1 00:00:00,420 --> 00:00:05,880 Welcome to part one of our podcast, Exploring the Fundamentals of Leadership with Professor Carl Hennigan. 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,640 Professor Kemal Mitani is asking the questions. 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:16,830 And today we'll be exploring the importance of communication, emotional intelligence and being more of a tortoise rather than a hare as a leader. 4 00:00:16,830 --> 00:00:21,440 You'll be able to find part two on the evidence based health care podcast series. 5 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:30,350 Oh, hello, I'm Carl Mitani, and I'm here today to interview Carl Hannigan, who is professor of evidence based medicine at the University of Oxford. 6 00:00:30,350 --> 00:00:33,020 We're going to be discussing leadership today. 7 00:00:33,020 --> 00:00:40,370 We'll be exploring some of Carl's own experience of developing as a leader and observations and the state of leadership that he's experienced, 8 00:00:40,370 --> 00:00:42,470 particularly in health care. 9 00:00:42,470 --> 00:00:49,700 We'll be interested, particularly what other health care leaders can learn from leaders in related and unrelated sectors and some of the cholent, 10 00:00:49,700 --> 00:00:54,380 common challenges that emerge as you navigate through your own leadership career. 11 00:00:54,380 --> 00:01:03,910 So now I'd like to ask Carl to introduce himself and also just tell us a bit about your current role, Carl, and how your career started. 12 00:01:03,910 --> 00:01:06,250 Yeah, well, thanks, Campbell. My name's Carl. 13 00:01:06,250 --> 00:01:13,750 I'm gonna just said at the moment I have a number of roles and the first within the universe is I'm professor of evidence based medicine, 14 00:01:13,750 --> 00:01:20,770 where I have two roles in effect. One is based around teaching and the other role is based around research. 15 00:01:20,770 --> 00:01:25,020 And then with that, I'm also an urgent care general practitioner, working weekends. 16 00:01:25,020 --> 00:01:31,660 Whereas the direct clinical care and seeing patients and that's the sorts of roles that exist within that, 17 00:01:31,660 --> 00:01:41,370 there are different bits of each of the jobs. But I guess I guess I came to Oxford in 1994 as a mature student. 18 00:01:41,370 --> 00:01:46,030 A ton of people said you may be old, but not necessarily mature. 19 00:01:46,030 --> 00:01:49,360 HENNIGAN For that. I came as a 26 year old, 20 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:57,880 having had a career beforehand when I left school at 16 with no great O levels and went and did a career in lots of different aspects 21 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:08,560 and then came as a medical student and qualified in 2000 in Oxford and then did a variety of roles which led me to academic medicine. 22 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:15,790 And there has been in the Department of Primary Care and been director of the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine in 2010. 23 00:02:15,790 --> 00:02:18,250 So it's been a decade now. 24 00:02:18,250 --> 00:02:25,520 Testico, and as you went through these different roles, as you describe, you know, even healthcare, then through your medical career. 25 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:30,620 And then now as a graduate of medicine and now as director. 26 00:02:30,620 --> 00:02:35,230 Did you see yourself as an emerging leader through these different phases? Yeah, I think it's interesting. 27 00:02:35,230 --> 00:02:36,350 I don't think it did. 28 00:02:36,350 --> 00:02:46,100 And so we get much more into it because I think what happens is it's you you look back into the sort of bits of leadership are coming. 29 00:02:46,100 --> 00:02:50,570 But I think what you're doing is you're developing new rooms, you base. 30 00:02:50,570 --> 00:02:55,520 And your own knowledge and building the expertise and experience as you go, 31 00:02:55,520 --> 00:03:04,100 you suddenly then start to get to a point where suddenly you're you're leading a small team or suddenly building a new programme. 32 00:03:04,100 --> 00:03:10,800 And in doing that, you suddenly realise, look at this, what the skills of rebuilding to get to this point there. 33 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:20,300 And I think there is a transition with everybody where at some point what happens is at the top of the tree, they go, you realise you are right. 34 00:03:20,300 --> 00:03:28,970 You are the person who has to make the decisions. You have to create the dynamism, the ideas and push things forward. 35 00:03:28,970 --> 00:03:35,570 And suddenly you're like, oh, I was relying on that professor. That person was in charge and suddenly it's you. 36 00:03:35,570 --> 00:03:44,550 And that's the transition that people find difficult. And one of the keys I think about you is if you get into a leadership, that is. 37 00:03:44,550 --> 00:03:50,310 You've got to try and also bring closer people on way of saying, well, get some responsibility. 38 00:03:50,310 --> 00:03:55,490 Let them believe that their approach to being in charge empowered so that when they're there, 39 00:03:55,490 --> 00:03:58,950 they're ready because there is a tendency for people to go. 40 00:03:58,950 --> 00:04:06,010 Well, look, I'm in charge and everybody below me, I'm going to manage stuff that they do the right thing. 41 00:04:06,010 --> 00:04:14,510 And I think that's journey of leadership that when you do look back, you can sort of see here right back, even even into primary school in areas. 42 00:04:14,510 --> 00:04:18,650 You can see areas where you were doing things that way suddenly go. 43 00:04:18,650 --> 00:04:27,010 I actually was in a position then where I actually I was taking some ownership of taking the responsibility. 44 00:04:27,010 --> 00:04:33,230 And I think if you look at that, that's the key to me. At some point, you get to a point where it goes. 45 00:04:33,230 --> 00:04:39,920 Mm hmm. Yeah, I'm having to drive the initiative, take forward the ideas, work with a team. 46 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:45,640 And and I think it's it's not always apparent at the outset that that's what you're doing. 47 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:51,690 But when you look back, you can see these things were occurring all the time. 48 00:04:51,690 --> 00:04:56,880 Just what you say, could you as a leader, have always had that sort of drive underpinning you? 49 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:02,220 Well, no, because I think how you look at it and strategy of who you are and what you like doing. 