The Leadership Rx for Women Physicians

Every woman physician has an inner critic — that relentless voice that whispers, “You’re not enough.” In this episode, Dr. Padmanabhan shares her own journey of living with that voice, the toll that it took on her self-confidence, and the impact that it had on her work and relationships. She shares how she stopped letting it run the show, and three practical steps listeners can use right away. Con...

Have you ever come home from a long shift and snapped at the people you love most? In this episode, Dr. Asha Padmanabhan shares a personal story of how stress from the OR spilled over into her family life — and the surprising first step that helped her change it: self-awareness. Listeners will hear why self-awareness is the overlooked foundation for confidence and clarity, how ignoring signals aff...

Have you ever felt like no matter how much you do, it’s never enough? That you’re constantly trying to meet impossibly high standards at work and at home? You’re not alone. In this episode of The Leadership Rx for Women Physicians, Dr. Asha Padmanabhan dives deep into The Perfectionism Trap —what it is, how it shows up in our lives, and what we can do to break free from it. Drawing from her own ex...

Welcome to The Leadership Rx for Women Physicians ! In this episode, Dr. Asha Padmanabhan tackles one of the most emotionally draining patterns that keeps women physicians stuck: the guilt-resentment cycle. If you’ve ever said yes out of guilt, only to end up feeling resentful toward the person you helped, the situation, or even yourself, you’re not alone. This exhausting loop leaves us emotionall...

Welcome back to The Leadership Rx for Women Physicians ! In this episode, Dr. Asha Padmanabhan takes a deeper dive into the often-overlooked costs of saying yes too often. Spoiler alert: it’s not just about being busy. Dr. Padmanabhan shares relatable stories and insights that uncover the ripple effects of overcommitting—on your emotional health, relationships, career, and overall well-being. If y...

Welcome to The Leadership Rx for Women Physicians ! In this episode, Dr. Asha Padmanabhan explores a challenge that resonates deeply with so many women physicians: Why is it so hard to say no? From the fear of disappointing others to internalized perfectionism, Dr. Padmanabhan breaks down five common reasons women physicians struggle to set boundaries—and why this matters for your well-being, rela...

In this episode, Dr. Padmanabhan reflects on a year of transformation, filled with bold steps, new experiences, and moments of growth. From starting a Locums life to navigating unfamiliar cities, living in hotels, and even dancing uninhibitedly in a crowd, it’s a journey of embracing bravery and stepping out of comfort zones. Listeners will hear: ✨ Insights on why discomfort is the key to persona...

In this podcast episode, Dr. Asha Padmanabhan discusses the importance of embracing conflict constructively in order to enhance personal growth and improve relationships. She explains that conflict is often avoided out of fear of rejection, causing harm or escalating a situation. However, avoiding conflict leads to deterioration of relationships and mental health. She introduces a three-step frame...

Mastering Assertiveness: Demystifying the Fine Line between Assertiveness and Aggression In this episode of the Leadership Prescription Podcast for Women Physicians, host Dr. Asha Padmanabhan explores the oft-misunderstood concept of assertiveness. She dispels myths associating it with aggression and explains how it is actually rooted in respectful communication. Assertiveness, according to Dr. As...

Strategically Handling Difficult Conversations: A Three-Step Framework In this episode of Leadership RX for Women Physicians, Dr. Asha Padmanabhan, the host and anesthesiologist, physician leader, and founder of Leadership RX coaching, discusses the challenges of navigating difficult conversations. She provides a simple three-step framework — preparation, execution, and follow-up — to handle such...

This episode is back to my interview series of inspiring women physician leaders. Dr. Martha Rodriguez is one such leader I have known for several years. At the time of this recording several months ago, Dr. Rodriguez owned and operated her private practice at a state-of-the-art facility she coined, MMR Healthcare. Her field of specialty is geriatric care and making patients' golden years shi...

As a dedicated female physician, you're no stranger to the challenges that come your way. The demands of your profession can often lead to setbacks and obstacles that can leave you feeling drained and defeated. In this episode, join me, Dr. Asha Padmanabhan, as we embark on a journey to supercharge your resilience, empowering you to build unwavering strength and wisdom in navigating setbacks....

