Shaping Your Healthcare Team at Every Level

Physician Leadership Journal Peer reviewed

Shaping Your Healthcare Team at Every Level

Effective communication is vital for healthcare teams to prevent errors, burnout, and poor outcomes. Self-awareness, connection-building, and recognition foster collaboration and resilience.

July/August 2026 Vol. 13, No. 4 pp. 17–21 DOI: 10.55834/plj.3491438387

Abstract

Effective communication is crucial for strong healthcare teams. Lack of clear communication can lead to medical errors, burnout, and worse patient outcomes. Structured tools like I-PASS and SBAR help with information exchange but do not address emotional dynamics or relationships. By fostering self-awareness, building connections, and recognizing colleagues, clinicians can improve team communication, manage conflict, and create a sense of belonging. In today’s collaborative healthcare environment, these skills are vital for safer, coordinated patient care and resilient, high-performing teams. This article proposes that harnessing self-awareness, building meaningful connections, and amplifying colleagues can catalyze the development of stronger communication within the healthcare team. This framework provides leaders with practical strategies to cultivate resilient, communicative, and high-performing teams.

TopicsTeam BuildingDevelop RelationshipsWorking with and Through Others