Healthcare Leadership Excellence

Karl Pister
  • 5.0 (6)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Healthcare Leadership Excellence podcast was created to share valuable insights around leadership, communication, emotional intelligence and conflict resolution. Karl Pister, with over 30 years of coaching experience, is a passionate advocate of excellent and influential leadership. In each episode, Karl discusses real-life leadership challenges through the lenses of outstanding healthcare professionals. He is committed to empowering every healthcare leader lead with integrity, excellence, and inspiration.

  1. 1D AGO

    Episode 180: Questions That Shape Leaders with Rick Burris

    In this episode, I sit down with someone I genuinely admire, Rick Burris, founder of Leaders Fuel and author of Leaders Fuel Daily. Rick and I go back several years, and every time we talk, I walk away sharper. This conversation centers around something deceptively simple: questions. Rick shares how reflective questions became the foundation of his work. Not as clever prompts, but as tools for clarity, alignment, and growth. We talk about how leaders can move from gathering more information to developing deeper insight. We unpack the difference between perception and perspective and why your “map” is never the territory. We also tackle a timely topic: AI. Rick introduces his practical “30-40-30” approach: you lead with 30% context, let AI assist with 40%, and then you refine the final 30%. The message is clear: AI is a tool, not an oracle. Leaders must stay in charge of their thinking. One of the strongest moments in this episode is Rick’s challenge around success and peace: "Where have you been building success at the expense of peace? What would shift if peace became part of your strategy not just your reward?" For leaders in healthcare, especially those who are driven, accomplished, and action-biased, this question lands. We close with a reminder that excellence is not a destination. It’s a continuous journey. Lifelong learning matters. Listening matters. And peace matters just as much as performance. This episode is one you may want to revisit, preferably with pen and paper. Get in touch with Rick: https://www.leadersfuel.com/contact Subscribe to Karl’s Leadership Writing. 👉 Who is Karl Pister? 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn. 👉 Have access to leadership materials that will level up your game. 👉 Contact us on our website. 👉 Subscribe to Karl's YouTube channel. Ready to level up your leadership skills? Sign up for The Coaching Group's leadership courses.

    45 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Episode 179: Responding Under Pressure with Dr. Rob Orman

    In this episode, I sit down again with my friend and what may soon be our “periodic co-host,” Dr. Rob Orman. Rob is a physician, coach, and host of the Stimulus Podcast, and he works extensively with physicians facing burnout, behavioral challenges, and high-stakes pressure. We focus on one central idea: how to expand the space between stimulus and response. So many talented clinicians and leaders aren’t struggling with competence, they’re struggling with reactivity. Rob walks us through practical, research-backed tools for regaining control under pressure, including objective self-observation instead of forced positive affirmations, performance-based visualization that improves technical precision, and the intentional use of cue words to anchor calm focus. We also explore what Rob calls “state gratitude”. Not a personality trait, but a deliberate shift in the moment that reduces limbic activation and lowers stress response. For leaders in healthcare, especially those operating in emotionally intense environments, this is not soft thinking; it is physiology. We close by discussing breathwork. Specifically, the one-to-two inhale/exhale ratio through the nose, as a direct way to downregulate the nervous system when thinking alone isn’t enough. This conversation is about maturity under pressure, about responding rather than reacting, and about building the internal discipline that high-stakes leadership demands. Subscribe to Karl’s Leadership Writing. 👉 Who is Karl Pister? 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn. 👉 Have access to leadership materials that will level up your game. 👉 Contact us on our website. 👉 Subscribe to Karl's YouTube channel. Ready to level up your leadership skills? Sign up for The Coaching Group's leadership courses.

    37 min

  3. FEB 23

    Episode 178: Be a Gardener, Not a Hero with Lee Angus

    In this episode, I sit down with Lee Angus, President of Medi Leadership, a firm that has spent the last 25 years coaching healthcare executives in one of the most complex leadership environments in the world. Lee’s journey is not a straight line. With a master’s in accountancy from Brigham Young University, he began at Deloitte auditing and implementing SAP systems, watching firsthand how leaders either created the conditions for integration or sabotaged it. He saw something early in his career that has stayed with him ever since: you can build the best system in the world, but if leaders don’t prepare the culture for change, it will not work. We talk about what healthcare leaders can do today to lead more effectively. Many rise through technical excellence with little formal leadership training. Lee argues that the first shift is intentionality. In an environment that forces leaders into constant “heads down” reactivity, they must deliberately create “heads up” space to think strategically. Without it, leadership becomes survival mode. We also explore the danger of overused strengths. The expertise that got you promoted can limit your influence if you rely on it too heavily. Lee contrasts the “heroic leader,” who believes they must have the answer, with the “gardener leader,” who cultivates conditions, experiments, and builds coordinated movement in complex systems. If you are a technically excellent leader who has suddenly found yourself responsible for people, culture, and coordination across silos, this conversation will challenge your assumptions and give you practical ways to lead differently. Subscribe to Karl’s Leadership Writing. 👉 Who is Karl Pister? 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn. 👉 Have access to leadership materials that will level up your game. 👉 Contact us on our website. 👉 Subscribe to Karl's YouTube channel. Ready to level up your leadership skills? Sign up for The Coaching Group's leadership courses.

