Healthcare Leadership Excellence

Today, I sit down with Dr. Mark Guadagnoli, a cognitive psychology and human performance expert, to discuss the science behind elite performance. Dr. Guadagnoli shares his journey from working with top athletes, including Olympians and professional golfers, to helping corporate leaders and medical professionals optimize their performance. We break down key concepts like the Performance Formula (Ab...

In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Torf, CEO of T2Group and author of Getting the Job Done . Kevin didn’t come on the show to promote his book, but after reading it, I knew our listeners needed to hear about it. This book isn’t just theory—it’s 174 pages of actionable insights that leaders can apply immediately. We start by diving into Kevin’s background, from growing up in Johannesburg and le...

In this episode, I sit down with retired Lieutenant Colonel Ron Cooper, a former F-4 fighter pilot with 300 combat missions under his belt. Ron shares powerful leadership lessons from his military and business career, showing how to lead with confidence without crossing into arrogance. He explains how mindset shapes decision-making in high-stakes situations and why leaders must stand by tough choi...

In this episode, I welcome back Shandy Welch to discuss one of the most compelling leadership stories in history—the journey of Ernest Shackleton and his crew. While Endurance isn’t a leadership book in the traditional sense, Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition provides some of the greatest real-life lessons in resilience, vision, and team leadership. Shandy shares how she first discovered the story...

I welcome back Dr. Rob Orman, emergency physician and host of the Stimulus Podcast, for another insightful conversation. Rob and I dive deep into decision-making—why it’s often more complicated outside of clinical settings and why intelligent people still struggle to make the right calls. We break down the role of uncertainty, the brain’s instinctive reactions, and the difference between clinical...

In this episode, I welcome back my longtime colleague and friend, Shandy Welch. Shandy has an incredible ability to deliver tough truths with warmth—what I call a “confrontive warm fuzzy.” We dive into a key insight from her recent Weekly Wisdom: "If you want something to be different, you need to do something different." Shandy challenges us to move beyond autopilot thinking and take in...

In this episode, I sit down with Luke Sommer, a student at Brigham Young University with a passion for healthcare leadership and experience design. I met Luke at a healthcare leadership seminar, and his insights on problem-solving and patient experience immediately stood out. I knew I had to get him on the podcast. Luke introduces the concept of experience design, a structured approach to solving...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I speak with Vinay Patel, a pharmacist, leader, and advocate for affordable healthcare solutions. Vinay shares his journey from academia and pharmacy practice to founding an innovative company focused on providing cost-effective medicines through a "Cost Plus" model. His work prioritizes local pharmacies and creates accessi...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I speak with Richard Kedziora, COO and co-founder of Estenda, a digital health platform.  Richard shares his journey from programming in the 1980s to leading advancements in AI-driven healthcare. He clarifies misconceptions about artificial intelligence. He highlights its long history and its role in supporting human intelligence rat...

In this episode of The Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I have the pleasure of speaking with Mike Murphy, a seasoned senior leader and the driving force behind Sunstone Management Advisors. Mike shares insights from his extensive 30-year leadership journey, marked with successful transformations, navigating change, and innovation across major organizations. Mike talks about his career evo...

In this year-end episode of The Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I sit down with Devan Baker, a leader I’ve had the privilege of working alongside for years. Devan’s unique combination of technical expertise and people skills makes him a standout, and it’s been remarkable to see the impact he’s had on his organization. Today, he shares valuable lessons on leadership, solving problems, and...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Pamela McAfee, a seasoned healthcare leader, diversity specialist, and CEO of Stella Versed Consulting. Dr. McAfee shares her expertise on advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging (DEIAB) in healthcare, explaining why meaningful progress requires more than policies. Dr. McAfee explains...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I speak with Micki McMillan, co-founder and president of Blue Mesa Coaching. Micki shares her journey from teaching to executive leadership and coaching. Her approach centers on helping leaders align their personal values with their professional roles to achieve clarity, trust, and meaningful growth. Micki explains the critical disti...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I welcome back Dr. Rob Orman for his fifth appearance. Rob shares lessons from his article, “From Hot Mess to Night Shift Boss,” inspired by a nocturnist physician, Alice, who thrives in the toughest shifts. Alice approaches challenges like night-shift sign-outs with energy and efficiency, a stark contrast to the dread many feel. Rob...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I welcome Laurie Baedke, a healthcare executive, leadership coach, author, and speaker. Laurie’s journey is extraordinary—she became a hospital vice president at just 22 and now focuses on developing strong leaders in healthcare. Laurie addresses the challenge of promoting high performers into leadership roles without equipping them...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I welcome Todd Holzman, founder of Holzman Leadership, a consultancy that focuses on leadership development in industries like pharma, biotech, and finance. Todd brings a wealth of knowledge on building effective leaders—a skill that’s often underdeveloped in healthcare, where technical training tends to take priority over leadership...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I welcome back Rahul Karan Sharma, a habits expert with a unique approach to personal transformation. In our last conversation, Rahul shared so much valuable insight that we didn’t have time to explore his real area of expertise: the power of habits. Today, he dives deep into how small, intentional changes can create lasting impact....

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I have the pleasure of welcoming back Dr. Rob Orman, an expert on physician burnout. Today, we’re tackling an issue that hits home for so many in healthcare: the overwhelming weight of burnout. Too often, solutions offered are superficial—recommending yoga mats or meditation apps for quick fixes. But burnout is deep-seated, and what...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence podcast, we are privileged to have Shandy Welch back on the show. We dive into a topic we’ve never explored before: the role and value of older professionals who are approaching or even past typical retirement age but remain active in the workforce. This is a group that often goes unnoticed in leadership conversations, and today we aim to she...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence podcast, I speak with Vanessa Roknic, Senior Commercial Innovation Executive at Novo Nordisk. Vanessa shares her journey from studying medical microbiology and immunology to leading commercial innovation, always driven by her curiosity and desire to understand "why." We discuss the importance of defining innovation within your team...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I have the pleasure of speaking with Rahul Sharma, a leadership and habits expert with over 25 years of experience in learning and development. Rahul shares powerful insights into the importance of mindset in both personal and professional growth. Rahul dives into the psychology behind mindset. He explains that the mind cannot distin...

In today's episode of The Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I have the privilege of speaking with Dino Watt, a keynote speaker and expert in team transformation. We discuss his journey into healthcare leadership and the importance of creating lasting, positive shifts within organizations. One of the interesting themes Dino shares is the power of understanding people’s unique "cur...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, I’m joined once again by Shandy Welch. Today, we dive into a topic that shapes much of our work: mastermind groups. We discuss how mastermind groups provide leaders with a space to connect, brainstorm, and support each other in a small, judgment-free setting. These groups bring together individuals from different industries, but thei...

In the latest episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence podcast, I sit down with conflict resolution expert DeVere Sheesely. We discuss the challenges leaders face when managing conflict within their teams, especially in healthcare, where personal dynamics and high stakes often clash. DeVere emphasizes the importance of "soft skills" like building trust and open communication, high...

In this episode of the Healthcare Leadership Excellence Podcast, we're thrilled to welcome back Shandy Welch, a remarkable leader in healthcare known for her empathy and organizational brilliance. Throughout the episode, Shandy reminds us that as leaders, our whispers are often heard as shouts, and the responsibility we have in choosing our words carefully is immense. With real-world examples...