8 mins read | Leadership

Can Physios be Outstanding Leaders, Or Are We Still Stuck in the Hierarchy Game?

Written by Dr. Juwariyah Dalvi
Visual Media by Chinmayee Patil

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Have you realized that your evolution as a Physiotherapist & a Human is a synecdoche for the revolution of the PT community?

When was the last time you pondered on this- Reflection of the leaders creates the impact a particular field has on humanity. These leaders automatically become undeclared representatives of the entire community.

Re-read through those previous pearls again!

Now, when we know that the profession hasn’t proved its mettle to all the masses–yet, the leaders must be competent enough to uplift the profession.

Physiotherapy is a relatively recent profession (1851) and is still establishing its roots in uplifting healthcare. We have shown exponential growth right from awareness to results, but there is still much time left for our plateau of stability to arrive. Which increases the need to have dependable leaders in this field to propel it upwards.

What is the ground reality for the Physios?

For a fact, the ground reality is hazy. On the one hand, we have exceptional leaders holding top positions in prestigious institutes, entrepreneurs who have proved their mettle worldwide, young achievers who are stepping up with unmatched zeal. Still, we also have a crowd with low self-esteem associated with the entire profession despite holding positions of power. It would be unjust to classify physiotherapists as average leaders. Still, sadly, the ratio of good leaders to average or lousy leaders in physiotherapy would be on the lower side. It is not a profession-related trait or a point of generalization.
 If we dive deep into the system, we also know that not all position holders always do justice to their power.

The Etiology?

We can only deal with the problem if we know why it exists. Though there can be many reasons for the absence of good leadership, a few require prompt addressing.

The Me to We Ratio

We cannot trust a leader if they cannot create a balance between Me: We. This can only be done by leading from the forefront. The leader needs to put ‘We’ above ‘Me’ and imbibe the same in his team. On the ground, We above Me sounds like a great tagline, but it is only that — a mere tagline.
The disparity in these ratios makes the team members feel a lack of compassion from the leader. These agendas of We above Me then looks like a sham scheme to make the team members work hard while the leader enjoys the perks. Most physiotherapy setups today underpay their employees despite earning huge profits. This precise unequal distribution of wealth and hard work develops feelings of resentment in the teammates. It lays a foundation of distrust, making it impossible for the leaders to take the field ahead.

What made you a Physiotherapist?

If we ask the professionals today, we would realize that most of the physios are here by chance and not a choice. For many of us, becoming a physiotherapist was like an arranged marriage that eventually developed so much love and respect that we were happy we didn’t get hitched with our first love – MBBS. But for a very long time in our early teens, we hoped to get cut-off marks to get into mainstream medicine. Very few of us wanted to become physiotherapists from the start, and hence a lot of us begin comparing ourselves to other healthcare professionals, especially MBBS doctors. While many of us know and understand our worth – there is a massive population of physical therapists that considers their science to be of lower importance.

Some pearls we are sure you know well enough.
Every healthcare professional has a role to play, and their functions aren’t interchangeable. In times of emergency, a physical therapist would hardly be of any use to the patient. However, long after losing the will to live in patients with chronic conditions, it would be impossible for a doctor of medicine to make a difference.

What you don’t know, you know.

The issue arises when we don’t see ourselves with this vision. Remember when you made that bed-bound patient sit in a wheelchair and stroll in the garden? Can anything replace the look in his eyes when he saw something other than the ceiling above his bed?

How do we not evaluate ourselves by the impact we leave on people’s lives?

Have you noticed or been in the role of a senior physiotherapist underplaying the contributions in the patients’ lives and carrying low self-esteem while interacting with the medical team. When they address them not as their equal teammate but a superior in front of their junior physiotherapists, they imbibe the same values and hinder their independence and autonomy as healthcare professionals. This gap further increases when physiotherapists follow the treatment suggested by the doctors without adding/trusting the inputs of their expertise.

Is female dominance not letting us rule the field?

I’m sure this question has raised many brows. But let’s face it – have you not met women who are okay with being underpaid, under/unrecognized just because their fathers and spouses are earning well? Just because women have an “option” at financial stability, they are found to ignore the fact their worth is being compromised. Here, there is some role of patriarchy as well. For some women, stepping out of the house is a luxury. 

Working is a way of escaping from the house. Again, these women weigh the vice and virtue of staying home and working in unfavorable conditions and accept what they get outside just because they are getting to have a life beyond the house and the chores. With childbearing responsibilities and lack of support, sometimes women find it challenging to take up leadership roles despite their ability.

On the other hand, the conventional responsibility of running a house still falls on the shoulders of the man, and hence the male physios are seen to be finding ways to grow, learn and earn more than their female colleagues. However, their low number in the field doesn’t let their progress reflect that well in the bigger picture. 

In various studies, women have been shown to have low confidence. The hesitancy in females to take leadership roles and the stereotype of females not being good leaders is another major factor contributing to women’s absence in such positions. Despite changing scenarios in female liberation and eradicating patriarchy, everything is still a work in progress.
We can tackle this by motivating the women to step up and battle their fears and break the stereotypes.

Here is YouTube Video The PhysioZest recommends to watch

Multiple Hierarchies – One Solution- Be a Visionary!

Physiotherapists have great potential in being good leaders, but multiple hierarchies stand as hurdles in their way. Be it their internal seniority politics with the leaders exploiting or miscommunicating with their subordinates or the low self-esteem of physical therapists in the medical team, or the patriarchal angle.

Specific Solutions for starting your Leader Journey Today

  • Take small implementable actions daily to work on specific principles and values that will help you build intangible qualities.
  • Rise above your motives and focus on uplifting our profession as a whole.
  • Challenge stereotypes daily.
  • Analyze why you are creating certain boundaries for yourself. If these are based on your mere thoughts- maybe you could understand them better and develop implementable solutions. 
  • Strive not to succumb to old habits and redundant models of work.
  • Take action, and stop striving for extremely unhealthy perfection.

This vision needs to expand and include the growth of every individual belonging to the physiotherapy community.

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