    39 min

  4. FEB 19

    Episode 177: Please the Purpose, Not the People with Dr. Leo Spector

    In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Leo Spector, practicing surgeon and CEO of OrthoCarolina, to talk about what happens when physicians step into real leadership. Dr. Spector shares his path from the OR to the executive seat, why he pursued an MBA, and what it feels like to learn administration the same way we learn medicine: through a kind of internship and residency in real time. We get into the hard parts quickly: how to invite younger physicians into leadership when they don’t want “extra stuff,” how to engage smart people without chasing consensus, and how to make decisions that half the room may dislike. Dr. Spector lays out a simple anchor that keeps him steady: please the purpose, not the people. We also unpack why good leaders protect the decision-making process—clear problem definition, real input, transparent criteria—because outcomes can get hit by factors you can’t control, but a strong process is repeatable. Dr. Spector also talks candidly about ego, people-pleasing, and the need for thicker skin. We explore what a real apology looks like (no rationalizing, no defense), how trust is built with peers who can match you step for step, and why emotional intelligence is not “soft”, it’s the foundation for self-awareness, reading the room, and leading humans who bring their whole lives to work. Finally, we address a real tension in healthcare today: the OR demands command mode at times, but people can still feel unsafe. Dr. Spector offers practical guidance on how surgeons lead firmly for the patient in the moment and then circle back after to check in, reset, and keep the team intact. Subscribe to Karl’s Leadership Writing. 👉 Who is Karl Pister? 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn. 👉 Have access to leadership materials that will level up your game. 👉 Contact us on our website. 👉 Subscribe to Karl's YouTube channel. Ready to level up your leadership skills? Sign up for The Coaching Group's leadership courses.

    47 min

  5. FEB 16

    Episode 176: Emotional Intelligence in the Age of AI with Dr. Joseph Michelli

    In this episode, I welcome back Dr. Joseph Michelli for the fifth time, and we focus on a topic that explains a huge percentage of leadership breakdowns I see in real organizations: emotional intelligence. Dr. Michelli and I talk about why EI is still treated as “soft” even though it solves the hard problems of miscommunication, defensiveness, mistrust, stalled execution, and unresolved conflict. We get specific about what emotional intelligence actually is: regulating personal emotions, reading the emotions of others, and using both to improve the relationship and reach a shared goal. We also talk about how AI is already reading sentiment and behavior at a level that keeps advancing, which means leaders have to double down on what makes humans effective: presence, empathy, and the ability to stay grounded under pressure. Dr. Michelli gives clear coaching for common leadership traps: using introversion as an excuse to avoid people skills, hiding behind “I don’t have time to develop others,” and confusing emotional intelligence with people-pleasing. He calls it what it is—compassionate assertiveness—not aggression, and not being a doormat. We also walk through practical language leaders can use immediately: noticing behavior without accusing, asking for help interpreting what you’re seeing, and aligning words with actions so commitments don’t quietly die after the meeting ends. We close with how EI helps in high-conflict moments, managing the body’s stress response, lowering the heat, and guiding the conversation toward something constructive instead of escalating it. If you want to follow Dr. Michelli’s work, he shares how to connect with him on LinkedIn and access his newsletter, where he regularly writes on leadership, AI, and the human side of customer and patient experience. Dr. Michelli's LinkedIn Subscribe to Karl’s Leadership Writing. 👉 Who is Karl Pister? 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn. 👉 Have access to leadership materials that will level up your game. 👉 Contact us on our website. 👉 Subscribe to Karl's YouTube channel. Ready to level up your leadership skills? Sign up for The Coaching Group's leadership courses.

