If you’ve been a physical therapy clinical practitioner for many years, you might be starting to consider stepping back from practicing and finding ways to take on more of a leadership role. Making this transition can seem daunting, but there’s plenty you can do before the opportunity presents itself to prepare to make this change. From continuing education to finding a mentor, to being a mentor, to building trust with your staff, there is a lot to consider as you prepare for this transition. In this blog, we’ll discuss some of the best skills and strategies that you’ll need as you make this next advancement in your career!

Focus on developing leadership & related skills

Having a strong foundation in your craft is important before stepping away from clinical practice to focus on leadership, but it’s also important to make sure you have the skills to lead. There are a variety of ways to hone these skills.

Seek mentorship: Find experienced leaders who have made a similar transition to gain insights and guidance from their successes and challenges. Cultivating these relationships will help your transition and can provide a good support network once you’re in your new position.

Pursue further education: Depending on what type of role you’re looking to step into, consider taking continuing education courses. These courses can focus on areas like finance, marketing, healthcare administration, education, and leadership & management.

Build your professional brand: Going from clinical practice to leadership will likely result in a shift in the way professionals view you. To stay in line with other leaders, you’ll want to create a professional brand for yourself. Establish your knowledge and leadership potential by sharing your expertise through a blog, being present on professional platforms like LinkedIn, and 

Learn business fundamentals: Shadow current managers in roles similar to what you’re aspiring for to understand the operational side of a practice. No matter how much experience you have in a practice, there will always be new challenges as you step into a leadership role.

Gain practical experience

If you’re hoping to move into a leadership role, whether it’s within your current organization or a new one, starting to gain practical experience now will help you get there faster. Waiting until you’re given the opportunity to move on from clinical practice to a leadership role to step up and take on leadership opportunities will cause you to miss out on a lot of foundational experience and knowledge.

Seek low-risk leadership opportunities: Volunteer for projects and responsibilities that will let you practice leadership skills in a controlled environment before you upend your current career for a position that may not be the right fit. 

Mentor others: Offer mentorship to junior staff to help develop your leadership abilities and provide guidance for their growth. If this isn’t practical within the boundaries of your practice, consider offering outside mentorship to new physical therapists.

Find opportunities outside of your practice: Not all practices have the space for you to demonstrate leadership before you’re in the applicable role, so you can start to gain experience and demonstrate your capabilities outside of your practice. Whether it’s through volunteer opportunities, continuing education for young PTs, or leadership roles in your community, you can gain experience and prove to the current leaders of your organization that you are prepared to make the transition.

Navigate the transition with your team

If you’re transitioning to a leadership role within your current organization, navigating the transition from having peers to staff can be challenging. Treating this transition with attention and care can help you avoid feeling isolated or causing issues within your organization.

Build trust: When moving from a peer role, focus on building trust with your former colleagues. Be a leader rather than just a manager. Be up front about how any communication may change between you and the team as you transition from peer to superior.

Communicate transparently: Keep your team informed about changes and their potential impact through regular meetings and other communication channels.

Be present and supportive: Schedule one-on-one meetings with team members to understand their perspectives and address any concerns. Be prepared for challenges and moments of self-doubt, and remember you were chosen for the role for a reason.

Don’t forget where you came from: As you’re stepping into your new role, it’s important to remember the needs you had as a practitioner. While you may not be able to meet every need and want you had as a practitioner, now that you’re in a leadership role, you will have unique knowledge of what would benefit the practitioners in your organization.