Coffee with Jim

Podcast #27 – Collaborating Differently in 2023

by Dr. Toyosi “Timi” Olutade Chief Medical Officer, UnityPoint Health-Trinity | In our discussion, Dr. Olutade’s soft-spoken, humble manner belies an inner strength that slowly shines through, revealing what has enabled his success: an intrinsic force to genuinely serve others first: “I try to offer dignity to families…I’ve cried with families.” Having lived in multiple cultures (Nigeria, Russia, the United States), Timi addresses diverse topics like COVID-care, ‘science deniers’ and the conflict in Russia/Ukraine. Through his unique life experience, we come to understand how he easily connects with others to lead his teams toward empathetic, high-quality patient care. (23 mins)

Podcast #26: The Rising Tide: Physician Women in Leadership

In this discussion, our expert panel kicks-off with a big-picture, data-driven view of why women physician leadership matters and what has minimized it in the past. Panelists’ subtopics include selfless leadership to maximize team effectiveness; institutional support; imposter syndrome, navigating a predominantly male workforce, understanding cultural expectations about women in the workplace, and the need for advocacy and male allyship. The panel wraps up with concrete tips that individuals can implement to maximize one's full workforce while increasing the success of women physician leaders in the future. (23 mins.)

Podcast #25: Lessons Post Presidency – Leadership Trust

by By Dr. Richard “Dick” Kovacs, Chief Medical Officer of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) | In our discussion, Dr. Kovacs reflects on lessons learned, not only as President of the ACC at the moment the pandemic spread like wildfire globally, but also navigating the months, and years, that followed. He wraps up with personal views on individual and organizational trust. (27 mins)

Podcast #24: Self-Observership and Vulnerability as Physician Leadership Strengths

by By Dr. Anu Lala, Associate Professor, Medicine, Cardiology and Population Health Science and Policy, Mount Sinai | In this powerful, interactive discussion, Dr. Anu Lala reminds us of a key message from Sanskit: “Be the witness to your thoughts”, as a way to be fully present, self-aware and grounded. Dr. Lala walks us through 6 strategies for creating an on-going sense of balance for physicians. She includes ways to minimize “monkey mind” and how to get back to personal fulfillment, greater effectiveness and wellness quicker. (21 mins)

Podcast #23: Humanizing the Touch Between Patient and Caregiver

by Dr. Hal Baker, Senior Vice President & Chief Digital & Chief Information Officer, Wellspan Health. | Where science and healing meet, that’s where Hal spends most of his strategic thinking time, to understand how patients and providers can effectively and empathetically interact. Ever humble, one would never know from Dr. Baker that he has been the recipient of four significant awards…including the most recent ‘Physician Executive of the Year’…listen in to learn more. (22 mins.)

#22 "Navigating the Informal Hierarchy of your Practice"

by Dr. Toniya Singh, humble, candid, internationally-known physician thought leader. Partner at St. Louis Heart and Vascular Cardiology. | A fascinating discussion about benevolent paternalism, gender stereotypes, power and influence within your practice culture, “back-room negotiating”, how to recognize and manage the Narcissist, addressing imposter syndrome, burnout, support structures and a summary of great leadership. “Trying to get it right, while not focusing on being right.” (21 mins.)

#21 “Re-imagining Rejuvenation and Recovery”

by By Dr. Irene Macyk, PhD, RN, Executive Director, Southside Hospital, Northwell | Irene takes us through those early pandemic days in Manhattan. Empty streets, refrigeration trucks at the hospitals, yet pots and pans could be heard clanging high above, celebrating healthcare workers each night. Irene shares a story about personal and team loss, how to inspire a team during uncertainty, as well as the optimism of “hope huddles” developed by her colleagues. She concludes with what makes a great healthcare leader today. (18 mins)

