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Tiffany Mayo, MD, reflects on the pressure of visibility in medical leadership and why boundary-setting becomes essential.
Tiffany Mayo, MD, associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who will soon join UT Southwestern in Dallas, discussed the pressure of visibility that comes with leadership in medicine during a segment of her conversation with host Mona Shahriari, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University, on the latest episode of The Medical Sisterhood podcast.
Shahriari opened the discussion by reflecting on a moment after giving a national conference talk when attendees approached her with personal career questions rather than questions about her presentation topic. She said the experience made her realize that physicians have something to offer others at every career stage, even when they do not yet feel ready for that responsibility, and that growing visibility can also bring added self-consciousness about how one is perceived.
Mayo agreed that leadership often comes with an awareness of being watched, and said this pressure has evolved for her over time. She explained that presenting an inauthentic version of oneself on stage or on camera becomes unsustainable, and that different versions of a person naturally emerge depending on the setting rather than representing a performed character. Mayo said the key is ensuring that every version stays grounded in the same core values, mission, and morals, which prevents leadership from feeling like role-playing.
Shahriari and Mayo also discussed how visibility can make physicians feel they are not permitted ordinary human moments, such as having an off day or declining a request. Mayo said rising expectations that accompany leadership make boundary-setting essential, describing it as an ongoing area of personal growth. She said advocating for her own needs, just as she would advocate for patients, can feel risky, but noted that people tend to extend grace to leaders who remain visibly committed to their broader purpose, even when they occasionally fall short.
Editor’s note: Neither speaker had any relevant disclosures of note. This episode was summarized with the help of AI tools.
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