I Thought I Was Ready for Leadership. I Wasn’t.

When I was appointed as the clinical director of our palliative care team, it felt like a dream.

It was a new role on a growing team. I was excited. I was energized by the thought of designing systems that would expand and improve how we delivered care.

But the excitement didn’t last.

Almost immediately, I realized this role wasn’t set up for success. The team’s founder was still very much the leader of the team, and the role of “clinical director” hadn’t been made clear to anyone,  especially me.

I was doing my best to do what I thought was right, leaning hard on my clinical expertise and quality improvement skills, but I was unprepared for the full scope of chaos that can ensue when you’re thrust into leadership without real preparation.

I didn’t know what to ask for.
I didn’t know how to recognize the red flags.
And I didn’t yet have the skills to navigate the complex matrix I had stepped into.

I thought (and so did the person who gave me the title) that being a great clinician and having QI experience would be enough.
They weren’t.

3 Red Flags You’re Being Set Up to Fail

1. No clear role or expectations.
   If you’re unsure what your authority is, so is everyone else. This means you’re walking into chaos.

2. No training or coaching.
   Being an excellent clinician doesn’t automatically make you an effective leader.

3. Inherited team conflicts or politics.
   If unresolved tensions or power struggles are simmering, expect them to surface — fast.

This isn’t just my story.

It’s a pattern.

In healthcare, clinicians are routinely “volun‑told” into leadership roles.

You get a new title, new responsibilities, and very little guidance. It’s supposed to feel like an opportunity, but instead it often feels like being dropped into deep water without a life vest.

And we wonder why so many new leaders burn out.

Without clear expectations, training, or support, even the most skilled clinicians struggle in these roles. Being excellent at patient care or quality improvement is not the same as being prepared for the complex, political, emotionally demanding work of leadership.

What I Wish I Knew

Here’s what I wish I’d known back then and what I tell every clinician I coach now: you can recover.

Here’s where to start:

• Ask questions. You don’t need to have all the answers on day one.

• Stand up for your team. They need to know you have their back, especially when they’re not in the room.

• Get support. A mentor, a coach, and a therapist  (not all the same person)

• Breathe for yourself first. Leadership isn’t easy, especially when it wasn’t your first choice.

If this resonates, you’re exactly who I created the Healthcare Visionary Academy for.

It’s a space for clinicians who want to lead with confidence and clarity — even in the chaos — and who are ready for the tools, coaching, and community they should’ve been given from the start.

Join the priority list here and be the first to know when enrollment opens for our next cohort: Click Here

Leadership doesn’t have to feel like drowning.  We will throw you the life preserver!