#20 “Resilience: How My Daughter Helped Me at the Mountaintop”

by By Dr. Nick Sutingco, Emergency Medicine Physician Leader, Virginia Emergency Medicine Associates (VEMA) and Inova Health. | Emergency medicine leader, Dr. Sutingco shares poignant leadership lessons about physician burnout and wellness, in one case facilitated by his ten-year old daughter’s observations. Nick acknowledges that everyone’s burnout experience is unique. Thus, filling others’ energy buckets is critical. In concluding, Dr. Sutingco summarizes the “wellness practices” that work for him and contribute to his resilience. (22 mins)

#19: The Evolution of Transitions

by By Dr. Robert Hendel, MD, FACC, FAHA, FSCCT, MASNC, Professor of Medicine and Radiology, Tulane University, School of Medicine; Trustee, American College Cardiology (ACC); former President, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. | Ever the contrarian, Dr. Hendel doesn’t pull any punches: “Jim, I initially thought you and this leadership stuff were ridiculous. After more introspection, I’m now drinking the kool-aid. I understand change and transitions more and have a better sense of ‘healthy conflict’.” Dr. Hendel reveals how these are important for a leader and how an executive coach reminded him of his tombstone. (27 mins)

#18: Boldly Going where No One Has Gone Before

by Dr. Andy Catanzaro is the Director of Infectious Diseases, the Chair of the Infection Prevention Committee and the Chair of the Antibiotic Stewardship Committee at Adventist HealthCare in Maryland. He also serves as a voting member of the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Institutional Biosafety Committee. Dr. Catanzaro published articles with the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and has worked on the development of vaccines for HIV, smallpox and ebola. | Addressing fear and the erosion of trust, Dr. Catanzaro discusses how he and team will move forward boldly to combat COVID-19 and the pandemic. Andy also reveals how the safe space within coaching engagements goes a long way toward alleviating clinician burnout and developing resilience and wellness. (32 mins: Click to view individual leader page)

#17: "Finding Common Ground"

by Dr. Akshay Khandelwal, interventional cardiologist at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan and active ACC (American College Cardiology) member throughout his career at the state, national and international level. | Known for his strengths in emotional and social intelligence to build consensus and strong teams, Akshay walks us through how he might approach building bridges after a complex scenario like the George Floyd event that highlighted social unrest and other inequities in the midst of a pandemic. In conclusion, Akshay emphasizes the importance of having the courage to acknowledge when we’re not right and a story about how he, his children and family post and live up to core values at home and in their lives. (24 mins: Click to view individual leader page)

#16: "A Leader's Perspective from the HOT Zone"

by Dr. Kevin Chung, graduate of the Military Academy at West Point and Georgetown University School of Medicine. He served in the US army burn center and directed research over the last 12 years. | In addition to numerous medical and surgical research awards, COL Chung shares “My recent work at a COVID community hospital reminded me of my deployment in a combat support hospital in Iraq and Afghanistan.” To help the public empathize with the urgency and gravity that this COVID pandemic places on patients AND caregivers, Kevin urges others to come walk into a COVID hospital and see what it’s like in the hot zone. “On some days, the best we can do is have family members watch their loved ones from behind a window to say goodbye.” Dr. Chung urges us all to unite to amplify the truth and arm ourselves with reliable health information. He concludes with a powerful leadership legacy story. (26 mins: Click to view individual leader page)

#15: "To Speak Up or Not to Speak Up"

by Virginia “Ginny” Beeson, Chief Nurse Executive and Captain US Navy, with over 40 years’ experience in healthcare. | Considering these challenging times, Captain Beeson discusses how and when individuals should speak up when they come across events or experiences misaligned with their personal value system. Ginny’s humble, yet impactful stories about mistakes made and leadership lessons learned, reveal her deeply-held, life-long passion for nursing. Last, Ginny summarizes with powerful questions on how/who to motivate and the critical importance of having the courage to speak up. (31 mins: Click to view individual leader page)

#14: "Meeting the Moment"

by Dr. Farley R. Cleghorn, who is an international expert with over 30 years' experience in international health development, research and programme implementation as an infectious disease thought leader, systems thinker and epidemiologist, with particular focus on HIV/AIDS. | Dr. Cleghorn explains the complex interdependencies and multifactorial picture of how this coronavirus picked up steam and spread like wildfire around the globe…and back. He stitches together disparate impacts from our current syndemic, including human behavior, health disparities, camels, bats, politics and addresses the question of healthcare as a human right. (39 mins: Click to view individual leader page.)

