Healthcare Leadership Excellence

Karl Pister
  • 5.0 (7)
  • 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 222: Compassion, Conflict, and Creating a Career That Fits with Dr. Rob Orman

    In this episode, I welcome back Dr. Rob Orman for another conversation about his book, Supranormal, and the mindset and practices that help healthcare professionals thrive in demanding careers. We begin by exploring the difference between empathy and compassion, and why caring for others doesn't mean taking ownership of their outcomes. Dr. Orman introduces the drama triangle and explains how stepping outside the roles of hero, victim, and villain can lead to more productive conversations, particularly when emotions are running high. We also discuss the importance of preparing ourselves mentally for difficult interactions. From practicing compassion and patience to recognizing when logic isn't what an emotional situation needs, Dr. Orman shares practical ways to respond more thoughtfully under pressure. Our conversation then turns to career satisfaction and the idea of treating our work and lives as ongoing experiments. Rather than accepting a career exactly as it's handed to us, Dr. Orman encourages us to make intentional adjustments that better align with our needs, priorities, and values. It's a thoughtful conversation about managing ourselves, caring for others, and creating a career that is not only sustainable but deeply fulfilling. 👉  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. 👉 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. 4d ago

    Episode 221: Beyond the Conflict: Listening, Empathy, and Building Trust with Kim Best

    In this episode, I welcome back Kim Best, founder of Best Conflict Solutions, for another conversation about the practical skills leaders need to navigate conflict and build stronger relationships. We explore why finding common ground can be so difficult, especially when emotions are running high. Kim explains why leaders need to recognize the emotions behind people's reactions and how slowing down, listening, and asking better questions can prevent difficult conversations from escalating. We also discuss the difference between listening and giving advice. Too often, leaders rush to solve problems before fully understanding them. Kim shares practical ways to listen more effectively, avoid labeling people as difficult, and create an environment where people feel heard and respected. Our conversation also touches on the damage gossip can do to organizational trust, the importance of empathy in leadership, and how anger can reveal underlying concerns that need attention. We explore simple approaches to communicating more effectively, including finding constructive alternatives when saying no. Throughout our discussion, one message becomes clear: conflict resolution is a skill that can be learned and strengthened through practice. Leaders who develop these skills are better equipped to build trust, improve collaboration, and guide their teams through challenging situations. 👉  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. 👉 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.

  3. Oct 12

    Episode 220: The Human Side of Leadership with Claudia Crist

    In this episode, I sit down with Claudia Crist, a healthcare executive and leadership consultant with more than 30 years of experience, to discuss leading through change, building resilience, and creating workplaces where people want to stay. Claudia shares lessons from her leadership journey, including navigating the challenges of COVID-19 while leading a mental health clinic in Hawaii. We discuss why constant change takes a toll on employees and how leaders can help their teams manage stress, uncertainty, and the pressures of today's workplace. We also explore the challenges of transitioning from frontline employee to leadership. Claudia explains why promoting talented individuals without preparing them for leadership can lead to frustration, burnout, and turnover. She emphasizes the importance of mentorship, leadership development, and investing in people before problems arise. A key part of our conversation focuses on employee engagement and retention. Claudia shares practical leadership practices, including spending time with employees, listening to their concerns, following through on commitments, and building trust across generations. Our conversation is a reminder that strong organizations are built through consistent leadership practices, genuine relationships, and a commitment to helping people succeed. 👉  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. 👉 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.

  4. Oct 8

    Episode 219: Breaking Limiting Beliefs and Raising the Standard with Paul Martinelli

    In this episode, I welcome my longtime mentor and coach, Paul Martinelli, for a conversation about personal growth, self-limiting beliefs, discipline, and leadership. Paul's influence on my own development over the past decade has been significant, and I'm pleased to share some of his wisdom with our listeners. We begin by exploring the beliefs that hold us back, including the inner critic Paul calls “Norm.” He explains how our self-image, past experiences, and fear of failure can quietly influence our decisions and keep us from reaching our potential. We also discuss the seven levels of awareness and why recognizing the need for change is only the beginning. Paul shares how discipline, experience, and personal responsibility help us move beyond good intentions and turn growth into meaningful action. Our conversation then turns to leadership, particularly the importance of setting and maintaining high standards. Paul explains why leadership is influence, why people need to feel heard before they will listen, and how addressing small issues early can prevent much larger problems. Paul reminds us that growth requires more than knowledge or ambition. It takes a willingness to challenge our thinking, hold ourselves accountable, and consistently raise the standards we live and lead by. 👉  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. 👉 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.