50 00:05:02,220 --> 00:05:07,030 And I think that's the key for me is I like problems. 51 00:05:07,030 --> 00:05:11,940 I love problems and going into areas where you go. This is a big task. 52 00:05:11,940 --> 00:05:16,050 And there's something we want to do, Bill. So I like problem solving. 53 00:05:16,050 --> 00:05:19,780 Second is, I like working with teams. I like the team aspect. 54 00:05:19,780 --> 00:05:23,790 So we've got a problem. Who's got what bits of the job to do? 55 00:05:23,790 --> 00:05:29,210 And if we get to the end of this, we can build something much world class and we'll be proud of it for on the journey. 56 00:05:29,210 --> 00:05:32,880 We'll all be like, hey, it was a lot of fun. We had to work hard. 57 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:38,190 We got to be an innovative. And third is, you know, is the heart of the issue. 58 00:05:38,190 --> 00:05:47,530 It's the soul. The more of a problem it is, the more you have to bringing your expertise and experience, the more I engaged I am with that. 59 00:05:47,530 --> 00:05:51,510 And it is that can be on an even on your own level. 60 00:05:51,510 --> 00:05:54,520 So even if you're developing your own leadership and I'll give a good example 61 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,200 for people where I don't something where I've had to build my skill base, 62 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:04,990 I realised very early on in that in the remit of academia that you have to be a good communicator. 63 00:06:04,990 --> 00:06:08,330 And I've always been a good talker and a good teacher. 64 00:06:08,330 --> 00:06:18,080 But if I put my skill based on rights and if I went back about 10 years ago, I put my skill base of writing really quiet at the lower end. 65 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:22,490 And I'd say that's one of the products of me leaving school at 16. 66 00:06:22,490 --> 00:06:28,520 I didn't have the ability to build that skill in English language and literature writing. 67 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:34,610 So I set myself a test where I said I'm going to learn to communicate through writing. 68 00:06:34,610 --> 00:06:43,820 And that's been a 10 year journey which I've taken on continually build my skill level, keep pushing my boundaries of what I want to do. 69 00:06:43,820 --> 00:06:47,870 Put your neck out and sticking articles out when you're not quite ready. 70 00:06:47,870 --> 00:06:53,880 And now I feel like I'm getting the. So that's me building my skill base. 71 00:06:53,880 --> 00:07:01,740 And that's me leading for myself. If you lie and I think that's an important attribute if you look at what you're good at, 72 00:07:01,740 --> 00:07:08,340 but what you're not good at and what you require for the job honour, I think that's an important aspect, 73 00:07:08,340 --> 00:07:15,330 because I think there's something about if you look at sports is a good area is when you look at sports, 74 00:07:15,330 --> 00:07:21,750 you think, well, here's a captain who's the leader. It generally is the person who is one of the best players in the team. 75 00:07:21,750 --> 00:07:27,360 No, always, because sometimes the best players are not the best communicators or the best leaders. 76 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:32,710 But generally, somebody is going to be on the bench and on the pitch. 77 00:07:32,710 --> 00:07:40,930 And I think that's an important aspect. If you're going to lead at some point, people are going to look to you and say, well, let me warn the teacher. 78 00:07:40,930 --> 00:07:45,910 Are you actually at that level because you've got to lead by example? And everywhere I've been. 79 00:07:45,910 --> 00:07:51,190 I've often thought you've got to develop this skill base. You've got to be really up there. 80 00:07:51,190 --> 00:07:53,440 You don't have to be better than everybody is not a competition, 81 00:07:53,440 --> 00:08:01,060 but you have to feel comfortable when we're talking about communication or dissemination or what we're going to do in this project. 82 00:08:01,060 --> 00:08:03,790 I understand what we're trying to achieve. 83 00:08:03,790 --> 00:08:13,090 And then having a great team around you is part of that fun factor where you go, look, there's lots of different bits to this problem. 84 00:08:13,090 --> 00:08:16,720 And if we all work in one together, we'll solve it. 85 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:24,220 And I think that's important within your own ability to say I'm leading for myself and 86 00:08:24,220 --> 00:08:30,470 combining that then and taking that vision with other people who want to come on that journey. 87 00:08:30,470 --> 00:08:35,270 So you mentioned communication being a massive part of that. 88 00:08:35,270 --> 00:08:39,860 What would you say? Call you some of your other other leadership skills? 89 00:08:39,860 --> 00:08:47,300 Yeah, I think their leadership come through the environment you're in and the aspects, you know, very young. 90 00:08:47,300 --> 00:08:53,480 I often remember having to hold my own with my dad in terms of the conversations that could be political, 91 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:59,000 could be about debates, having an opinion, having some thought processes about. 92 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:05,900 What do you think about the current strategy in Cauvin? What do you think about the current position in terms of the left vs. the right? 93 00:09:05,900 --> 00:09:07,130 What does that mean? 94 00:09:07,130 --> 00:09:16,140 Having an ability to have an opinion, then reflect on that and then take that opinion forward and test it out and then testing it out. 95 00:09:16,140 --> 00:09:24,320 You are looking to see reflect to some point. If we go down this direction, to what extent is this reflected in the wider audience? 96 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:28,090 Is it a grouping that's more likely to be beneficial or harmful? 97 00:09:28,090 --> 00:09:35,000 And I think that communication is really interesting because I think there are two aspects to communication. 98 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:41,580 One is having a network of people around you where you can test out your own thoughts and ideas. 99 00:09:41,580 --> 00:09:48,890 And you need that, because many of my ideas are what I consider important to me. 100 00:09:48,890 --> 00:09:53,640 For some of them are not practical. Not vote for not show up. 101 00:09:53,640 --> 00:10:01,080 And if you like the embryonic and I'm thinking, oh, this is an idea, many of the things we've set out to do. 102 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:06,780 I've got some real black. But that's okay, because when you talk to your small group, 103 00:10:06,780 --> 00:10:12,480 that's an important aspect of you testing out the water to Econolodge vs. the second 104 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:17,220 argument or communication strategies once you've got your thought process right. 