#13: "Career Resilience and Leadership Presence"

by Neasa Starr (in her final year of training at the Mater University Hospital Dublin, Ireland) and Billy Gibson (trainee at St James's teaching hospital in Dublin, Ireland). | A preview for the Dec. 15, 2020 IBTCM webinar, Neasa and Billy discuss non-clinical competencies that Irish cardiology trainees can take advantage of, to accelerate their career success. Neasa reveals how shattering a long-held perspective on hierarchy in the work setting allowed her to speak up more, thus reducing the possibility of implicit bias and improving patient safety. Billy helps us all take a step back to understand our work stressors, the amygdala hijack, one’s physiological reaction and how we can practice a more measured response. Both Neasa and Billy credit heightened self-awareness as the key toward increased job satisfaction. (12 mins: Click to view individual leader page.)

#12: "The Grounding Power of Vision"

by Dr. Steve Smalley - Cardiology Leader with HealthPartners and Regions Hospital Heart Center located in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area. President, Minnesota Chapter of the American College of Cardiology and ACC Board of Governors. | Dr. Smalley reminds us of the critical importance of aligning one’s vision and values with long-term goals, to be used as guideposts for ethical and moral decision-making. Briefly reviewing what happened to George Floyd, Steve makes a distinction between the art and science of medicine and how that’s different from the art and science of leadership. To conclude, Steve offers how coaching helped him maximize both, and clarify his vision. (22 mins: Click to view individual leader page.)

#11: Vision – Looking Back and Looking Ahead

by Dr. Malissa J. Wood, Lee Health, VP and Chief Physician Executive; formerly Associate Chief of Cardiology for Diversity and Health Equity; Co-director of the Corrigan Women’s Heart Health Program at MGH Heart Center; Associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. American College Cardiology (ACC) Past Chair, Board of Governors. | Beloved global cardiology leader, Dr. Wood shares stories about life and leadership including a lesson about grit from her Dad. She tackles physician burnout, diversity, how racism impacts healthcare and what physician leaders can do about it. In concluding, Dr. Wood reveals what gets her emotionally hijacked; she paints an image of “Ikigai” and offers wisdom regarding “dwell time” as a best practice for visionary leaders. (29 mins: Click to view individual leader page.)

#10 - " Adversity is the Best Teacher"

by Dr Rajiv Sankaranarayanan, Heart Failure Consultant Cardiologist (Aintree University Hospital and Community). NIHR CRN Scholar, British Cardiac Society. Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science. | Successful physician, researcher, technology entrepreneur, Dr. Rajiv Sankar survived cancer, COVID and the Dragon’s Den, to show us what helplessness feels like and how to connect to patients with empathy. Rajiv reminds us that leadership coaching is still often a foreign concept in the UK. Originally a skeptic, he then details how the process turned him around, heightened his awareness and opened his mind to new possibilities. (21 mins: Click to view individual leader page.)

#9 - "Giving Back Through Mentorship"

by Dr. James Januzzi, Director of Cardiology Research, Massachusetts General Hospital; Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School; Trustee of American College Cardiology; Cardiology Consultant to the Boston Red Sox. | Dr. Januzzi discusses faith from several perspectives – the critical element between mentor and mentee, as well as, the erosion of it between the public and health care providers, that stems from misinformation and the denialism of science. Last, Jim provides a billion dollar leadership lesson while offering others shoulders to stand on. (20 mins: Click to view individual leader page.)

