“Give all you can, rather than get all you can.” That’s the short definition of servant leadership, or professional stewardship. As physicians, this mantra is a solid fit with the care you provide to patients every day—but have you thought about how you can apply the philosophy to your role as a physician leader? Consider the following definition: “Servant leaders are committed to making independent contributions to society. They view professional duties as a life mission. They work in environments that encourage individuals to learn and contribute,” Patricia L. Brewster, MHA, FACMPE, CEO of Southern Orthopaedic Specialists, LLC, in Atlanta and past chair of the American College of Medical Practice Executives, writes in her award-winning paper1 on the subject. “Altruistic? Yes,” Brewster tells PPS. “But it can be done and must be done.”

Although some private practices might think of business strategy in immediate terms, it is important to think about the long-term goals, or governance, of the organization. Not doing so could prove disastrous to a practice’s future business, experts say. One of the first things a private practice should do is understand the difference between governance and management. “What you are asking governance to do is to set a strategy that will factor in to the next 10 years, and it will also shape your organization,” says Michael Dugan, vice president of Health Directions, LLC, a Chicago-based healthcare strategy and operations consulting firm. “The management of that is the actual follow-through. I guess you can say governance is what you want the organization to be, and management is how you want the organization to get there.” Governance, in other words, is providing direction toward the goals or mission of the business, whereas management is implementing that direction.