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Episode Overview

In this episode, Jarvis T. Gray explores a crucial and often overlooked aspect of leadership development in healthcare: finding and nurturing future leaders before they take on the official title. Jarvis challenges the conventional wisdom that leadership is only for those already in formal positions and emphasizes the need for proactive, intentional investment in emerging talents already on your team.

Key Topics Covered

• Recognizing Leadership Potential Early
  • Leadership starts with posture, mindset, and potential—not a title.
  • Early signs: emotional intelligence, curiosity, ownership, and influence.
  • Real-life examples, such as a frontline phlebotomist quietly influencing her team.
• Essential Traits to Spot in Emerging Leaders
  • Coachability: How do they receive and act on feedback?
  • Accountability: Do they take responsibility, even when things go wrong?
  • Systems thinking: Can they connect dots and see patterns?
  • Collaboration: Are they building bridges and trust?
  • Growth mindset: Are they open to learning and uncomfortable conversations?
• How to Cultivate Future Leaders
  • The importance of early and intentional exposure (e.g., inviting staff to observe meetings, leading huddles, giving stretch projects).
  • Structured encouragement and mentorship make the biggest difference.
  • Example of a surgical tech whose leadership journey began with a small project and supportive coaching.
• Building a Culture of Leadership Development
  • Shift from HR owning leadership development to everyone being involved (managers, directors, executives, peers).
  • Make leadership development a part of job descriptions and performance metrics.
  • Celebrate leadership behaviors at every level, not just after a promotion.
  • Initiatives like monthly Leadership in Action awards to reinforce this culture.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership is a behavior, not a job title.
• Recognizing and developing leadership potential must be intentional—don’t wait for self-selection or job openings.
• Mentorship, feedback, and early exposure to leadership situations are game changers.
• Culture matters: organizations that celebrate and reward leadership growth at every level create stronger, more diverse pipelines.

Reflection Questions

• Who on your team already displays leadership qualities without the official title?
• What early development opportunities can you offer this week?
• Does your organization reward and recognize growth and leadership at every level?
• What changes can be made to embed leadership development into your culture?

Action Challenge

• Make a list of 2–3 people who show leadership potential and reach out to offer support or opportunity.
• Talk with your leadership team about your strategy for building your pipeline.
• Celebrate one emerging leader this week—especially if they're "not ready yet."

Connect with Jarvis:

Is your healthcare organization ready for excellence? Take the Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment and find out! Evaluate your leadership, strategy, and operations.

• Start now: Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast for more insights into achieving healthcare excellence.

New episodes of the "Excellence In Healthcare" podcast are released every Tuesday at 02:00 a.m. (est). Don't miss out on the latest insights and strategies for Mastering Healthcare Excellence.

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Episode Overview:

In this episode, Jarvis T. Gray dives deep into the essential role of mentorship in healthcare leadership. Drawing from personal experiences, real-world examples, and practical advice, Jarvis makes a compelling case for why mentorship isn’t just a “nice to have”—it's a non-negotiable part of developing confident, competent, and future-ready leaders in the healthcare space.

Key Topics & Takeaways:

• Mentorship as an Essential, Not Optional, Tool
  • Mentorship goes beyond tools or certifications—it humanizes leadership development and sustains culture, especially in times of change.
  • "Mentorship is where theory becomes practice. It's where confidence is built, and it's where legacy is passed forward."
• The Impact of Mentorship on Emerging Leaders
  • Mentors create safe environments for questions, vulnerability, and learning from mistakes.
  • Mentorship helps future leaders see their blind spots and accelerates their readiness to take on greater challenges.
• From Organic to Structured Mentorship
  • While informal mentorship is powerful, it can be inconsistent and limited by chance.
  • Well-designed, structured mentorship programs set expectations, provide support for mentors, and create equitable access for emerging leaders from all backgrounds.
• Mentorship as the Backbone of Succession Planning
  • Mentorship improves retention, reduces burnout, and helps organizations build internal pipelines for future leaders.
  • Mentees become mentors, creating a culture of leadership that outlasts individual careers.
• Mentorship Grows Both Mentor and Mentee
  • Mentors reflect on their own journeys and gain clarity and empathy.
  • Mentorship can re-anchor leaders to their mission and create a powerful sense of community and belonging.
• Invitation & Action Steps:
  • Reach out and thank a mentor who made a difference in your life.
  • Be present and intentional in your current mentoring relationships.
  • If you’re not involved in mentoring, reflect on what’s holding you back and consider stepping into the role, regardless of your title.