105 00:10:17,220 --> 00:10:21,540 You know what? Your vision. Then you've got to direct that to a wider audience. 106 00:10:21,540 --> 00:10:25,590 Something. And that's when the skill base is required. 107 00:10:25,590 --> 00:10:30,670 That's all there are two aspects to it. That I think are really important. 108 00:10:30,670 --> 00:10:37,800 Nothing. Communication is a really interesting aspect, and, you know, it's it's the job. 109 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:43,700 I say our communication jobs, each thing is a communication job. 110 00:10:43,700 --> 00:10:47,770 You you have to communicate with the audience when you're teaching. 111 00:10:47,770 --> 00:10:53,500 It's the ultimate communication because at the end of the day, they're going to come out of that session and go, 112 00:10:53,500 --> 00:10:59,470 gosh, that was pretty good, or that was a bit boring, wasn't really listening, wasn't talking to us. 113 00:10:59,470 --> 00:11:04,880 That seemed to be rote reading of some sort of pre written agreement. 114 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:09,220 And we've all seen lectures and sessions where we've gone jumped up with a book. 115 00:11:09,220 --> 00:11:14,120 I was really looking forward to listening to that purpose and I thought it was amazing. 116 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:17,370 And then I listened to the lecture and it was dope. 117 00:11:17,370 --> 00:11:24,990 So teaching is an important aspect of what we do in communication, but also general practise in communication. 118 00:11:24,990 --> 00:11:30,630 You have to go and talk to people. You have to talk to them about sharing information and decision. 119 00:11:30,630 --> 00:11:39,030 And it's interesting in terms of when you start to think about communication and you get to some high level. 120 00:11:39,030 --> 00:11:46,100 For instance, when you're doing it on TV or media, you really have to then even sharpen your tools again. 121 00:11:46,100 --> 00:11:51,540 So what you're doing is pushing up the level of where your comfort zone is and then going, 122 00:11:51,540 --> 00:11:57,480 oh, now the next 30 seconds really matter in terms of what I say. 123 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:04,710 So I've got to make a very clear, articulate point. Otherwise, people are going to go away and go, what the hell did you say? 124 00:12:04,710 --> 00:12:09,360 And what matters, Rizza, is everything. Are you being yourself? Are you comfortable? 125 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:15,360 Are you prepared to go out there and say, I have something important to say now? 126 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:21,690 Often what happens to us in life is there's a fear factor that comes in. 127 00:12:21,690 --> 00:12:26,940 I think it was Steve features called called the in a chimp and they only showed which sits there. 128 00:12:26,940 --> 00:12:36,830 And there are many, many people who put this. Is that that inner voice that comes up to you and says, oh, I wouldn't do that right now. 129 00:12:36,830 --> 00:12:43,430 And I wouldn't say that. And I think that's a really important aspect in your confidence. 130 00:12:43,430 --> 00:12:47,840 And at that point, that is the point. 131 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,550 When you actually should be saying, I'm at the right point, I want to be, 132 00:12:51,550 --> 00:12:56,020 you know, because actually I'm feeling a bit anxious and feeling a bit tense. 133 00:12:56,020 --> 00:13:03,400 I'm about to say something that is important. But if I get it wrong, people will judge me. 134 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:10,760 Now, that's what holds most people back, is that little bit of fear factor that says you're not going to be perfect. 135 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:14,750 It is not going to come out as though you want it to 100 percent. 136 00:13:14,750 --> 00:13:17,020 You can't do that like. 137 00:13:17,020 --> 00:13:26,580 But what I also think then when we're children and we young and we go into these uncertain positions, we embrace them with a sense of joy and energy. 138 00:13:26,580 --> 00:13:31,800 And then as we go through life, we seem to get pulled back so that we go. 139 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:38,780 I wouldn't go into that situation. You know what? You might lose your credibility if you now say something a bit odd. 140 00:13:38,780 --> 00:13:42,530 And I think that's an incredibly important aspect. 141 00:13:42,530 --> 00:13:50,720 The fear factor, the bit on his shoulder, is embracing that vs. actually listening to it and then saying, I won't go there. 142 00:13:50,720 --> 00:14:00,410 And I think that would be a key attribute to people who are good leaders, is they understand that that the conscious that's holding them back. 143 00:14:00,410 --> 00:14:05,630 They know how to embrace it and go, yeah, I'm right where I want to be. 144 00:14:05,630 --> 00:14:11,900 And I often have that that feeling I cannot have it sometimes before a teaching session or a big talker can go, 145 00:14:11,900 --> 00:14:18,760 you know, be a lot easier to be in the audience right now. There are a thousand people here listening to every word I'm about to say. 146 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:22,290 I quite like to be in the back. I want to do it that way. Go right now. 147 00:14:22,290 --> 00:14:26,920 You're right where you want to be right now. Let's just relax. Can be south. 148 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:32,110 Let's go and be clear, concise. But be yourself at that moment in time. 149 00:14:32,110 --> 00:14:38,450 Don't try and be somebody else. Do you think the audience wants to listen to. 150 00:14:38,450 --> 00:14:49,430 Very good advice. Paul, you mentioned a couple of times in in what you've told us already about the value of communication, about working in teams. 151 00:14:49,430 --> 00:14:54,780 How do you think your teams see you as a leader? Depends. 