    2 min

  6. FEB 12

    Episode 175: Worth, Wealth, and Leadership with Nancy Griffin

    In this episode, I sit down with Nancy Griffin, founder of Women Worth and Wellness. Nancy began her career as one of the first female managers at Procter & Gamble Canada and later built a successful wealth management practice focused on women. We talk about the connection between financial confidence and self-worth band why health and wealth are leadership issues, not side conversations. When leaders have clarity around their health, finances, and long-term plan, they lead with greater confidence and steadiness. Nancy introduces the shift from compete, to collaborate, to co-create. Competing is common. Collaboration is better. But co-creation—starting with the ultimate goal and working backward together—changes how silos dissolve, and influence grows. We also address “tall poppy syndrome,” especially for new leaders who suddenly find themselves isolated or criticized. Nancy’s advice is direct: hold your ground, protect your health, stay kind, find a mentor, and keep going. This conversation is about worth, influence, and the long game of leadership. If you’re stepping into a bigger role or trying to lead with more confidence there’s something here for you. Subscribe to Karl’s Leadership Writing. 👉 Who is Karl Pister? 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn. 👉 Have access to leadership materials that will level up your game. 👉 Contact us on our website. 👉 Subscribe to Karl's YouTube channel. Ready to level up your leadership skills? Sign up for The Coaching Group's leadership courses.

    41 min

  7. FEB 9

    Episode 174: Why Communication Fails Even When Everyone Agrees with Dr. Laura Sicola

    In this episode, I sit down with Laura Sicola, author of Speaking to Influence, to talk about something I hear in almost every organization: “We need to communicate better.” Everyone agrees. Everyone nods. And then everyone goes back to the same habits. Laura and I dig into why communication so often misses the mark, especially in healthcare environments where people are tired, rushed, and under real pressure. We talk about the illusion that communication has occurred, and why what you intend to say often has very little to do with what people actually hear. We explore the expert’s curse, how deep expertise can work against you and the habit many leaders fall into of talking to themselves while other people are in the room. If you’ve ever left a meeting wondering how the message got twisted, this will feel familiar. We also get into executive presence. What it really is, why it matters, and how leaders can develop it. Laura offers practical ways to see how you’re actually coming across, not how you think you are, and we talk candidly about the double standard many women face in leadership. We close with a reframing of branding for healthcare leaders. Laura offers a definition worth sitting with: a brand is the promise of an experience, consistently delivered. This is an episode you’ll want to listen to more than once, with ideas you can use immediately in meetings, huddles, and the conversations that matter most. Subscribe to Karl’s Leadership Writing. 👉 Who is Karl Pister? 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn. 👉 Have access to leadership materials that will level up your game. 👉 Contact us on our website. 👉 Subscribe to Karl's YouTube channel. Ready to level up your leadership skills? Sign up for The Coaching Group's leadership courses.

    38 min

  8. FEB 5

    Episode 173: Leading Conflict Instead of Avoiding It with Dr. Jason Kuhl

    In this episode, I sit down again with Dr. Jason Kuhl, Chief Medical Officer at Providence Medford Medical Center, to talk about something every healthcare leader faces: conflict, and how to lead it instead of avoiding it. I open with a moment that’s stayed with me for years: watching Dr. Kuhl navigate a tense physician call with calm, discipline, and persistence until the right outcome happened. It’s a clear example of what this episode is about. Conflict isn’t the exception in healthcare, it’s part of the job. The real question is how leaders show up when it happens. We talk about why conflict often comes with change, why avoiding it erodes trust, and why healthy organizations don’t eliminate conflict, they use it to build clarity and alignment. Dr. Kuhl shares how trust is built long before conflict appears, why preparation and curiosity matter, and how separating the problem from the person changes everything. We also dig into practical leadership tools: slowing conversations down, creating space for hard discussions, and using shared agreements to reduce friction over time. Dr. Kuhl explains why compassion, authenticity, and grace aren’t soft ideas, but cultural foundations that directly affect performance and patient care. If conflict is something you’re facing or something you’ve been putting off, this conversation offers a grounded, realistic way forward. Subscribe to Karl’s Leadership Writing. 👉 Who is Karl Pister? 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn. 👉 Have access to leadership materials that will level up your game. 👉 Contact us on our website. 👉 Subscribe to Karl's YouTube channel. Ready to level up your leadership skills? Sign up for The Coaching Group's leadership courses.

    38 min
See All (185)

Trailer

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The Healthcare Leadership Excellence podcast was created to share valuable insights around leadership, communication, emotional intelligence and conflict resolution. Karl Pister, with over 30 years of coaching experience, is a passionate advocate of excellent and influential leadership. In each episode, Karl discusses real-life leadership challenges through the lenses of outstanding healthcare professionals. He is committed to empowering every healthcare leader lead with integrity, excellence, and inspiration.

Information

You Might Also Like