for perfection is fine as long as we do not become obsessed with it. We can become disgruntled and discouraged when we fail to meet nearly impossible goals which can lead to us not finishing what we started. 

6. They work outside their comfort zone. How many times have you heard someone pass up an opportunity because they said they did not think they were ready? In order to grow and be successful, we must become comfortable with being uncomfortable.  The fact of the matter is we are never 100% ready for new opportunities that come our way.   We must learn to stretch ourselves in order to grow emotionally and intellectually, and not be fearful of change.

7. They keep things simple. We live in a day and age where we are in information overload and have an endless amount of choices that lead to complication, confusion, and inaction. Leonardo da Vinci said it best “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”  Do not suffer from analysis paralysis, take action and if it does not work out, learn from the experience.

8. They focus on making small continuous improvements.  Americans are not patient people and we want instant success. It takes time and effort to accomplish your biggest goals. We must divide our efforts into small pieces and the task at hand will not seem so overwhelming.

9. They measure and track their progress. Successful people track their progress against their goals so they know if they need to modify their game plan. The best decisions come from good data.

10. They maintain a positive outlook as they learn from their mistakes. Successful people focus on the positives. They understand that to be successful, they must have a positive outlook on life. Life is not a double-sided coin. Mistakes will happen and there will be adversity. When a mistake happens, learn from it and move on.

11. They spend time with the right people. Successful people surround themselves with those who are likeminded, supportive, and focused. 

12. They maintain balance in their life. I like to equate the balance in our lives to that of a three-legged stool.  We need to balance work, family, and spirituality/fun.  When one of the legs breaks, there’s a loss of balance and we fall over. To be truly successful in life, we must balance the key elements in our lives.

I hope you find ways to implement these 12 elements and they propel you to a successful year in 2015.