WHAT?
The goal of this intervention is to conduct an interactive session in which participants will:
- Reflect on the major events in their lives that got them to where they are today.
- Understand the value of setting goals.; Create a 1-5 year vision.
- Develop one SMART goal that will move them toward that long-term vision.
WHY?
During surgical residency, it is easy to get consumed by the busy-ness of clinical care. Reflection allows us to sort through our observations and experiences, consider multiple possible interpretations, and create meaning, which becomes learning, which then informs future mindsets and actions. Research demonstrates that employees who reflect are more productive, happier, and less burned out [1]. Goals provide a sense of direction and motivation. This intervention gives residents the time to reflect, develop a long-term vision, and set a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely) goal to move them towards that vision.
Meaning in Work | Reflection and goal setting may help residents preserve their sense of meaning in work, which may be lost in the day-to-day grind of residency. |
Resident Camaraderie | In this intervention, residents will reflect together on the events and people that shaped them. Sharing these details may increase familiarity and camaraderie. |
Control & Flexibility | By clarifying their ambitions and helping them map out a pathway for achieving them, this intervention may provide residents with a sense of agency over their futures. |
How?
Step 1. Prepare for the session
- Ideally, the session should be scheduled during protected educational time to maximize participation as well as actively demonstrate program leadership’s belief in the importance of the topic.
- Reserve an appropriate room for 2 hours. The session is best done in a large open space with tables of 4 people. Ideally, participants can find quieter places to interact with their partner in some of the exercises.
- Identity a faculty facilitator. To emphasize the importance of the topic, we recommend a respected clinician, particularly one viewed as a leader within the department.
- Send participants the pre-work to prepare before the session.
- Print out participant materials.
Step 2. Conduct the session
You may use/adapt this PowerPoint. Distribute participant materials.
- Follow-up from previous session. Touch base on Energy Leadership and how they used the model.
- Ice breaker (15 min).
- Exercise 1: Life Map
- Goal: To get residents to consider the events and people in their lives that shaped them and got them to where they sit today. This exercise builds camaraderie and trust as residents get to know each other better.
- Instructions: Ask participants to draw a map of their lives from birth to present day; this map should include whatever experiences, events, places, and people contributed to their life story so far. Instruct them to consider where and how they see themselves now (10-15 min).
- Have them work in pairs or groups no larger than 4 people and share their life maps with each other (20 min).
- Slides/didactic portion
- Ask how many have a vision or plan for where they see themselves in 5-10 years (I often tell a parable of a man who comes to a fork in the road. There is an old man sitting there, and he asks the old man, “Which road should I take?” The old man replies, “Where do you want to go?” The young man says, “I’m not sure.” And the old man says, “Then it doesn’t matter. Any road will take you there.”
- Ask them, “Why should/do we set goals?” (They may come up with others.)
- Be at the CAUSE and not the EFFECT of your life
- Build self-confidence
- Focus on what is important to you
- Make conscious choices/decisions
- Get where you want to go
- Ask them why they think people don’t set goals.
- Lack of ambition (not a common problem for surgeons)
- Limiting beliefs: if they believe they can’t do something, they won’t.
- Nobody thought the 4 minute mile could be done by a human. Once Bannister did it, many others followed because they now believed it possible.
- A man is watching another man fish. He keeps catching large fish and throwing them back in. Finally the man asks him why he keeps doing that, and the man fishing says, “I only have a small frying pan.”
- Pessimism: I’d rather be miserable now than fail later. People see all the reasons why they CAN’T do something. Shift to level 5 – problems and challenges to solutions and opportunities. ;Fear of failure (tie to level 1 energy).
- Fear of rejection (tie to level 1 energy).
- Procrastination
- Exercise 2: Visioning
- Goal: To help residents start to define their future.
- Instructions: Have participants picture a day 5 or 10 years in the future…a day they really want. Have them picture everything about that day: Where are they? Who are they with? What have they achieved? How do they feel (mentally and physically)? What is the scenery like? How does it look, smell, feel? Have them write about the day for 5-10 min.
- Now have them work backwards in time to fill in the steps. How did they get there from where they are now? They should be as specific as possible. What skills did they have to learn to get where they are that day? Who did they meet or connect with who helped? Who supported them? How did they find the time? How much time did it take? What did they need to practice?
- Have them work with a partner: Each should take turns role-playing a reporter who is interviewing the other about the day they envisioned, asking questions about how they got there, how they achieved their vision, etc. This will help them see a broader picture of what they need to do to achieve their vision; they should write down any additional steps that they realize they had forgotten
- Talk about why goals fail
- You didn’t write it down (or tell someone else)
- Your goal was unrealistic
- Your goal was not specific
- You were not committed to it
- You keep changing or switching goals
- Larger goals are not incorporated into a realistic plan with measurements, timelines, and resources
- Exercise 3: SMART Goals
- Goal: To help participants develop a realistic plan (series of small sustainable changes) to move them toward their larger vision. Have participants consider the next small step they must take to get them closer to that vision. Have them set SMART goals.
- Specific – the goal or task must be specific (example: I need to learn to handle my bike better)
- Measurable – they must be able to measure the result (example: I am going to spend 30 min a week practicing handling skills including picking up water bottles, cornering, ascending, descending)
- Achievable – they have the knowledge, tools, skills, and resources to attain the task (example: I have a bike and I have basic riding skills)
- Reasonable – the goal is realistic at this time (Example: I have time on the weekends to dedicate to this)
- Timely – include a timeline/deadline (example: I can do this once a week for the next month)
- Have them create accountability with their partner or some other way. Plan to report back next month.
- Goal: To help participants develop a realistic plan (series of small sustainable changes) to move them toward their larger vision. Have participants consider the next small step they must take to get them closer to that vision. Have them set SMART goals.
- Finish with 10 min of something from the wellbeing and resiliency toolkit.
Helpful Resources
University of Arizona Contact: Taylor Riall, MD, PhD, Chair