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 199: Conflict, Assumptions, and the Conversations That Matter with Dr. Jason Kuhl

    In this episode, I welcome back Dr. Jason Kuhl, Chief Medical Officer at Providence Medford Medical Center, for a conversation about conflict, communication, and leadership. Using a set of conflict-resolution cards created by mediator Kimberly Best, we explore practical ways leaders can navigate difficult conversations more effectively. We begin with the idea of choosing generous assumptions and why assuming good intent creates space for understanding rather than judgment. Through real-world examples, we discuss how curiosity, humility, and thoughtful questions can help de-escalate tense situations and keep conversations productive. We also talk about apologies, misunderstandings, and feedback. Dr. Kuhl shares why apologizing for the impact of a message can be different from apologizing for the action itself, and how simple questions like, “Tell me what you heard,” can uncover misunderstandings before they become larger conflicts. Another key theme is the difference between disagreement and opposition. We discuss why healthy teams make room for differing perspectives, how leaders can create cultures where people feel safe speaking up, and why strong relationships are often the foundation of productive conflict. The takeaway is simple: conflict is not something leaders should avoid. When approached with curiosity, respect, and a willingness to listen, it can become one of the most powerful tools for learning, growth, and better decision-making. 👉  Download The Leader’s Ultimate Guide to Difficult Conversations, a practical framework for entering difficult conversations with clarity, discipline, and influence. 👉 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.

    40 min

  2. Jun 8

    Episode 198: Compound Expertise, Critical Thinking, and Leading in the Age of AI with Tara Austraat-Churik

    In this episode, I sit down with Tara Austraat-Churik, a healthcare and life sciences leader whose career has spanned consulting, pharmaceuticals, clinical research, AI, and organizational transformation. We discuss the importance of critical thinking in leadership and why many organizations spend too much time solving symptoms instead of root causes. Tara shares practical approaches for defining problems more effectively, creating space for deeper thinking, and avoiding the trap of constant reaction mode. We also explore self-leadership, the challenges of leading across generations, and what younger professionals need most from today's leaders. Tara offers insights on mentorship, career development, and building environments where people can grow and contribute at a higher level. A significant part of our conversation focuses on artificial intelligence. We discuss how leaders can use AI as a tool without outsourcing their judgment, where healthcare may see the greatest impact, and why critical thinking, communication, and human connection will remain essential skills regardless of technological change. Finally, Tara introduces the concept of compound expertise—the idea that combining experiences across multiple disciplines can create unique value and open new opportunities in an increasingly uncertain future. 👉  Download The Leader’s Ultimate Guide to Difficult Conversations, a practical framework for entering difficult conversations with clarity, discipline, and influence. 👉 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.

    49 min

  3. Jun 1

    Episode 197: Leadership, Integrity, and the Moral Compass with Jay Youell

    In this episode, I sit down again with my longtime mentor and friend, Jay Youell. Jay was actually the very first guest on this podcast, and after nearly 200 episodes, I wanted to return to someone who had a tremendous influence on both my leadership and my life. We talk about integrity, trust, listening, and the importance of having a moral compass. Jay reflects on lessons from his father, how his faith transformed the way he leads, and why honoring your word still matters. He also shares practical wisdom on handling conflict, slowing conversations down, and truly listening to people instead of simply waiting to respond. A major theme throughout the conversation is culture. From leadership to cowboying to surfing to relationships, Jay explains how respect, consistency, humility, and humanity shape the environments we create around us. Toward the end, Jay offers guidance for younger leaders on choosing the right influences, managing priorities, and staying grounded in values that last over time. This was a deeply personal conversation for me, and one I believe will stay with listeners long after it ends. 👉  Download The Leader’s Ultimate Guide to Difficult Conversations, a practical framework for entering difficult conversations with clarity, discipline, and influence. 👉 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

  4. May 25

    Episode 196: Influence Under Pressure with Dr. Jason Kuhl

    In this episode, I sit down again with Dr. Jason Kuhl to talk through one of the most important leadership skills: how to handle conflict when the stakes are high. We discuss why tough conversations often go sideways, especially when people feel rushed, defensive, or unheard. Dr. Kuhl and I talk about the need to slow the process down, name the tension in the room, and create enough safety for people to think clearly. We also explore the importance of preparation before difficult meetings. Leaders cannot just walk into conflict and hope it goes well. They need to understand the people, the motivations, the emotions, and the real problem underneath the surface. A key takeaway is that psychological safety is not the absence of threat. It is the presence of relationship. When leaders build trust before the meeting, they have a much better chance of guiding people through tension when it matters most. The conversation is practical, honest, and full of reminders that influence under pressure starts with preparation, curiosity, humility, and the willingness to slow down long enough to get it right. 👉  Download The Leader’s Ultimate Guide to Difficult Conversations, a practical framework for entering difficult conversations with clarity, discipline, and influence. 👉 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.