#8 - "The Accidental Leader"

by Dr. Carolyn Baier O'Conor, Department Head Family Medicine and Governing Board Member, Shady Grove Medical Center, Adventist HealthCare. | Selfless community leader, Dr. O'Conor details her journey, including fears during the urgency of the pandemic. Head-on, she addresses how politics has weaponized masks and discusses how the current culture of medical misinformation can harm our public health, as well as, our own personal health. Carolyn then wraps up with what it takes to be a great leader . (21 mins)

#7 - From the Greatest Generation to the Grateful Generation

by Dr. Mark Franke | Incredible emergency medicine physician whose 25 years of experience spans many caregiver roles, several continents, SARS, COVID-19 and much more. From traditional ER shifts to telemedicine across many states, Dr. Franke reveals candid views on burnout, resilience and what gave him the strength to survive a long career in the ER. (15 mins) - Click to view individual leader page.

#6: The U.K's First Cardio-Oncologist Speaks about 'Getting the COVID-19 Message Out'

by Dr. Arjun Ghosh, Consultant Cardiologist at Barts Heart Center, London and at University College London Hospital. | Dr. Ghosh is truly unique. He is the first Consultant Cardiologist in the U.K. to be appointed specifically as a "Cardio-Oncologist". Arjun shares his recent leadership lessons learned including surviving COVID himself ("Will I be a medical worker who dies of C19?") and getting the COVID message out while other continents were not yet seeing the threat. (18 mins)

#5 – Leading with Grace and Authenticity

by Dr. Nasrien Ibrahim, Director of Heart Failure Clinical Research Program, Director of Heart Failure & Transplant Fellowship at Inova Heart, Virginia; formerly Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiologist, Mass. General Hospital. | Rising star and international cardiology leader, Dr. Ibrahim reveals how ‘uncomfortable growth’ has accelerated her effectiveness and empathy while retaining her true self. Nasrien candidly discusses getting written up, getting ‘hijacked’ and offers key attributes that make an ideal leader. (18 mins)

#4 - From Physician to Patient: What Leukemia Taught me about Life

by Dr. Howard "Bo" Walpole, Past Treasurer American College Cardiology (ACC) | After a 39 year career as an empathetic, successful physician, with 20 of those being a senior executive / physician leader at the ACC and elsewhere, Dr. Walpole shares a deeply personal account of facing leukemia. He offers his "Top 12" messages regarding what he's learned and his own advice to his younger self. (20 mins)

#3 - From Group President to Hospital CEO: Empathy-Based Physician Leadership

by Dr. Raj Chand, Past President VEMA; CEO at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. | After 6 successful years at VEMA (Virginia Emergency Medicine Associates), Dr. Chand has leapt into roles of greater responsibility and impact at Inova Fair Oaks - first CMO and now CEO. He reflects on how learning agility, relationships and unstructured thinking time can help leaders enormously in their "multiplier-leadership-effectiveness". (16 mins)

#2 - Engaging Your Physicians and Physician Leaders during the Pandemic

by Dr. Melinda Kantsiper, Clinical Director, Div. of Hospital Medicine; Bayview Medical Center; Asst. Prof. of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; CMO, Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital. | In this brief audio clip, Dr. Mindy Kantsiper reminds early and mid career physician leaders that to effectively manage through these moments of crisis and uncertainty, remember to lean on your great training, your collaborative skills and by all means, take the much needed time for self-care. (7 mins)

#1 - Leading with Gratitude for Physician Leaders

by Dr. Mike Valentine, Past President American College Cardiology (ACC): Professor of Medicine at UVA. | After a 30 year career at Centra Health, Dr. Valentine worked with colleagues there to launch the "Valentine Leadership Institute". In this discussion, Mike offers senior executive insight by looking far out into the future, and then using that perspective to ground us and guide us in the present. (14 mins) Click to view individual leader page.