problem and examine it from
a variety of perspectives.
To illustrate the utility of
unconventional thinking in
problem solving, he asked
attendees to solve the nine dots
puzzle, a popular brain-teaser
that involves individuals linking
all nine dots, three rows across
and three rows down, without
lifting the pen and without
tracing the same line more than
once. A variety of solutions exist,
typically ones that require the
problem solver to “think outside
the box”—a phrase that was
first popularized by the puzzle,
according to Dr. Klayman.
He cautioned leaders to avoid
giving instructions or asking
questions that contain “hidden
boundaries,” and he cited the
history of the cold storage door as
an example of a hidden boundary
gone awry. A businessman was
looking for a cold storage door
that he would not have to open
since his hands were carrying
trays of heavy meat, according to
Dr. Klayman. Industrial designers
were initially flummoxed, but
eventually solved the problem
by moving away from the
concept of a standard door,
which was part of the wording
in the original request, and using
heavy plastic strips to allow
ease of access while keeping the
cold air trapped in the freezer.
“It’s a mistake to spend
too much time on being
the decider and not enough
time being the strategic
thinker,” Dr. Klayman said.
Authentic leadership
After a brief introduction by
Daniel D. Klaristenfeld, MD,
FACS, FASCRS, a member of
the Governing Council of the
ACS Young Fellows Association,
Susan Moffatt-Bruce, BSc, MD,
PhD, MBOE, FACS, FRCSC,
led a session on the leadership
skills necessary to transition
from “volume-driven to
value-driven” patient care.
“Leadership is not a static
endeavor—leadership demands
fluidity, which requires the
willingness to recognize the
need for change and the ability
to lead change,” said Dr. Moffatt-Bruce, chief quality and patient
safety officer; associate dean of
clinical affairs, quality, and patient
safety; and associate professor of
surgery and associate professor,
biomedical informatics, Ohio
State University, Columbus.
She outlined effective
leadership traits, such as
possessing a compelling vision,
fostering a sense of accountability,
and developing effective
communication skills. Dr. Moffatt-
Bruce also suggested that
attendees broaden their view of
what it means to be a capable
leader, urging surgeon leaders
to engage in what she called
authentic leadership. “Authentic
leaders know who they are and
what they believe in; they act
on values openly and candidly,
and their followers consider
them to be ethical people and
have faith [in their abilities],”
said Dr. Moffatt-Bruce, who
described this style of leadership
as “innate to all of us.”
Authentic leadership “emerges
from your life story,” she said,
via one or more transformative
experiences or “crucibles,” such
as illness, having a family, death
of a loved one, and career-related
experiences that inspire a surgeon
to become a leader. Dr. Moffatt-
Bruce added that “discovering
your authentic leadership requires
a commitment to developing
self-awareness,” which she
called “the first component of
emotional intelligence. She
noted that “the most effective
leaders are alike in one crucial
way—they all have a high degree
of emotional intelligence.”
Social media and
reputation management
Surgeons who neglect social
media in their practices are
out of touch with patients’
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Drs. Klaristenfeld (left) and Moffatt-Bruce Summit attendees