Quotes to Remember:

• “Mentorship isn’t just good for the mentee. It transforms the mentor, too.”
• “When we mentor well, we lead well. And when we lead well, we build a future for healthcare together.”

Resources & How to Connect:

• Connect with Jarvis T. Gray on LinkedIn to share your mentorship stories or inquire about building a mentorship program in your organization.
• For support, tools, and frameworks to launch or enhance a mentorship program, reach out to the Excellence in Healthcare team.

Next Steps:

• Reflect: Think about a mentor who guided you and reach out with appreciation.
• Engage: Show up for your mentees with extra presence this week.
• Act: Consider stepping into mentorship and making a difference for someone else if you haven’t already.

Is your healthcare organization ready for excellence? Take the Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment and find out! Evaluate your leadership, strategy, and operations.

• Start now: Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast for more insights into achieving healthcare excellence.

New episodes of the "Excellence In Healthcare" podcast are released every Tuesday at 02:00 a.m. (est). Don't miss out on the latest insights and strategies for Mastering Healthcare Excellence.

Send us a text

Host: Jarvis T. Gray, The Quality Coaching Co.
Guest: Dr. Philip Alberti, Founding Director, AAMC Center for Health Justice

Episode Summary

In this inspiring and thought-provoking episode, Jarvis T. Gray welcomes Dr. Philip Alberti, a leader in health equity and public health strategy. Dr. Alberti shares his journey from a public health background into the world of academic medicine, emphasizing the importance of community engagement, collaborative leadership, and building trust between healthcare organizations and the communities they serve.

Key discussions include shifting perceptions of organizational trustworthiness, the pivotal role of healthcare in multi-sector partnerships, and practical advice for leaders committed to health equity.

Key Topics & Takeaways

• Leadership as Partnership: Dr. Alberti believes in leading through collaboration and transparency, ensuring all voices are heard in the decision-making process.
• Health Justice & Career Inspiration: His longstanding passion for community-partnered science and public health led him to help build out the AAMC Center for Health Justice.
• Evolving Healthcare Trends: The conversation is shifting from communities needing to trust healthcare to organizations having to prove their trustworthiness through transparency and accountability.
• Building Community Trust: Addressing mistrust isn't just about historical wrongdoing; current harms and misinformation are active challenges. Strategies must be customized to diverse communities.
• Authentic Community Engagement: True impact comes from genuine, locally-relevant partnerships—moving beyond checklists and towards meaningful, sustained dialogue and coordination.
• Personal Growth & Career Lessons: Dr. Alberti reflects on pivotal moments in his career, the value of following one's passion, and lessons from mentors (including his barber father).
• Challenges & Opportunities: Healthcare shouldn’t shoulder the full burden of addressing social determinants of health alone. The opportunity lies in fostering robust, multi-sector partnerships.
• Inspiration & Motivation: Dr. Alberti draws inspiration from collective good, family, and the drive to leave a positive mark for future generations.

Rapid-Fire Insights

• Best Career Advice: Follow your passion and ensure partnerships are mutually beneficial.
• What Would He Change?: He'd consider adding clinical experience (such as a nursing degree) to further inform his public health work.
• Recommended Reading: "Artie the Smarty" — a childhood story that highlights perseverance and impact.

Resources & Links

• AAMC Center for Health Justice: aamc.org
• AAMC CHARGE Collaborative: Open to all interested in health equity; details and signup on the Center’s website.
• Connect with Dr. Philip Alberti:

Is your healthcare organization ready for excellence? Take the Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment and find out! Evaluate your leadership, strategy, and operations.

• Start now: Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast for more insights into achieving healthcare excellence.

New episodes of the "Excellence In Healthcare" podcast are released every Tuesday at 02:00 a.m. (est). Don't miss out on the latest insights and strategies for Mastering Healthcare Excellence.