152 00:14:54,780 --> 00:15:03,860 I think it's interesting, though, as a you know, that's a piece of GDP that is is that was taught to me when I was doing my general practise, 153 00:15:03,860 --> 00:15:07,970 which I always resonate with about when you see the play. 154 00:15:07,970 --> 00:15:13,580 One of the most important things is how did the person make you feel? 155 00:15:13,580 --> 00:15:16,430 So I think seeing people is different to feeling, 156 00:15:16,430 --> 00:15:21,890 and they said one of the interesting issue is when you see patients go and make me feel a bit anxious, 157 00:15:21,890 --> 00:15:30,240 that person generally the consultation was to say, actually, there are probably many lots of people feel like the. 158 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:36,960 And therefore, in that sense, you can get a viewpoint on the person and understand what is going on in their row. 159 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:41,970 So generally what I'm doing is I think people can see me differently at different times. 160 00:15:41,970 --> 00:15:45,510 Sometimes they can see me as assertive. Sometimes they can see me. 161 00:15:45,510 --> 00:15:51,360 If it's easygoing, sometimes they'll be pressing the button all over it sometimes and standing back. 162 00:15:51,360 --> 00:16:00,390 But what I want them to do is what do they feel like? And I want them to be able to feel like this is a guy who supports me. 163 00:16:00,390 --> 00:16:04,590 Sometimes he'll he'll let me have a free rein. So it's like this. 164 00:16:04,590 --> 00:16:08,120 Not contacting me. What's going on? I feel like nobody's got. 165 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:14,570 You got no clue. And other times, it's like getting a phone call out of the blue and asking you about certain things. 166 00:16:14,570 --> 00:16:21,960 And in the most important thing within the team is that people feel empowered to get on with their job. 167 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:31,170 And once people feel empowered, my position is really start to enjoy themselves and not start to take on their own leadership roles. 168 00:16:31,170 --> 00:16:37,680 It's interesting, though, people within the team would find me differently because they'll see me differently. 169 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:42,540 Some will find me a bit warmer than others. Some might find me a bit harsher than not. 170 00:16:42,540 --> 00:16:47,310 And I can see that. And what I'm trying to do is use my own emotional intelligence to Ghana. 171 00:16:47,310 --> 00:16:51,960 Where are we at any moment in time? What I don't think my job is to say. 172 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:56,370 Everybody has to think I'm a he's just a nice, easygoing guy. 173 00:16:56,370 --> 00:17:02,320 You can come in and you'll get the way you want to be all the time. But I think it's that reflection emotionally. 174 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:08,490 What I don't see is when we do these sort of clear 360-degree things, 175 00:17:08,490 --> 00:17:15,120 which are very paper driven and people seem to answer them in a sort of way that they average it, it's fine. 176 00:17:15,120 --> 00:17:19,170 I'm often talking to people to garner and feel in that situation. 177 00:17:19,170 --> 00:17:25,350 What did that go like? So everybody's. And that's really interesting because everybody's different in the team. 178 00:17:25,350 --> 00:17:28,980 That conversation I've just had with my manager. I can tell. I can sense. 179 00:17:28,980 --> 00:17:36,400 I felt stressed about it and I can feel the stress. But it's okay because I've known pushing the boundaries over here. 180 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:41,820 I'm having a difficult conversation with somebody because actually I'm putting the work back on them and saying, 181 00:17:41,820 --> 00:17:47,040 you need to come up with a plan, not me. It's not my job. Otherwise, why am I not doing your job? 182 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:48,240 And that's that's slightly difficult. 183 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:55,500 And then sometimes it's just very fun and supportive because I'm like with this person, I'm like they're amazing at the job. 184 00:17:55,500 --> 00:18:03,040 They just need to keep being supported. And an across that range is about how do you feel all these times? 185 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:08,120 But what I do do a lot of is with some of the people at some of the key times, 186 00:18:08,120 --> 00:18:15,520 I'm touching base a lot just to connect in and go if we've got this term project that's on the priority list. 187 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:20,050 I'm touching base to say. Right. Let's get communication going. 188 00:18:20,050 --> 00:18:24,550 What we need to do is be speaking every month, maybe every two weeks is a smaller group. 189 00:18:24,550 --> 00:18:32,440 And what we're doing is we're not using the meetings. In effect, we're using them to keep the comms going. 190 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,080 Whereas what I've seen teams that are dysfunctional, 191 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:41,830 they don't speak and then they come to a meeting and they're making decisions without everybody having discussed them. 192 00:18:41,830 --> 00:18:47,950 So I think I wouldn't worry so much about how people see you, but more so. 193 00:18:47,950 --> 00:18:52,640 How does it make them feel and you feel in them interactions? 194 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:58,790 And I the best thing for me is when I just think, oh, that person feels supported and they're getting on with their job. 195 00:18:58,790 --> 00:19:03,420 I might not know what they're doing, but I know they feel supported and they're happy. 196 00:19:03,420 --> 00:19:07,390 And and if something goes wrong, my job is to go, you know what? 197 00:19:07,390 --> 00:19:12,680 I'm taking the responsibility in effect. That's OK if we make some mistakes. 198 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:14,810 That's what we want to do. 199 00:19:14,810 --> 00:19:23,240 And it's interesting how this world right now makes it very difficult for people to make mistakes in a way that it was easy to be on because 200 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:32,720 you're going to get called out in so many ways through social media and the wider accountability and a very administrative environment, 201 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:39,710 I suspect, where there is a bit of a culture that doesn't want people to make mistakes at the moment. 202 00:19:39,710 --> 00:19:45,800 Now, I'm not talking about I'm talking about mistakes where you try and do some fun and it might lose some money. 203 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,600 It put a teaching scenario module out there and you run it and it loses money. 