When you think of the “glass ceiling,” you typically think of your career, right? I know I thought purely of professional development when I heard that term thrown around. I’m a huge proponent of breaking said glass ceiling in yourself, your team, your organization, your specialty, and the entire field of laboratory medicine. There’s continuing education through our professional societies and ideally through our institutions, and there are advanced degrees, certificates, and on-the-job training. So many tools and resources we can add to our professional toolbox to exceed all expectations, including those we hold over ourselves. But what about the personal glass ceiling? In order to excel in our careers, we have to first excel in ourselves. Let that sink in. I hear other lab professionals say, “I want to be a leader, too, someday.” I promise you, especially as I’ve learned over the past 3 years in an official leadership role, a leader is not shaped without ongoing personal development and the constant challenging of your personal glass ceiling.
New people-leaders in my health system are required to undergo extensive training through our Leadership and Organizational Development (LOD) team. To be quite frank, I silently scoffed at the idea of having to attend “so many virtual and in-person trainings that interfere with my workday. I mean, my dissertation focused on laboratory leadership and change management, come on!” I’ll be the first to admit that I was so wrong. It also helped that there were three other laboratory leaders present with me, so we were able to role play and come up with solutions to issues in real-time. There were DEI trainings, such as civil treatment and inclusive workforce; communication models, including coaching, delegation, and two of my personal favorites – Management Foundations and Emotional Intelligence (EQ).
In the first day of Management Foundations (and yes, after my thinking, “How can I get out of this and prepare for our upcoming lab inspection instead?”), we were given tools to explore ourselves. Initially, I thought we would be completing the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and explore our personalities. I’m in my seat waiting to share how I’m an INFJ, the Advocate, and how I have (sometimes) unrealistic high expectations for myself and others. This wasn’t a personality test though. What we were about to embark on was a behavior test, also known as the DiSC Assessment. We were told to choose 4 color-coded cards with adjectives that we thought described ourselves. I chose “high standards,” “diplomatic,” “analytical,” and “enthusiastic.” I chuckled when I saw a fellow lab supervisor also grab “high standards” to describe herself as I know how Type A we both are. After going through the formal assessment, I learned that my dominant behavior was “Conscientiousness” with a secondary behavior of “Influence.” As a “C” behavior type, I’m described as enjoying working with people who are organized and have high standards, carefully weighing pros and cons, and preferring environments with clearly defined expectations. Nailed it! This assessment teaches you how to communicate and work with different behaviors and how those other behaviors react to pressure. It is also important to take note of your secondary behavior as sometimes that can become the dominant behavior under stress. This activity was so enlightening that I returned to the lab the following day and asked my team complete the assessment as well. Not only has this given me an insight into my own behavior, but now I’m better prepared to help the individuals on my team thrive and communicate under different levels of pressure on a personalized level. Take note that your behavior preference also impacts how you receive feedback and communicate upward as well and giving this assessment to those either lateral to or above you in the organizational hierarchy can also yield incredibly useful results. Insight gained from this tool crosses so many boundaries, and if others are open to it, they can actually use the results to improve their awareness and regulation.
Speaking of, during our EQ training, we dove into 4 components of EQ – self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and relationship management. For self-awareness, we’re encouraged to be curious and name our emotions (name it to tame it), dig for reasons behind that reaction, search for patterns or triggers to this emotion, and then lean into the discomfort of that to experience growth. In self-regulation, we were asked to breathe using the 4-7-8 method and practice grounding exercises. Essentially, you want to catch yourself when your brain is going offline and not react until you can engage the prefrontal cortex in a healthy and productive (professional) way. You also have to commit to the practice of self-awareness and self-regulation, making it a habit so that you can hold yourself accountable and build trust both within yourself and across your team.
When it comes to social awareness, take time to read the room. Look at body language and recognize if others have the time or space for the information or energy you are bringing, and put yourself in the other person’s shoes. For relationship management, it’s important be open and listen without judgement or assumptions. Build trust by being consistent and constructive with feedback, and most importantly, develop others by being conscious of needs and encouraging buy-in. Whether you are in-tune with yourself or you’re still navigating the self-section of EQ, one of my biggest takeaways from these sessions is to take time and observe how others manage their emotions. Are they bringing stress from home to work with them, or are they bringing their stress from work home? Notice their nonverbal communication or body language, their timing, how they deliver messages, and how they respond to feedback. How do their reactions impact the rest of the team? How does it compare to how you manage your own emotions? Are you self-aware and actively practicing self-regulation in your everyday life, and are you setting an example for them even if they are dysregulating?
I began thinking about how the LOD tools I received in this program can help anyone who is willing to learn navigate difficult situations in daily life, well beyond the workday. It prompted me to reflect on how my behaviors and reactions in both my professional and personal lives are not only interrelated, but consistent. I reached a point a few years ago where emotions and behaviors aligned just right, and while I am human and burnout can manifest in many ways, the regulation has helped me surpass the glass ceilings I had at that time. In an ideal world, leaders should be able to coach others to recognize and regulate so they can exceed all expectations they’ve set for themselves. If you say you want to be a leader and shatter your professional glass ceiling, keep in mind that it will never be handed to you. Simply excelling at the laboratory skills associated with your job is not enough to be a leader as low EQ will unveil itself immediately. As a leader, you need to be able to regulate your emotions and practice social awareness and relationship management. I encourage you to self-reflect and assess your emotions and behavior both at home and at work, in your family life, and in your social circles, under stress and when you find peace. As for relationship management, understanding your reactions and the behaviors of your team members provides insight to the overall team’s wellbeing and how it shapes the culture of the organization. While these trainings are required for new leaders in our health system, I can’t help but feel that most should also be required for all employees. Things like behavior exploration, EQ, feedback, and communication – these are critical soft skills that all employees could benefit from professionally. But it’s more than that – these tools can help you succeed in your personal relationships and overall well-being. With ongoing self-regulation and relationship management, you can break every glass ceiling you hold over yourself. It’s okay if you’re a work in progress; think of it as personal continuous improvement.
-Taryn Waraksa-Deutsch, DHSc, SCT(ASCP)CM, CMIAC, LSSGB, is the Cytopathology Supervisor at Fox Chase Cancer Center, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She earned her master’s degree from Thomas Jefferson University in 2014 and completed her Doctorate of Health Science from Bay Path University in 2023. Her research interests include change management and continuous improvement methodologies in laboratory medicine. She is an ASCP board-certified Specialist in Cytology with an additional certification by the International Academy of Cytology (IAC). She is also a 2020 ASCP 40 Under Forty Honoree. Outside of her work, Taryn is a certified Divemaster. Scuba diving in freshwater caverns is her favorite way to rest her eyes from the microscope.
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