Transitioning Into a Leadership Role: Section or Department

Congratulations—you’ve landed the leadership role you’ve been working toward. After months (or years) of strategic effort, your appointment is finalized and the path forward begins. Whether you're stepping into a new position or pioneering an inaugural role, this change is as much about vision and preparation as it is about execution. Here are some key considerations to help ease the transition and set yourself up for success.

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Before You Start 

Clarify Your Vision
Now that the offer is official and the interview process behind you, take time to reflect. What will success look like in your new role? How will you leave your mark?

If this is a newly created position, you have a rare opportunity to shape its identity. Reflect on the institutional vision shared during your interviews and assess how it aligns with your own leadership philosophy. If you’re stepping into an established role, consider how you can build upon existing strengths, address known challenges, and elevate the division or department under your stewardship.

Consider the Needs of Those Around You
By the time you’ve reached this career milestone, chances are you’re not making the transition alone. Whether it’s your partner, children, extended family, or even pets—recognize that their well-being is part of your success. Have you identified schooling or care options if you’re relocating? Are there professional opportunities for your partner or spouse in the new area? Are there systems in place to maintain meaningful relationships and routines with friends and family? Thoughtful planning here can prevent turbulence down the line.

Exit Your Current Role with Grace
Ideally, you’re leaving a community that celebrates your success. Ensure that your departure reflects the professionalism that got you here. Meet with your current supervisor to create a transition plan: document project statuses, identify successors, and offer to assist in onboarding or recruitment if appropriate. Leaving on good terms safeguards future collaborations and preserves your professional reputation.

Stay Ahead of Credentialing and Onboarding
New leadership roles often require a complex web of credentialing, licensing, and administrative onboarding—particularly if you’re crossing state lines or are affiliating with a new health system. Begin the paperwork early. Maintain an updated file of submitted documents for future reference. Delays here can prevent you from hitting the ground running.

Once You’ve Begun

Be Proactive in Making Connections
The early phase of your tenure offers a unique window to engage broadly across the organization. Leverage your “newcomer” status to introduce yourself to colleagues, build alliances, and understand institutional culture. Create a list of key individuals to meet with, both within and outside your immediate area. These conversations often yield valuable insights—and often, new collaborators or mentorship opportunities.

Identify Mentors and Support Systems Early
Schedule regular (biweekly or monthly) check-ins with your supervisor during the first 3–6 months. Their institutional knowledge can help steer you away from redundant efforts or political pitfalls. Beyond formal mentorship, cultivate informal networks of trusted colleagues who can support and challenge you as you grow into the role. If you lead a team, prioritize frequent meetings early on to establish rapport, build trust, and articulate your shared goals.

Remain Open to Evolution
You may enter your new position with a well-crafted vision, but leadership requires adaptability. As you learn more about the local landscape—team dynamics, institutional priorities, resource constraints—your initial plans may need to shift. Flexibility is not a compromise of leadership but an expression of maturity. If your evolving goals exceed your role’s current scope, consider a strategic conversation with your supervisor to realign expectations and priorities.

Create Space to Decompress
The first few months will be demanding, and resilience is key. Make space for rest and restoration. If you’re relocating, explore your new environment: find local activities that bring you joy, personalize your workspace, and carve out routines that ground you. If you’re staying in place but stepping into a more demanding role, adjust your calendar to protect time for activities that replenish you. Your effectiveness as a leader is deeply tied to your well-being.

Think Long-Term—From Day One
Even as you acclimate to your new role, consider what you hope to achieve over the span of your tenure. Are you building a program, restructuring a service line, fostering research growth, or developing future leaders? Identify the skills you’d like to develop and the types of experiences that will demonstrate your readiness for the next opportunity—be that a division chiefship, department chair, or national leadership. If your position includes a term limit, work backward from that endpoint. If not, establish your own benchmarks: where do you want to be in 1, 3, 5, or even 10 years?

Enjoy the Journey

Leadership, especially in academic surgery, can be all-consuming. Take time to celebrate milestones—large and small. Recognize the people who have supported you, the mentors who advocated for you, and the teams that will help you succeed. There will be challenges, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty. But the growth, impact, and legacy you build will be worth the effort.

You’ve earned this. Now go lead boldly.