“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.”

— Simon Sinek¹

It’s 8:00 a.m., and your first patient just arrived. By noon, you’ve navigated multiple complex cases, comforted a patient’s grieving spouse, and fielded a dozen portal messages. But your day is far from over. At 12:30 p.m., you’re expected in a leadership meeting to review clinical performance metrics and finalize next quarter’s budget plan before you return to the clinic midafternoon to see a few more patients. All in a day’s work.

While all physicians are leaders,² many of us at some time in our career will feel called to take on specific administrative leadership roles, such as lead clinic physician, medical director, or chief medical officer, in addition to ongoing clinical work. Often, this is because we feel we have something important to offer beyond the exam room or we are seeking greater professional influence, variety, or opportunity to use our unique skills.

This article explores the professional realities of this dual-role leadership and offers practical insights on how to succeed in both worlds without losing your way — or your why. It also includes some coaching questions to clarify your readiness for administrative leadership.