Book excerpt: Dr. Joseph Bujak provides an insider's perspective on the beliefs and behaviors of physicians. His insight will prompt you to question your assumptions and break through the barriers that may be keeping you from forming productive relationships with the physicians in your organization. He also provides suggestions for using your new understanding to influence physician behavior and promote enduring partnerships. With candor and wit, Dr. Bujak shares the wisdom he has developed through his years of experience as both a physician and an administrator: A physician's sense of time is very different from that of an administrator Being chief of staff is the equivalent of drawing the short straw A physician's definition of teamwork is like the game of golf Traditional medical staff organization is not the vehicle for developing relationships with physicians A good role model for influencing physician behavior is the old TV character Columbo You should approach change using the metaphor of moving a Slinky Generation-X physicians differ greatly from traditionalist, or baby boomer, physicians; propositions acceptable to Generation-X physicians will be rejected by the others, and vice versa