Category Leadership

The Meeting That Had No Idea Why It Existed

Meetings without a clear purpose are a waste

Physicians already run superb meetings. A code has a leader, defined roles, one goal, and a decision at the end. So does morning rounds. So does tumor board. Then the same physician walks into a 2 p.m. committee meeting and forgets all of it.

This post tells the story of a clinic executive committee that met for years without anyone asking what it was for. It had no governance structure, no minutes, and made no real decisions — and when it kept running over, the group solved the problem by making the meeting longer.

Meetings earn their place on the calendar only when they do a specific job. Name the purpose before you gather the people.

A Short Note and a Short Break

I’m not going to publish a post this week, and I may not for a couple of weeks after that. My father passed away this week. I’ve built this blog around a belief that leadership and communication mean nothing if…

Leading Peers: How to Influence People Who Don’t Report to You

Leadership is about influence, not about authority

When I became chief resident 25 years ago, the title came with a $1,000 a year increase in stipend and authority over the call schedule — yet I still spent the year asking peers for favors. That paradox opens a hard truth about medicine: authority rarely works, even when you have it. Every physician is independently licensed, and replacing an unhappy one costs a fortune. So leaders at every level run on influence, not authority. Drawing on a spring-break scheduling standoff between two psychiatrists I once supervised, we see how to move people who don't have to move — asking before telling, letting facts speak, reframing the stakes, and let them find their way. And when influence fails? Protect the relationship and try a different key.

Why You Can’t Practice Your Speech Without Saying It Aloud

Someone told me they practiced their speech while walking their dog. "Do you say it out loud?" I asked. "No," they said. That's not practicing — that's thinking. Part 3 of the series about lessons I learned from my Toastmasters contest last year covers two lessons about preparation: practice aloud to find the words make you stumble, and rehearse with real people to find out if your message actually lands.

What Voice That Moves is Really About

Leadership in healthcare often feels harder than it should. Not because people don’t care, but because systems are complex, voices get lost, and good intentions collide. This post brings together the core ideas explored across Voice That Moves — communication, influence, hope, and agency — and explains why finding a clear leadership voice matters more than ever.

Why Chicago Bears Fans Cheered After a Loss: A Lesson For Leaders

Why would fans cheer after their team loses a playoff game? This post uses the Chicago Bears’ surprising season to explore a powerful leadership lesson about expectations, grit, and trust. When teams show heart and exceed expectations, fans stay committed even if trophies remain elusive. A story about sports, but really about leadership and culture.

What Doctors (Still) Have to Be Grateful For

In a time when healthcare feels harder than ever, gratitude may seem like a luxury. But for those who lead, heal, and care, it’s a lifeline. This Thanksgiving reflection shares what doctors (and all who work in healthcare) still have to be thankful for. It ends with a tip on the practice of gratitude in healthcare.