204 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,050 And I go, that's OK. What was the evaluation like? 205 00:19:54,050 --> 00:19:58,010 The evaluation was great. All right. Now, let's fix fix the audience. 206 00:19:58,010 --> 00:20:02,840 How do we fix that? We've got one bit. Let's do two bits. Let's keep fixing it. 207 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:08,190 If you go across an administrator of finance, they'll go, well, we can't run anything that loses money. 208 00:20:08,190 --> 00:20:15,020 And I know can. We can because we've got to innovate. So you'll find many things that push up against you. 209 00:20:15,020 --> 00:20:25,340 But I think that emotional intelligence is is a fundamental principle of what we do in terms of going forward. 210 00:20:25,340 --> 00:20:30,380 How does it make you feel? Yeah, no, that's that's clearly coming through what you're saying. 211 00:20:30,380 --> 00:20:33,980 And part of emotional challenge will be self awareness. I'm interested. 212 00:20:33,980 --> 00:20:41,570 So you as a leader and evidence based healthcare. There must have been times when you felt really challenged and, you know, got that self-awareness. 213 00:20:41,570 --> 00:20:47,120 So can you give us an insight. Some of those times and why you felt challenged? 214 00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:51,770 Yeah, I suspect I actually quite like going into the challenging environment. 215 00:20:51,770 --> 00:20:56,450 You know, when we first started the centre, it was too fat and insane as I came in direct. 216 00:20:56,450 --> 00:21:01,310 And so the first challenge was we had no business plan, no funding. 217 00:21:01,310 --> 00:21:12,400 And actually, it was just me and the centre manager, Rufe Davis, at the time and just started in place of somebody's been imposed for 20 years. 218 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:20,150 And in effect, that was a point where I went, wow. And we've got to deliver all this teaching and we've got a master's programme that's failing. 219 00:21:20,150 --> 00:21:26,240 And in there, there's loads of processes of I've got to achieve all of these aims. 220 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:33,560 And how do you go about that when you feeling really anxious and actually you don't quite have all the skills to achieve it. 221 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:39,380 So that's the first thing you have to accept. You haven't got all the bits of the jigsaw and that's the second. 222 00:21:39,380 --> 00:21:42,800 But if you look at the planets the second bit, then it's not too easy to go. 223 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:48,850 Actually, who's around me? You can help. Actually, there's this bright guy called Watani around. 224 00:21:48,850 --> 00:21:56,280 He is actually in a GP HCF at the moment. Maybe I go and talk to him and say, look, I've got bits of the architecture, I need some help. 225 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:03,570 And all the time going out, going, oh, let's get a bit of a network of people, because actually we have loads to go go here. 226 00:22:03,570 --> 00:22:10,230 And actually, I'm not gonna be able to do all of this. There are bits of the job that people are far better at me than I am. 227 00:22:10,230 --> 00:22:18,070 So that's the first part. But what happens is within these situations is you start to feel uncomfortable. 228 00:22:18,070 --> 00:22:25,550 And one of the key things is it can start to pervade lots of your bits of your life, that you start your heart rate goes up. 229 00:22:25,550 --> 00:22:28,700 You feel a bit stressed. You're not sleeping quite as well. 230 00:22:28,700 --> 00:22:34,040 And in that, you suddenly start to realise the most important thing is you got to look after yourself. 231 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:39,030 Number one. And this seems to Wendy, so people listen, it's selfish. 232 00:22:39,030 --> 00:22:46,110 Well, I go look, that if you're not healthy and fair. How can you then look after all the people and take forward a plan? 233 00:22:46,110 --> 00:22:52,470 And that was one of the key findings for me, was actually at that point was to say, right, you've got to start looking after yourself. 234 00:22:52,470 --> 00:22:58,620 So I start taking up cycling at that point and doing quite long cycling rides like two, three hours. 235 00:22:58,620 --> 00:23:00,990 And in effect, what was doing in that point was free. 236 00:23:00,990 --> 00:23:09,630 My mind tiring myself out physically, which is get me energetic and healthy for allowing my mind to relax in. 237 00:23:09,630 --> 00:23:18,540 To then think of a strategy, not Russian. Now within the eye, then it's part going forward. 238 00:23:18,540 --> 00:23:24,480 I do this in my teaching sessions. I talk about the strategy of the tortoise and the hare. 239 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:29,030 Which everybody knows the story of the tortoise and the hare, because it goes right back to primary school. 240 00:23:29,030 --> 00:23:35,010 When we teach it and you think, why was people teaching you things like times, tables? 241 00:23:35,010 --> 00:23:43,380 All of these English rules? And they were talking to you about the tortoise and the hare, because actually it's a really important story for life. 242 00:23:43,380 --> 00:23:48,120 Because what you're doing there is saying, actually, if you're going to be successful, 243 00:23:48,120 --> 00:23:54,180 you're talking about a plan that is a tall toys that just keeps moving forward, forward, forward. 244 00:23:54,180 --> 00:24:01,290 And that's really interesting as opposed to what I see a lot of unsuccessful people in their heads doing something they tear around. 245 00:24:01,290 --> 00:24:05,190 What are you up to now? I'm interested in this six months later. How's it going? 246 00:24:05,190 --> 00:24:09,640 Oh, it didn't go quite well. I'm now on to something new and I'm going Molly. 247 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:16,860 If it wouldn't have worked in six months, how can you solve something that problematic in such a short period of time? 248 00:24:16,860 --> 00:24:25,650 Whereas the total toys, what you do is you say, look, here's a problem and actually it's gonna take me three to five years to start making inroads. 249 00:24:25,650 --> 00:24:30,450 And if you think of it that way. But what you can't do is wait two, three years and start a project. 250 00:24:30,450 --> 00:24:35,450 That means you've got to be really urgent. On day one to kick start what's happening. 251 00:24:35,450 --> 00:24:41,120 So all the time now, I'm thinking now 12, 18 months, two years ahead, even five years ahead. 