In the demanding world of female physicians, burnout and exhaustion often take a toll. In this episode, Dr. Asha dives into the journey of emotional resilience, highlighting the significance of acknowledging our burdens and granting ourselves permission to prioritize well-being. The concept of resilience might feel worn-out, but there's more to learn, especially in our profession. Discover ho...

Struggling to find the perfect work-life balance?  As a physician juggling clinical, administrative responsibilities, and mom duties, I felt constantly off balance.  The perpetual mom-guilt and physician guilt haunted me whenever I prioritized one over the other.  But through a coaching exercise, I learned that work-life balance is unique to each individual—no one-size-fits-all approach.  Join me...

 In this episode Dr. Asha shares her personal journey of trying to fit into a mold as an introverted and soft-spoken female physician in a leadership role. Realizing that conforming to societal expectations wasn't working, she embarked on a path of embracing her true self and discovered the power of leading authentically. Dr. Asha highlights three key takeaways from her experience. Firstly, s...

Are you ready to take control of your life and transform your well-being? Discover the power of radical personal responsibility in this episode as Dr. Asha explores the concept of owning your emotions and choices She shares her own journey of understanding this concept and realizing that she could only control her own reactions, not others'. Dr. Asha reflects on the realization that she alone...

Setting goals for the New Year or periodically during the year is an exciting activity because we feel we are resetting and starting with a clear sense of direction and purpose. But often, although we start off with great intentions, we fall off halfway through the month for a variety of reasons. I know, because I have followed the same pattern over and over, with not just New Year Resolutions but...

Do you look at sportsmen and their coaches and wish you had someone one like that by your side to help you hone your strengths and work on your weaknesses? Or do you feel like sometimes you are not even aware of your weaknesses but somehow you know hat you could be so much better if someone only told you how? I've been a runner for a couple of years, and it took a stranger stopping me by the...

Most people I know want to improve their relationships by being able to manage conflict better, and thereby reduce their stress.  A high EQ has been shown to help in this area. By now most people know what EQ or Emotional Intelligence Quotient is and why it so important to succeed in every area of our lives. In this episode, I talk about EQ and what it means, and about PQ, the Positive Intelligenc...

Do men and women physicians get paid differently? Some would say yes. Some would categorically deny that such a thing exists. Like most things, I suspect the answer is somewhere in between.  That it does exist in many practices, and there may be some that are very fair. How would you know?  And what can you do about it? In this episode, I talk about 7 things I wish I had known at the beginning of...

Conflict is a part of our everyday life, no matter who we are. Some of us handle conflict head on, while most of us (like me) hate it and would do anything to avoid it until it becomes unavoidable. The able to manage conflict effectively is a key skill to learn, not just for leaders, but also in every day life. In this episode, I talk about how I went from running away from conflict to being able...

Continuing the journey we began a few weeks ago, this week's episode takes you through the next steps of becoming the Master of your own mind. The most powerful gift I have ever been given is this one: being taught how to manage my mind and be responsible for my happiness and success. In this episode you will learn about the three muscles of Mental Fitness and how to get started in your own M...

"Self-sabotaging, self-gaslighting, inner critic" these are all terms we are intimately familiar with. Those incredibly damaging voices that many times we consider to be the absolute truth, those voices that can be sometimes sneaky, sometimes loud, those voices that can sabotage our happiness and our potential greatness. In this episode, I talk about these voices, these Saboteurs in our...

There are days when I walk into the hospital upbeat and ready to go. And then there are days when I feel like I am dragging myself in. When it’s a struggle to get out of the car and go in, not knowing what I will face that day. And dreading it. What I have found is that the days that I walk in to work in positive frame of mind tend to go a lot smoother.  Fortunately for me, I have trained my menta...

Do you feel as if you live in a constant state of underlying stress?  Do your shoulders and neck muscles feel so tight that no matter how many massages you get, they only provide temporary relief? Why do you think you are so stressed out? The circumstances of your work? Your life? The people all around you? And how can you help yourself feel less stressed even if everything around you is chaotic?...