  5. Oct 5

    Episode 218: Building Superteams with Dr. Ron Friedman

    In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ron Friedman, social psychologist and author of Superteams, to explore what separates exceptional teams from average ones. His research, which surveyed more than 6,000 workers, found that the strongest teams get more done, make one another better, and continuously look for ways to improve. We discuss why experimentation and intelligent risk-taking are essential for growth, and how leaders can create an environment where mistakes become opportunities to learn rather than something people feel they need to hide. Dr. Friedman also shares practical ideas for improving meetings, giving feedback, handling disagreement, and building stronger relationships across a team. A particularly useful question for leaders is simple: “Where are we stuck?” Instead of spending meetings reporting progress, teams can use that time to solve the problems that actually need attention. We also talk about the importance of leaders rolling up their sleeves, supporting the growth of their people, creating space for focused thinking, and sharing credit with those whose contributions can easily go unnoticed. This conversation is filled with research-backed ideas leaders can put into practice immediately to build teams that perform at a higher level while helping the people around them become better. 👉  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. 👉 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.

  6. Oct 1

    Episode 217: Beyond the Surface: Better Conversations with Kim Best (Part 2)

    In this episode, I welcome back Kim Best, founder of Best Conflict Solutions, for part two of our conversation on practical ways to navigate conflict. Kim brings decades of experience in healthcare, mediation, and conflict management, and we explore several ideas from her Conflict Conversation Cards. We discuss why disagreement does not have to mean opposition, why people often avoid difficult conversations in the name of keeping the peace, and the importance of separating the person from the problem. Kim also explains the “anger iceberg”—the idea that anger often sits on top of deeper feelings such as fear, rejection, overwhelm, or feeling unheard. We talk about slowing down long enough to understand what may actually be happening beneath someone’s reaction. The conversation also explores the stories we create when we do not have all the information, our tendency to label people as difficult, and why listening requires more than simply waiting for our turn to speak. We close with two especially important reminders: impact matters even when our intentions are good, and when we do not know someone’s motives, choosing a more generous assumption can protect both the relationship and the conversation. It’s another practical conversation about becoming more thoughtful, curious, and disciplined when conflict shows up. 👉  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. 👉 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.

  7. Sep 28

    Episode 216: Evicting Doubt and Leading Through Conflict with Stan Lewis

    In this episode, I sit down with Stan Lewis, former federal investigator and mediator and author of Evict the Doubts That Have Been Squatting Rent Free in Your Mind, for a conversation about servant leadership, conflict, and the doubts that can keep leaders from moving forward. Stan draws from nearly 700 mediated cases to explain why people become stuck in conflict. We discuss the importance of listening beyond the words, asking better questions, understanding different behavioral styles, and helping people focus less on being right and more on finding a path forward. We also explore what servant leadership really looks like. It isn't about being soft or avoiding accountability. It is about showing people that you are for them, supporting them, and creating an environment where they can do their best work. Our conversation closes with an issue I see frequently in healthcare: talented people being promoted into leadership without being taught how to lead. Stan shares why leadership training, coaching conversations, and intentionally supporting your people matter when moving from colleague to leader. This is a practical conversation about addressing conflict, moving beyond self-doubt, and becoming the kind of leader people know is genuinely in their corner. 👉  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. 👉 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.

  8. Sep 24

    Episode 215: Slow Down to Lead Better with Dr. Brandon Fielding

    In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Brandon Fielding to explore the connection between how leaders think, react, and interact with the people around them. Dr. Fielding brings experience in psychotherapy, executive coaching, and organizational leadership. We discuss how that clinical background helps him recognize the patterns that can influence a leader’s behavior, while keeping coaching focused on performance, relationships, and growth. We also explore what happens when leaders move outside their “window of tolerance.” Dr. Fielding explains how stress and perceived threats can push us toward reaction instead of thoughtful action and why learning to recognize those signals and slow down can make us more effective leaders. Our conversation turns to new leaders, particularly in healthcare, who are promoted because they are exceptional at their craft but suddenly find themselves needing an entirely different set of skills. Awareness, emotional regulation, trust, and the ability to navigate difficult conversations become just as important as technical expertise. Dr. Fielding leaves us with two practical reminders: slow down and set boundaries. Leadership is not about managing everyone else’s emotions. It starts with managing your own response so you can show up with greater clarity and intention. 👉  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. 👉 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.

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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.

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