252 00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:45,000 We set in off trains, the Fords. Closing some things down. 253 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:50,220 We're opening some things up. We've been urging about there's a real need to get the meetings in now. 254 00:24:50,220 --> 00:24:56,160 But actually, it's a total waste programme that actually it's going to be three years before it's successful. 255 00:24:56,160 --> 00:25:03,370 And I think that's the bit is recognising the impact it has in in itself. 256 00:25:03,370 --> 00:25:10,990 Going forward, there is a bit. Where I find what I find the most difficult thing. 257 00:25:10,990 --> 00:25:18,650 And I think this is for us to think about our role is when you're feeling you're being micromanaged. 258 00:25:18,650 --> 00:25:28,360 And that makes me feel wholly uncomfortable. And that's where somebody is giving you all of the responsibility. 259 00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:37,030 But not all of the control. And that puts everybody in an uncomfortable position, because if you haven't got all of the control. 260 00:25:37,030 --> 00:25:39,130 We've got all the responsibility. 261 00:25:39,130 --> 00:25:47,050 Somebody at some point will bear down on you and start saying to you, you get in that room, you should be doing it this way. 262 00:25:47,050 --> 00:25:52,990 You should be thinking about it. This will come in and start to blame you in certain situations. 263 00:25:52,990 --> 00:26:00,760 Whereas so we work really hard and I work really hard to say you've got the responsibility and you've got the control. 264 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:08,710 You make the decisions. And I think that's an important aspect where that's the thing that makes me most uncomfortable at the moment. 265 00:26:08,710 --> 00:26:16,570 And so if somebody wants to give me all of the responsibility now but doesn't want to give me the control, I'm not gonna sign up to the deal. 266 00:26:16,570 --> 00:26:21,670 I'm going to walk away until we get to a point where I go, no, if I'm the director, 267 00:26:21,670 --> 00:26:25,960 I have control of all of these elements because I have all the responsibility. 268 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:29,500 And I think that's an important aspect. So give it an example. 269 00:26:29,500 --> 00:26:32,820 They might say you're the director. You have all the responsibility. 270 00:26:32,820 --> 00:26:37,900 But I'm in charge of the purse strings because, well, if I want to appoint somebody, you're going to say no. 271 00:26:37,900 --> 00:26:45,920 Well, then I've not got control of the situation. And that's an important aspect of understanding, responsibility and control. 272 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:52,370 And watch out. You need both of them if you want to take forward leadership and initiatives. 273 00:26:52,370 --> 00:26:57,020 So we've talked about teamwork. We've talked about healthy selfishness. 274 00:26:57,020 --> 00:27:05,150 You mentioned the importance of that. And we've also talked about, you know, being able to stand up for your own vision and your beliefs. 275 00:27:05,150 --> 00:27:08,570 I'm fascinated to know more about who's. 276 00:27:08,570 --> 00:27:16,580 Has anyone influenced you, your leadership style that you look to to sort of lend themselves to some of the traits that you've described already? 277 00:27:16,580 --> 00:27:21,420 Yeah, well, I'm gonna. Well, you know, everybody I'll put my dad in there in the first aspect. 278 00:27:21,420 --> 00:27:27,710 An inside look, incredibly influential. He was a guy who read a lot. 279 00:27:27,710 --> 00:27:29,480 And I think you have to be well read. 280 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:37,620 So even, you know, in them days, you would read a paper from front to back and for an hour every day and then have some discussion or debate. 281 00:27:37,620 --> 00:27:47,360 So I think that's important. Second, it was incredibly relaxed about understanding that you don't go in when you're feeling anxious, 282 00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:53,440 the way you express it, step back and you go wait to that anxiety pass before we jump. 283 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:59,450 And that's an important aspect because often in the same position, we can be rash and do things we regret. 284 00:27:59,450 --> 00:28:03,020 So that that's one. I don't mean a word with a lot of people. 285 00:28:03,020 --> 00:28:12,260 But then let's come to the health care scenario where we were. There's been a quite a few people that I work with, quite frail. 286 00:28:12,260 --> 00:28:20,100 All of the healthcare scenario where they've been thoughtful, interesting and helped me think about the strategy. 287 00:28:20,100 --> 00:28:25,370 Each one of them. You can see I've looked at bits out of them. 288 00:28:25,370 --> 00:28:30,910 So, you know, I had a great, great pleasure to work with dates. 289 00:28:30,910 --> 00:28:37,110 If you are met as a medical student, passionate. 290 00:28:37,110 --> 00:28:46,330 Forceful, assertive, knew what he wanted to achieve, but also was a great mentor to students and people who'd come along. 291 00:28:46,330 --> 00:28:57,230 He would always say so if somebody comes in the room with an idea where they are coming in, interested and engaged, and your job is to shake the idea. 292 00:28:57,230 --> 00:29:03,150 What if they come out of that room with their idea crushed? You've failed. And you go, Yeah. 293 00:29:03,150 --> 00:29:07,890 And I see people I went to see such a body on my idea. And he just said it was a waste of time. 294 00:29:07,890 --> 00:29:12,870 And I can never do that. Let him go out there and we might change it. You might say I wouldn't do it that way. 295 00:29:12,870 --> 00:29:16,140 But think about this. Think about that. Let him go out. 296 00:29:16,140 --> 00:29:24,870 So loads of caveats about little bits of how to go about your daily job, whether it was in have a writing day. 297 00:29:24,870 --> 00:29:28,650 Make sure you communicate important your ideas out every week. 298 00:29:28,650 --> 00:29:32,550 That was another thought process. So there's that. 299 00:29:32,550 --> 00:29:36,540 And then loads of really impressive people throughout my time in Oxford, 300 00:29:36,540 --> 00:29:43,530 whether it's people like Polglase, you know, Goldman, all of them people incredibly useful to work with. 301 00:29:43,530 --> 00:29:49,350 But I'm going to say, actually, of all the people I've worked with is there are two bits. 302 00:29:49,350 --> 00:29:56,700 I love working with students. And that's been incredibly interesting because in any project, if you work with a student, 303 00:29:56,700 --> 00:30:02,370 they're always going to say at least one thing where you go, oh, my God, there's a lightbulb just going off. 304 00:30:02,370 --> 00:30:11,200 What an amazing thing to think about. And they just often don't know, and that's our job, these as academics and professor level. 