Why Faculty Should Consider a "Phased Rewirement" Plan with Patrick O. Smith, PhD, ABPP

Patrick O. Smith, PhD, ABPP, returns for his third Faculty Factory Podcast appearance this week. We dive into the art of succession planning, leadership continuity, and the blueprint of a “phased rewirement,” reflecting on what these have meant for him throughout his impactful career in academic medicine.

Dr. Smith is the Chief Faculty Affairs Officer and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson. He also serves as a Professor of Family Medicine at UMMC.

The podcast kicks off with "The Story Leading Up to Phased Rewiring." It began when Dr. Smith, as Chief Faculty Affairs Officer, started contemplating how he could transition out of the role while continuing to enjoy life at different levels and engage in different activities than simply coming into the office every day.

The next step was to create a succession plan and identify who had demonstrated the skills and competencies needed for UMMC's next Chief Faculty Affairs Officer.

Dr. Smith walks us through the entire process, including how the individual identified for succession was put on a coaching path to be ready to assume the new role when the time came. This included shadowing Dr. Smith as he hired new leadership, allowing the individual to observe that process from start to finish.

As we learn, it’s not just a phased rewirement; it’s a phased replenishment. You’ll discover in this conversation that Dr. Smith’s approach is thoughtful, purposeful, and strategic when it comes to succession planning.

He also discusses what goes into building a reputation for “Continuity of Leadership” at an institution and how to be more intentional about ensuring the stability of individuals in formal leadership positions.

“People planning is the key to a thriving and flourishing organization within your building—think about what you need to do differently to implement people planning successfully,” he said.

His previous two appearances on our podcast can be found here:

• Episode 13 – A Faculty Factory Interview with Patrick O. Smith, PhD, ABPP
• Episode 195 – Reflections on Building Faculty Growth and Leadership in the Face of a Global Crisis with Patrick O. Smith, PhD, ABPP

You can reach Dr. Smith at  posmith@umc.edu | Any questions, comments or feedback for us? Reach out to the Faculty Factory here: https://facultyfactory.org/contact-us/ .