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Advanced Leadership Training

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3. You think it is the best way to start your entrepreneurial journey. 4. You believe it is necessary to advance your career.

If none of these reasons apply to you, then you should take time to explore formal leadership programs. Invest time to reflect on what is behind your motivation. Pink 5 synthesizes social science research findings about motivation. Three factors drive motivation: (1) autonomy, (2) mastery, and (3) purpose: Autonomy is the desire to be self-directed. Mastery is the urge to acquire better skills. Purpose is the desire for something that has meaning and is important. It is easy to see how autonomy, mastery, and purpose are behind the drive to com plete medical school, residency, and fellowship. Do you have the same level of moti vation to complete advanced leadership training? Developing your leadership acumen may result in increased autonomy in terms of developing and operating a practice. You may have great interest in mastering a set of complex business skills, such as stochas tic modeling. Completing an advanced degree in business, management, or adminis tration offers an opportunity to master new skills. If you find purpose and meaning in making the world a better place by “improving the health of all,” advanced leadership training will help you to enhance your behavioral repertoire. It is unlikely anyone other than you can determine what is driving your desire to pur sue advanced training. Nonetheless, you may find it helpful to have conversations with persons who have completed advanced leadership training because they may help you explore options and become more aware of your own blind-spots. Speak with others about what they hoped to gain from advanced leadership training. Do not be afraid to ask if they gained what they hoped to gain. As best, articulate what you expect to gain given the cost, effort, and attention required. Ask them if your expec tations are realistic. Most importantly, generously listen and consider what they say. The admonition to “know before you go” applies here. Do not commit to or engage in advanced leadership training until you have an unambiguous understanding of: Your motivation for engaging in advanced leadership training What you expect or hope to gain from advanced leadership training The sources of support (financial, professional, and personal) you will need to successfully complete the degree You have ascertained you are sufficiently motivated. You are not ambivalent; pursuing advanced leadership training is what you want to do. Now it is time to move on to the next consideration: timing. Do you want to engage immediately? When it is conve nient? Soon? Someday? It is important to consider timing early in the process because it may influence the program or structure you choose. Apply due diligence as you develop a plan: Is this a “once in a lifetime” opportunity? Does “you snooze, you lose” apply because hesitation may result in losing the opportunity altogether? If this is the case, move swiftly. Is the “constellation of events” comprising your life at a point where pursuing advanced training makes sense? Or is this a time where life events may preclude taking on additional activities? If you are expecting the birth or adoption of a child, caring for person with a disability, changing jobs, or relocating, it may be prudent to postpone pursuing advanced training. TIMING IS IMPORTANT