305 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:15,290 Wow, what a great idea. Well, I never would have thought that. 306 00:30:15,290 --> 00:30:19,220 How do we now make this operation alive? So that's up to that's been important. 307 00:30:19,220 --> 00:30:27,530 The second aspect, which I also think is an important aspect of teens and I'll put this back on QVC is is what are the things 308 00:30:27,530 --> 00:30:35,590 that really makes me sort of feel we're in the right direction is that people linger and hang about in the T. 309 00:30:35,590 --> 00:30:41,020 They don't come and go, so I always look at teams when they're like when they turn the staff over every two or three years. 310 00:30:41,020 --> 00:30:46,300 I'm like, Jeez, man, the coffee must be pretty bad about it. But in there, there restroom in some way. 311 00:30:46,300 --> 00:30:51,640 But I should let people know our centre manager a decade now, same time. 312 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:55,450 And I've just got off the phone with our discuss and I'm like, okay. Having a chat. 313 00:30:55,450 --> 00:30:59,280 She's ringing me asking is there anything I need to do today? 314 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:05,860 And I didn't ask to ask it yourself. It's been lingering around for fifteen years now. 315 00:31:05,860 --> 00:31:12,310 Never in the team. So and then all the group of people we work with outside, we're talking decades. 316 00:31:12,310 --> 00:31:17,110 John Brassie from Trip. Tom Jefferson. Fifteen years. 317 00:31:17,110 --> 00:31:22,480 So having that group of people where you've worked and I'm not saying group thing because they're all think differently. 318 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:28,180 And boy, some of these people difficult in the whole process of the time, you know, and that's what we want. 319 00:31:28,180 --> 00:31:36,850 But building that and having that rapport and that approach means when we bring in a new people, are we bringing in lots of student? 320 00:31:36,850 --> 00:31:42,730 Hundred and fifty students onboard. We have a team of people who reflect in thinking about the strategy. 321 00:31:42,730 --> 00:31:47,230 And I'm learning lots in that because I'm not one for doing it that way. 322 00:31:47,230 --> 00:31:50,410 That was administered great by that person. We've just got a new person. 323 00:31:50,410 --> 00:31:55,840 Join the team, administer, administered the teaching in in the undergraduate medicine. 324 00:31:55,840 --> 00:32:00,540 I'm like, wow, that person's gone. It's so much better than I got a job. I'm not sure I am. 325 00:32:00,540 --> 00:32:05,440 I've just learnt some something and I watch somebody do some teaching the other day are defo direct. 326 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:11,180 And that was really cool. I really like that. So all of them bits are happening all the time. 327 00:32:11,180 --> 00:32:15,880 And and what I'm saying is, is it there are two bits, something happening. 328 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:21,810 One is you're watching people who are your mentors or people you work for or anything like that. 329 00:32:21,810 --> 00:32:27,610 But I don't like that deal. And we talk about that in teaching, don't we? 330 00:32:27,610 --> 00:32:33,170 We say, look, good teachers collect material. And if it works. 331 00:32:33,170 --> 00:32:36,870 Use it. And that's what we do. I like that teaching. I'm going to steal. 332 00:32:36,870 --> 00:32:42,650 Let me use it. So there's a certain I there were a group of people who give you little bits of X, 333 00:32:42,650 --> 00:32:51,410 but you as a person have to create an environment where you have relationships with people who were good, bloody good at what you do. 334 00:32:51,410 --> 00:32:56,840 And I often think of it in terms of Steve Jobs's book because he talks about A team and B team players. 335 00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:00,530 And that's a bit dichotomous because I think everybody's on a journey. 336 00:33:00,530 --> 00:33:05,090 But generally, if you're going to be working with people who are really good at what they do, 337 00:33:05,090 --> 00:33:12,550 then you should hang onto them and hang onto their coattails, because what they're saying is you're a good person to work with, too. 338 00:33:12,550 --> 00:33:19,160 And that that 18 dynamic is what creates productivity and effective outcomes. 339 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:23,270 And therefore, what you're looking all the time is for that fact where you go. 340 00:33:23,270 --> 00:33:31,100 Actually, if I work with this person, look at what happens. And sometimes it can become dynamic in a way that you never foresaw. 341 00:33:31,100 --> 00:33:38,570 So, for instance, in this outbreak in the Kovil outbreak, Tom Jefferson, who I've known for a long time, we worked together. 342 00:33:38,570 --> 00:33:45,710 And you worked on the reviews when we did the Tamiflu reviews and that talk from 2009 to 2014, 343 00:33:45,710 --> 00:33:50,580 five years to do publish a couple of systematic review papers. 344 00:33:50,580 --> 00:33:53,060 But boy, were they influential in what they did. 345 00:33:53,060 --> 00:33:59,690 Because two and a half years to get the data and then we had a transition where we didn't work together for quite some time but stayed in touch. 346 00:33:59,690 --> 00:34:09,500 Little bits of doing that. And then within this current outbreak of the cove, it we've talked I have talked to him daily about the issues. 347 00:34:09,500 --> 00:34:15,410 And in that we start to have a productivity of here's what we're thinking, let's disseminate our thinking. 348 00:34:15,410 --> 00:34:19,220 We're uncertain about this intervention. Let's write to open communicating. 349 00:34:19,220 --> 00:34:23,450 So it brings that dynamism together, which you can't do if he suddenly said, 350 00:34:23,450 --> 00:34:30,410 I'm going to work with somebody because this summit really important and let's start working together now. 351 00:34:30,410 --> 00:34:38,270 Having them relationships pre-existing, you've been building means when something really important comes along, 352 00:34:38,270 --> 00:34:43,580 you've got an opportunity to respond in a high quality a.T.M way. 353 00:34:43,580 --> 00:34:47,720 And I think that's important. And and in that, you'll learn a lot. 354 00:34:47,720 --> 00:34:53,040 If that person is you listening or not? I don't know. I would've looked at it differently. 