From the Pump to Leadership: Thriving Without Bedside or Traditional Leadership Experience

Stepping into leadership can feel overwhelming, especially in healthcare, where many leaders come from bedside roles or have years of experience managing interdisciplinary teams. For perfusionists, our environment is often different: highly technical, isolated from direct patient-family interaction, and hyper-focused on critical moments in the OR.

So how do you lead effectively when your experience has been behind the machine, and not at the bedside?

Here’s what I’ve learned on the journey from perfusionist to leader.

Acknowledge Your Strengths

You may not have years of bedside or unit-based leadership experience, but you do have something incredibly valuable: the ability to think clearly under pressure, deep clinical knowledge, and a systems-focused mindset. Perfusionists are trained to notice details others miss and to act swiftly when the stakes are high.

• Tip: Recognize that your strengths—precision, resilience, and accountability—translate into leadership qualities. You just need to apply them in new ways.

Embrace What You Don’t Know

You won’t have all the answers. And that’s okay. One of the most powerful things a new leader can say is, “I don’t know, but I’m willing to learn.”

• Tip: Build relationships with bedside clinicians and ancillary staff. Ask questions. Be curious about workflows and team dynamics. Your willingness to learn will speak volumes.

Learn the Language of Empathy and Communication

In the OR, your communication might be direct, brief, and technical, but leading a team requires emotional intelligence. You’ll need to listen deeply, read the room, and handle interpersonal challenges with care.

• Tip: Try reflective listening. Repeat what you’ve heard to ensure clarity and connection. Never underestimate the power of simply asking, “What can I do to support you?”

Build Trust by Being Present

You might be used to working in a self-contained, high-stakes bubble. But leadership is a full-contact role. Show up, attend huddles, walk the floors, and participate in cross-functional meetings—not just when problems arise.

• Tip: Visibility builds credibility. Let people see you, know you, and understand your values.

Shift from “Doing” to “Elevating Others”

Perfusionists are highly detail oriented. We often have a very specific “method of madness” for how we like things—how the pump is set up, how meds are arranged, how charting is completed. But leadership isn’t about recreating yourself in others. It’s about building trust and empowering your team.

• Tip: Let go of perfectionism. Let go of micromanaging. Your role now is to support and develop, provide direction and tools necessary to be successful, not control.

Lead Beyond Your Bubble

As perfusionists, we typically work within a close-knit, specialized team. But in leadership, the role expands and you become a bridge across disciplines. Collaboration now includes not just perfusion colleagues, but also nurses, respiratory therapists, APPs, intensivists, ECMO specialists, and many others involved in patient care. Effective leadership means engaging with all these voices to support the full care journey.

• Tip: Understand the responsibilities and daily duties of each role and communicate with respect and consistency. Effective collaboration drives trust, and trust drives results.

What Not to Do

Don’t Micromanage

You may want things done your way, but constant correction limits autonomy and may cause frustrations among your team.

• Tip: Focus on outcomes, not methods. Ask, “Is the job done safely and effectively?”

Don’t Let Perfectionism Get You

You’re used to setting up your “pump zone” in the operating room your way which to you is exactly right. But in leadership, perfection can delay action and frustrate others.

• Tip: Embrace “progress over perfection.” Learn to delegate and adjust. Just because it is not your way, doesn’t mean it’s the wrong way.

Don’t Lead Only from Clinical Expertise and Years of Experience

Being clinically sharp doesn’t make you a leader by default. Healthcare is always evolving, therefore you should too.

• Tip: Combine expertise with empathy. Empower others instead of always leading with “how it should be done” or “this is how I have always done it”.

Don’t React Emotionally or Immediately

In the OR, split-second decisions are lifesaving. In leadership, those instincts can cause unnecessary harm.

This “what not to do” deserved some further explanation and assessment!

Reacting vs. Responding

In surgery, reacting quickly is essential. In leadership, responding thoughtfully is far more powerful.

If a mistake occurs or tension arises, your gut may say “fix it now!” Of course, this is what we do in the operating room right? Or when an emergency happens on ECLS? But, fast reactions in leadership, especially emotional ones, can escalate problems or shut down communication.

Instead:

• Pause and assess. Is it urgent, or just uncomfortable?
• Listen fully. Let your team speak before responding.
• Respond with purpose. Choose words and timing carefully.
• Make reactions meaningful. Your response should move the team forward, not just vent frustration.

This mindset shift, from urgency to intentionality, is one of the most important steps in becoming a thoughtful, respected leader.

Keep Learning!

Leadership isn’t something you’re expected to master overnight, and thankfully, you don’t have to go at it alone. There are incredible resources available to help guide your growth, shape your leadership style, and give you the tools to lead with confidence.

From books and podcasts to mentorships and leadership workshops, investing time in ongoing education is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen your leadership foundation.

Here are a few of my top recommended leadership books:

• Leaders Eat Last – Simon Sinek
• Leadership Strategy and Tactics – Jocko Willink
• Dare to Lead – Brené Brown
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni
• Extreme Ownership – Jocko Willink & Leif Babin

Fun Fact: The first two are my personal favorites! Choose one that speaks to your current challenges or goals. Even just a few minutes of reading each day can shift how you think, lead, and connect with your team.

Embrace the Journey!

If you’re stepping into a leadership role without formal management experience, remember this: you’re not alone, and you’re not expected to have all the answers on day one. Moving from a highly specialized clinical role to a broader leadership position is a significant transition. You will make mistakes, and you will face uncertainty. But if you commit to listening, stay open to feedback, and lead with humility, you’ll grow into the role every step of the way.

You don’t need years of management experience or a bedside background to be a great leader. Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice or the most experienced clinician, it’s about creating space for others to thrive, bridging gaps across teams, and showing up with intention.

You’ve already mastered the art of managing machines under pressure. Now, it’s time to lead people with clarity, compassion, and purpose.