One Year as a Healthcare Manager: A Summary of My Thoughts and Practices

I am a clinical laboratory technician.

I examine blood, cells, bacteria, and so on...

In short, it is a profession that "examines" the inside of the human body. It is also a proper national qualification.

A year has passed since I suddenly became a manager (chief).

It was a year of constant study. I was almost completely absorbed in it. I only studied the essential aspects of cells and laboratory work during actual business hours; whenever I had free time, I was studying psychology and management.

I would like to record my experiences so far.

The world is completely colored by COVID-19.

The medical industry where I work is one of the sectors hit by COVID-19. (Honestly, compared to the doctors and nurses working on the front lines, I think laboratory technicians suffer less damage. While there is a risk to life from handling infectious specimens, that is just part of the job.)

Since it is extremely wasteful and unproductive to have time on my hands at home because of COVID-19, I have decided to summarize my impressions and actions as a healthcare (clinical laboratory technician) manager.

Please excuse any awkwardness as this is my first note post.

Reasons for becoming a manager (on-site chief)

First, about how I became a manager.

This might be different for everyone, but in my case, it was like a windfall.

While "windfall" might conjure up a very positive situation, in reality, it was not that sweet.

・According to HR, it was a planned promotion anyway, but I was appointed in a hurry because my supervisor suddenly changed jobs, leaving the position vacant.

・So, I suddenly became a chief through a kind of automatic accelerated promotion system.

Well, it's a common story.

I was somewhat prepared and thought I had made preparations, but the enemy (the problems) was incredibly strong.

Thoughts and feelings after starting a management position

Now, I will list the things I felt within a few months of taking on the management position.

・Being a playing manager is truly difficult.
Managing emotional aspects and departmental strategy while handling daily routines is a significant burden.

・I am the person in charge of a small department (5 people). Moreover, the average age is under 30, and the maximum age is under 35.It is a very youngsection. Because of that...

・Conflicts and struggles due to youth, as well as worries specific to that generation, greatly affect work performance

・With staff members at an age where they lack the capacity to be considerate of others, it is hard to keep them united; they either insist on their own opinions or, conversely, suppress them. It is difficult to get them on the same page.

・Once communication goes sour, it is truly troublesome. I realized that management and groundwork are necessary to prevent that from happening.

Surprisingly, I never felt any difficulty in terms of actual work. 99% of my headaches were caused by communication between staff members...

It was simply due to minor misunderstandings between staff, or the hesitation and a certain kind of fear (the feeling that they have to be careful when asking me for something) that arose because my position had moved up one level.

In any case, it was a start that made me realize that things are not easy.

Thoughts, feelings, and actions after 1 year of management experience

Now, I would like to record what I have practiced throughout the year.

As an aside, we recently had a company-wide power harassment training session, but it was almost meaningless.

That is because it is already written in books. Reading a different book during the seminar would have undoubtedly been a much more useful way to spend the time.

I digressed a bit, but what I did was "reading, above all else".

・I read through an absurd number of books on management and psychology.

・I learned psychological concepts and put them into practice, repeating trial and error every single day.

Here is what I felt based on the responses I received.

・The more you do it, the harder it gets.

・Time flies. Situations change in the blink of an eye while you're still thinking. You have to deal with irregular circumstances, like the current COVID-related issues.

・Half of my day is spent on actions that appeal to the subconscious. Whether it's small talk or small acts of kindness, I've tried to act in a way that builds smooth relationships.

・However, sometimes it has the opposite effect or creates misunderstandings.

・In almost all communication problems, it's impossible for only one side to be at fault. Unless you're dealing with a psychopath, there are appropriate ways to handle givers, takers, and matchers.

・The sense of loneliness

that emerges the moment you become a "boss."

・The management allowance is only enough to buy one high-end mouse a month. It's not worth the effort.・Having skills and experience isn't enough.

The true evaluation of a person lies in that aura-like quality that cannot be measured by numbers.・Managers and supervisors who don't study are immediately obvious to those who do. Because there is a kind of suffering you can only understand once you've been in the role, there is also the terrifying reality that those who know can see right through you.

Well, I've listed my thoughts and actions in bullet points, and I've come to understand well that the compensation for a healthcare chief-level position doesn't match the hardship (though this is likely true for most professions).

Many of these points have become abstract, but it turns out that in communication, in particular, there is an aura—or something invisible—that gets in the way or exerts influence.

The trouble with promotions is that once you go up, the system is designed so you don't go back down unless something drastic happens. Furthermore, there are still levels above (section chiefs, department managers, directors), so only the responsibility keeps increasing.

"If you're that weak-willed, just quit."

You might think that. And you're right. I think so too, but I'm definitely not being weak-willed.

It's just that the difficulties of being a "healthcare manager" are hard to find even when you Google them. I just wanted to share this.

I think there are many people in the world like me, and I also wanted to share how difficult it is to deal with problems that arise due to youth.

This battle will continue, but I am gaining the experience needed to level up. That comes from books, Nico Nico Douga (I'm especially grateful to Mentalist DaiGo), and on-site experience.

Personally, I feel that there are many psychopaths in the healthcare profession (especially doctors). Even worse, there are many people who are just plain troublesome with covert aggressive traits. (The way to deal with them is here).

In any case, I feel that if you don't train your mental strength and have empathy for others, you simply won't be able to continue. Or perhaps you can create an alter ego to handle things.

Because people don't change easily, I personally suspect that the alter ego strategy is effective. I've actually created and practiced a few alter egos, and I'm starting to feel a bit of a response.

I plan to continue sharing articles about my thoughts on being a manager.

If there are parts of this article you can empathize with or if you have any advice, please feel free to contact me via comments or Twitter DM. No, really, please do.

I have more than a normal amount of thirst for knowledge, so I would love to grow alongside others who share the same struggles.

See you later.