Knowing Yourself (Edition 2)

Abstract

Understanding yourself, and how you are viewed by others, is not simple. In the world of organized urology, there are numerous different interactions you will have, in your clinical career, academic career, and administratively. Beyond this, of course, there are all of your personal relationships, which also eventually play a role in your professional life. The sooner you begin to acquire some self-awareness about the style, habits, and overall image you emote to others, the better you will perform in all phases. Taking the time to understand what makes you truly happy professionally is important as it will allow you the ability to seek roles that add to your job and life satisfaction. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses not only allows you to focus on positioning yourself to use your strengths, but also creates a checklist of ways to improve your weaknesses, as well as ways to minimize exposure of those weaknesses. Once you know yourself well enough, partner with people who have different skillsets than you. In the beginning focus on being the best clinician you can be, then identify your long-term priorities and focus on opportunities that lead to success with those priorities. Finally, assess the rapport you have with all of the people you have a professional relationship with and measure your progress in terms of your relationship and work with your bosses, colleagues, and direct charges in order to create a timeline of success.