Send us a text

Episode Overview:
In this episode, Jarvis T. Gray dives deep into what truly makes a healthcare leadership program effective, moving far beyond basic workshops or compliance certificates. Jarvis shares lessons from the field and the three pillars that set great programs apart: clarity, structure, and sustainability. You’ll hear practical advice and stories that can help you build—or revitalize—a leadership development initiative that delivers real change in people, teams, and patient outcomes.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Common Pitfalls in Leadership Programs:
   • Why so many programs have good intentions but little real impact
   • Examples of why programs lose momentum and fade away
2. The Three Essential Pillars of Effective Leadership Development:
   • Clarity:
     • Define the specific kind of leaders you need
     • Align your program with organizational strategy and culture
     • Set clear leadership competencies and measurable outcomes
     • Example: A rural health center’s six competency model
   • Structure:
     • Build programs for real-life application
     • Blend knowledge (theory), practice (application), and reflection
     • Importance of multi-level support and integrated learning
     • Protecting time for growth
   • Sustainability:
     • Strategies to maintain momentum after the program ends
     • Systems for accountability, coaching, and peer support
     • Measuring behavior change and organizational impact
     • Real-world improvement: decreased conflict, increased satisfaction, and lower turnover
3. Practical Reflection Questions & Challenges:
   • Is your team clear on the kind of leadership you’re building?
   • Is your development integrated into daily work or just an “extra”?
   • What’s missing in your current approach—and what will you do about it?

Action Steps and Takeaways:

• Reflect: What one element is missing from your current leadership development approach?
• Act: Choose an idea from the episode, start a conversation, propose a change, or design something new.
• Share: If the conversation sparked ideas, connect with Jarvis on LinkedIn to keep building together.

Connect with Jarvis T. Gray:

• LinkedIn (reach out and share your wins, challenges, or what’s working in your organization)

Quotes:

• “Leadership development must serve your organizational strategy.”
• “Blend learning with practice and reflection. Get buy-in from every level.”
• “If you can’t measure it, you can’t multiply it.”

Next Episode Teaser:
Look forward to more real-world strategies and stories to help you lead with courage, clarity, and purpose.

Thank you for listening to Excellence In Healthcare—where better leaders build a better healthcare future.

Is your healthcare organization ready for excellence? Take the Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment and find out! Evaluate your leadership, strategy, and operations.

• Start now: Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast for more insights into achieving healthcare excellence.

New episodes of the "Excellence In Healthcare" podcast are released every Tuesday at 02:00 a.m. (est). Don't miss out on the latest insights and strategies for Mastering Healthcare Excellence.

Send us a text

Host: Jarvis T. Gray, The Quality Coaching Co.
Guest: Tammy Mifflin – Healthcare Leader, Entrepreneur, Business & Career Coach

Episode Overview

In this episode of Excellence in Healthcare, host Jarvis Gray welcomes Tammy Mifflin, an expert in healthcare leadership, career development, and entrepreneurism. They dive deep into what it means to be an impactful healthcare leader today, how to foster personal and professional growth, and timely opportunities and challenges in the rapidly-evolving healthcare landscape.

Key Topics Discussed

• Servant Leadership:
  Tammy shares her guiding leadership quote by Lao Tzu, emphasizing the power of humility and walking alongside your team. She highlights how transformational leaders must connect with their teams and lead by example.
• Tammy’s Professional Journey:
  Tammy discusses her 20+ years in healthcare—from sales and operations to leadership development—and how firsthand experience inspired the founding of her business, Lighted Lanterns Consulting, focusing on career coaching and talent management.
• Five A's for Career Preparation:
  Tammy introduces her actionable "Five A's" for career development:
  1. Alignment – Ensuring the job matches your values and goals.
  2. Achievement – Taking stock of your accomplishments.
  3. Adventure Out – The importance of networking.
  4. Action Plan – Having a roadmap for your career.
  5. Advocate – Knowing and communicating your worth.
• Game-Changing Trends: AI & Digital Health:
  The discussion explores how AI and digital technology are transforming healthcare—improving operations, expanding care through telehealth, and enhancing data-driven decision-making. Tammy notes the value of education and certification in AI for both job seekers and leaders.
• Personal Leadership Lessons:
  Tammy shares a candid story from her own early leadership days, reflecting on the pitfalls of focusing solely on personal achievement over true leadership, and how that experience led her to shift toward transparency, delegation, and building trust within teams.
• Mentorship & Legacy:
  Tammy highlights influential mentors in her own life and offers advice for those seeking or becoming mentors. She stresses the impact of quiet leadership and the importance of maintaining integrity, regardless of others’ actions.
• Biggest Challenges & Opportunities for Leaders:
  • Opportunity: AI and digital health are opening new pathways for improvement and career advancement.
  • Challenge: The workforce crisis—staff shortages, burnout, and the need for meaningful retention and succession planning strategies.

