Introduction

This practical, insightful title is a must read for anyone interested in or recently appointed to a leadership role in an academic medical center. Taking the Lead: A Guide for Emerging Leaders in Academic Medical Centers represents the highly accomplished authors’ more than 60 years of collective insights about leadership and leading effectively in an academic medical center environment.

The authors present creative and highly applicable themes synthesized from their knowledge, career experiences, unique reflections, practice, mistakes, and observations of successful (and not so successful) leaders. The result is a book of leadership wisdom – a wealth of ideas, concepts, and insights to inform the reader’s career journey and to become the best leader they can be.

Organized in five parts, this work examines the successful leadership transition in the unique (and sometimes perplexing) academic medical center environment. Informal, conversational in tone, and often engagingly humorous, Taking the Lead: A Guide for Emerging Leaders in Academic Medical Centers represents a concise and invaluable introductory read for the next generation of leaders, as well as a helpful resource for experienced healthcare leaders.