355 00:34:53,040 --> 00:35:00,300 Now, I think this is interesting again. Because there's often a bit inside you. 356 00:35:00,300 --> 00:35:05,770 And people will recognise this where we go. I want all the glory. 357 00:35:05,770 --> 00:35:11,810 It should be all me now. And that's something that jumps out of all of us. 358 00:35:11,810 --> 00:35:13,850 It's the inner self if it weighs. 359 00:35:13,850 --> 00:35:20,420 And so with the bad behaviour that goes, you know, whereas when that happens to me as I cheque it and go out on a minute, 360 00:35:20,420 --> 00:35:31,340 my product will come down a notch in my seeking my my own self, actually promoting what I want to achieve for myself. 361 00:35:31,340 --> 00:35:38,080 The product will get worse. Therefore, what I'm always thinking about is the output. 362 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:43,730 The end game. What is it we're hoping to achieve? What will be the best output? 363 00:35:43,730 --> 00:35:49,840 It's the best output is just me. Then I wouldn't join forces with somebody in the first place. 364 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:56,870 And so I'm always thinking of what are we trying to achieve here is a really high quality product and to do that. 365 00:35:56,870 --> 00:36:00,920 I often find I can't do that on myself, on my own. 366 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:08,840 Probably do it for a nice little talk, for a minute talk. But if I'm trying to write something really important or articulate or put an idea, 367 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:16,040 so I'm thinking I need somebody else with me because it would be a better idea and not that be the important output. 368 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:20,070 And then it'll come back towards and say, oh, by the way, it was wrote by you. 369 00:36:20,070 --> 00:36:22,270 So I'm just going to pick you up on that call. That's very interesting. 370 00:36:22,270 --> 00:36:29,290 So would you say then I'm just thinking about future in a Abian APHC healthcare leaders. 371 00:36:29,290 --> 00:36:33,710 I think what I'm what I'm hearing from you is the value of peer to peer support. 372 00:36:33,710 --> 00:36:39,430 You know, you mentioned some of the people you've worked with. Are you saying that no matter what position you are in your career. 373 00:36:39,430 --> 00:36:46,330 Professor Ravier, you still value that sort of peer to peer support and the opportunity to bounce ideas off people? 374 00:36:46,330 --> 00:36:49,050 I'm saying it's actually more important than what we thought, 375 00:36:49,050 --> 00:36:56,190 that more important than the little bit the bits we see from other people outside awards or the little bits where we go like that. 376 00:36:56,190 --> 00:37:01,330 Right? A lot. The way somebody do that. I'll take that. We'll try and use that word. 377 00:37:01,330 --> 00:37:05,140 But I'll give you the best example I can of this peer to peer support. 378 00:37:05,140 --> 00:37:09,160 One of my good friends and colleagues is Professor Rafael Pereira. 379 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:19,780 He's professor of statistics in Department of Primary. I think we are coming up to a round about I think we're in the 90s of joint apitz because. 380 00:37:19,780 --> 00:37:21,320 And that goes back now, 381 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:31,000 I think about 17 years in a production line where he was a junior statistician when I was starting as an academic clinical fellow. 382 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:35,950 And I just thought, wow, this guy knows so much more about stats than I know. 383 00:37:35,950 --> 00:37:41,620 I need to hang around with this guy and learn a lot of things about statistics. 384 00:37:41,620 --> 00:37:46,420 And in doing that, I used to go in and go. I'm not quite sure about this. We'd have a conversation break. 385 00:37:46,420 --> 00:37:49,850 I go, let's go down the pub and continue this conversation. 386 00:37:49,850 --> 00:37:57,040 And no, I wouldn't I wouldn't say sometimes come to the pub with us because if you don't like IBM, you don't like epidemiologists. 387 00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,910 You've got to be very bored because we will sit in the pub for three or four hours, 388 00:38:00,910 --> 00:38:06,130 having few drinks, talking about ideas or trying to understand the issues. 389 00:38:06,130 --> 00:38:13,270 And I was only doing that a week ago, said 17 years in, still doing the same where I'm going. 390 00:38:13,270 --> 00:38:19,190 What about this issue of Eakins? What about this? I'm struggling with this in funding of for. 391 00:38:19,190 --> 00:38:27,280 I'm thinking about this summer. What do you think? And all of that info is it's been fantastic for 17 years. 392 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:32,080 I'm hoping he would say I've gone on to be head of one of a really large staff department. 393 00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:33,840 It would have been similar, 394 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:42,490 but I think that is more important than trying to say somehow there's somebody out there is going to get me to that leadership. 395 00:38:42,490 --> 00:38:46,690 And I think it's having people with skill sets as well. 396 00:38:46,690 --> 00:38:49,710 When you think they're important and you want to know more about it. 397 00:38:49,710 --> 00:38:56,920 So it's incredibly important to me in epidemiology and EPM that I understand the quantitative aspects of what we do. 398 00:38:56,920 --> 00:39:01,570 And and in doing that, I'm working with a couple of guides now in a similar coming along. 399 00:39:01,570 --> 00:39:06,730 And I'm like, wow, this is great. These guys are even bringing a new level of thinking, to my knowledge. 400 00:39:06,730 --> 00:39:10,880 And we've been working together a couple years and I'm still working in fifteen years. 401 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:23,270 It'll be around an impressive effect. And I think that stability in what you do is incredibly important to your success as a leader. 402 00:39:23,270 --> 00:39:28,400 Thank you for listening to part one of our exploring the fundamentals of leadership with Professor Carl Hennigan. 403 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:35,122 You'll be able to find part two on the evidence based healthcare podcast series.