    56 min

  5. May 18

    Episode 195: Learning From the Preventioneers with Dr. Barry Davis (Part 2)

    In this episode, I continue my conversation with Dr. Barry Davis, physician, prevention scientist, and author of The Preventioneers. Dr. Davis shares more of the stories behind the people who recognized preventable harm and pushed through enormous resistance to create change. We begin by discussing auto safety and the doctors who first connected the injuries they were seeing in hospitals to the need for safer car design. Dr. Davis explains how ideas like seat belts, safer dashboards, and structural protections faced years of resistance before eventually becoming standard. A major part of our conversation centers on persistence. Whether discussing public health, smoking, or hypertension research, Dr. Davis highlights a common pattern: people resisted change until enough evidence, communication, and persistence finally broke through. We also talk about curiosity and why progress often begins when someone notices that “something is off” and refuses to ignore it. Dr. Davis explains that many breakthroughs in prevention started with people simply paying close attention to repeated problems and asking better questions. We close with a discussion on suicide prevention and the importance of intervening early, creating barriers to harm, and recognizing that even small interruptions can save lives. The takeaway from this episode is that prevention rarely starts with certainty. It starts with curiosity, persistence, and people willing to challenge what others accept as normal. 👉  Download The Leader’s Ultimate Guide to Difficult Conversations, a practical framework for entering difficult conversations with clarity, discipline, and influence. 👉 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.

    31 min

  6. May 11

    Episode 194: Preventing Harm Before It Becomes a Crisis with Dr. Barry Davis (Part 1)

    In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Barry R. Davis, physician, prevention scientist, and author of The Preventioneers. Dr. Davis has spent decades studying how problems develop and what leaders can do before those problems become disasters. We talk about why most major failures begin with smaller warning signs that people either miss or ignore. Dr. Davis explains the process of recognizing harm, gathering evidence, understanding causes, and building systems that help prevent the same issue from happening again. We also discuss critical thinking, resistance to change, and why people often hold tightly to old systems even when the evidence points in a different direction. A major part of our conversation focuses on the stories inside his book, including Benjamin Franklin’s work in fire prevention and Ignaz Semmelweis’ early discovery that handwashing dramatically reduced deaths during childbirth. Both stories reveal the same leadership challenges: observation, persistence, communication, and resistance from others who do not want to change. The larger takeaway is this: prevention usually starts small. It begins with someone paying attention, asking better questions, and having the courage to act before the larger crisis develops. 👉  Download The Leader’s Ultimate Guide to Difficult Conversations, a practical framework for entering difficult conversations with clarity, discipline, and influence. 👉 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.

    32 min

  7. May 4

    Episode 193: The Influence Equation and Understanding Resistance with Stevenson Carlebach

    In this episode, I sit down with Stevenson Carlebach, a faculty member with Harvard’s Program on Negotiation, to talk about what’s really happening when people resist. We begin with his path from theater into negotiation work. What stands out is how closely those worlds connect, both are about understanding behavior and how people respond under pressure. A core idea we explore is resistance. Stevenson explains that resistance is not stubbornness, it’s a protective reaction. When someone hears a proposal, they are asking: Does this make sense? Does it meet my interests? Do I trust this person? If the answer to any of those is no, resistance shows up. Most of us respond by pushing harder, which only makes it worse. This leads into the Influence Equation. Influence is not just about the strength of your ideas, but your ability to understand and reduce the other person’s resistance. That shift moves you from arguing to getting curious. We also talk about positions versus interests. People argue over what they want, but the real work is understanding why they want it. Until you get to that level, you stay stuck. A big part of that comes down to listening. Not listening to respond, but listening to understand what’s driving the other person. Most people think they do this, but they don’t. The takeaway is straightforward: conflict moves when you understand what’s underneath the resistance, not when you push harder. 👉  Download The Leader’s Ultimate Guide to Difficult Conversations, a practical framework for entering difficult conversations with clarity, discipline, and influence. 👉 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.

    42 min

  8. Apr 27

    Episode 192: Being Right vs. Being Effective with Dr. Jason Kuhl

    In this episode, I sit down again with Dr. Jason Kuhl, Chief Medical Officer at Providence Medford Medical Center and a returning voice on the podcast. Our conversation centers on real-world scenarios, situations leaders face every day, and how to navigate them with judgment, awareness, and discipline. We begin with a simple but powerful idea: being right is not the same as being effective. Dr. Kuhl shares a moment where a physician raised valid concerns, but the tone and delivery were working against any real resolution. That leads us into a deeper discussion on emotional intelligence, what it actually looks like in practice and why it determines whether you keep your seat at the table. From there, we explore how strong leaders handle tension. Instead of reacting with judgment, Dr. Kuhl emphasizes curiosity. Asking better questions, assuming good intent, and recognizing that many issues that look like individual mistakes are often system failures underneath. We also talk about restraint in leadership. In high-stakes environments, the instinct is often to move quickly and assign blame. But Dr. Kuhl makes the case for slowing down, validating the facts, and protecting both people and process before jumping to conclusions. The conversation closes with a broader look at culture and how leaders create environments where people can speak openly, handle pressure, and still treat others with respect. The takeaway is this: strong leaders don’t just aim to be right, but they aim to be effective, thoughtful, and intentional in how they lead. 👉  Download The Leader’s Ultimate Guide to Difficult Conversations, a practical framework for entering difficult conversations with clarity, discipline, and influence. 👉 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
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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

  • Creator
    Karl Pister
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    204
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Healthcare Leadership Excellence
  • Show Website
    Healthcare Leadership Excellence

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