Have you ever thought of an idea or even developed a talk or paper around a concept, only to realize someone else has already described it? For me, it is an often and humble reminder that most of what I think might be new is already described by someone else in a different field of study or area of focus. I find that fascinating and inspiring, rather than frustrating. It makes me want to learn more about others and how they arrived at similar ideas or conclusions, and it makes me feel more connected to the world. Well, it happened to me again this week.
I am fortunate to have the opportunity to give the final talk at MD student orientation. It’s called “The Journey,” and it’s about what to expect as our students develop as physicians and how to be successful as a student and physician. It is a bit of a scary talk to give. It can be hard to walk the line between giving advice from your experiences and sounding preachy or condescending. As I was reviewing and editing it, a leadership newsletter on the 4-Hs popped into my inbox, which was so aligned with the talk that I had to investigate further. A quick Google search turns up a book called H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle. By Brad Lomenick, and various subsequent iterations up to 5-Hs from various other bloggers and authors, which categorize habits of successful leadership. It made me think that sharing this general concept with all of you may have value. As a relevant aside, the servant leadership perspective (from which Lomenick writes) is the leadership philosophy that most resonates with me as a physician who believes that being a healthcare professional is not just a job but a vocation — one that is privileged by the trust that society places in us and that allows us to be participants in the most vulnerable places in people’s lives.
I propose another 5-H model. For my iteration of the “H” Habits, like Lomenick, I start with Humble – or who am I? This is not a stagnant question. We are all changing, growing, and evolving who we are over time. Our identities and our experiences form us. We accumulate new experiences as we mature, leave the nest, make our own families, and take on new roles and responsibilities. Along the way, the more open we are to the experiences, values, and identities of others, the more we can grow and transform. As a leader, and a health care professional, this is critical. Not only is this habit necessary to stay up to date in our craft, but it also allows us to learn about and support our patients in care plans that meet their needs and values. It is not easy to stay humble – everyone here at WashU – student, staff, trainee, faculty member – is exceptional in some way. But it is dangerous to stray from humility for too long, or we stop growing.
My second “H,” like Lomenick, is Hunger, which he describes as “What’s my why?” For me, this is foundational to happiness, staving off burnout, and living a full and integrated life. Knowing your why can be a challenge, and it may evolve. This concept shows up repetitively in the burnout and leadership literature as a key antidote. For me, my why started as caring for people who are underserved and under-resourced as a physician. As a resident, I found a passion for teaching, especially at the bedside. Over time, it evolved into an interest in educational systems as a way to train compassionate, effective doctors in the care of all people, but especially those who need it most. More recently, it has come to include all health professions and science education as I have come to realize our incredible interdependence and the power of our collective work. This professional “why” does not exclude my family or loved ones or the other things I care about but requires integration, communication, and collaboration, something that, in turn, feeds my work.
Linked with Hunger is Heart – one not covered explicitly as an H by Lomenick but shows up in other blogs. For me, Heart is about how you will achieve your why. It’s about more than just the outcome we hope to achieve. It is about the journey to get there. Will we be inclusive, caring for others along the way? Will we work as a team – not just acknowledging but reveling in the strengths and contributions of others? Will we listen to truly understand other’s perspectives or solely to prove our point or respond? This one is also not always easy, especially in this day and age of sound bites. I have failed at Heart many times, especially when I am busy, tired, or hungry. But returning to it is critical, because it defines the quality of our relationships and the integrity of our actions.
My fourth H comes back to Lomenick and is Hustle in his terminology, Hard Work in other’s. This is not the hustle associated with deception or manipulation, nor is it necessarily the feverish work that may come to mind for others. Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…” I am not sure I completely mean that either. However, I do believe that almost all growth, development, and improvement require significant and concerted effort. That effort is at times challenging, uncomfortable, and hard to sustain. And necessary. It is true for athletes, musicians, scientists, health professionals, and many others who must work hard to become experts at their craft and to sustain that expertise over time. To undertake these challenges, we must know our limits, care for ourselves, and ask for help when we need it.
And that brings me to my final H – Help. This one is just mine, I think. We all need help, and we all need to feel safe asking for help. That help can be health professional support, a listening ear, a coach to help you better understand yourself and develop a plan, a mentor to guide you through challenges you have not faced before, or a community that makes you feel like you belong, or something else entirely. Quoting from my new favorite children’s book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse: “Asking for help isn’t giving up, said the horse. It’s refusing to give up.”
As you think about your goals and hopes for this next year, I hope you will find these 5-Hs to be of value. When I reflect on the times that I felt most aligned, happy, productive, and successful, I was integrating each of these principles into my work and home life. I have NEVER been perfect and that is not the goal. It’s about the journey.