Connect with Tammy Mifflin

• Website: lightedlanterns.com
• LinkedIn & Facebook: Lighted Lanterns LLC / Lighted Lanterns Consulting
• Phone: 678-902-4622
• Email: contact@lightedlanterns.com

Is your healthcare organization ready for excellence? Take the Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment and find out! Evaluate your leadership, strategy, and operations.

• Start now: Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast for more insights into achieving healthcare excellence.

New episodes of the "Excellence In Healthcare" podcast are released every Tuesday at 02:00 a.m. (est). Don't miss out on the latest insights and strategies for Mastering Healthcare Excellence.

Send us a text

Jarvis T. Gray returns to the Excellence in Healthcare podcast with an impactful solo episode focused on challenging the most persistent myths in healthcare leadership. Jarvis dives deep into the misconceptions that keep healthcare teams and organizations from investing in real, lasting leadership development.

Key Points Discussed:

1. Myth #1: Leaders Are Born, Not Made

• Jarvis debunks the idea that leadership is a birthright, explaining that while some people may have traits that make leadership easier, anyone can build strong leadership skills through deliberate practice and growth.
• He shares inspiring stories, including that of Camille, a respiratory therapist who went from doubting her leadership potential to mentoring others, all by embracing development and the right encouragement.

2. Myth #2: Leadership Training Is Too Soft

• Countering the claim that leadership development is all talk and no action, Jarvis makes a strong case that “soft skills equal hard results.”
• Communication, empathy, and trust are identified as essentials that prevent the most common breakdowns in healthcare—outweighing pure technical skills in terms of impact on culture and results.
• A real-world example from an emergency department highlights how addressing human dynamics, not just processes, led to meaningful improvements.

3. Myth #3: Leadership Training Doesn’t Work

• Jarvis explains the difference between ineffective, one-off workshops and ongoing, embedded leadership development programs.
• He shares a case study where a healthcare organization's investment in sustained development led to a 30% boost in engagement, 22% drop in turnover, and over $1 million in retention ROI.

Actionable Takeaways:

• Challenge the leadership myths present in your team or organization.
• Take one small step this week—whether that's signing up for training, starting a feedback conversation, or mentoring a colleague.
• Spark conversations about leadership myths in your next team huddle by sharing this episode.

Connect & Share

• Jarvis invites listeners to connect and share their stories on LinkedIn.
• This episode isn’t just about debunking leadership myths—it's about starting a movement focused on courage, clarity, and purpose in healthcare leadership.

Join the movement. Lead with excellence.
Subscribe, share, and let’s raise the standard together.

Is your healthcare organization ready for excellence? Take the Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment and find out! Evaluate your leadership, strategy, and operations.

• Start now: Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast for more insights into achieving healthcare excellence.

New episodes of the "Excellence In Healthcare" podcast are released every Tuesday at 02:00 a.m. (est). Don't miss out on the latest insights and strategies for Mastering Healthcare Excellence.

Send us a text

Host: Jarvis T. Gray, The Quality Coaching Co.
Guest: Marion Spears Karr (Managing Partner & Founder, Inflow Executives)

Episode Summary

On this episode of Excellence in Healthcare, Jarvis Gray sits down with leadership expert Marion Spears Karr to discuss the evolving landscape of healthcare leadership, the importance of authentic leadership, and the critical trends shaping the industry today. Marion shares his journey into healthcare executive search and leadership development, dives into the transformative power of failure, and explains how staying present and leading “with your brain, body, and heart” can make all the difference.

Key Topics & Takeaways

• Marion’s Leadership Mindset:
  Inspired by Michael Maccabee’s philosophy, Marion emphasizes that true leadership comes from our knowledge (brain), physical presence (body), and intentions (heart). Being present and leading with purpose are at the core of his daily practice.
• Career Journey:
  Marion fell into healthcare recruiting by serendipity, learning the industry deeply to distinguish himself. His wife’s nursing career gave him an early perspective on the wealth of opportunities in healthcare, and he quickly shifted to leadership and executive work, founding multiple firms—including his current company, Inflow Executives.
• Top Healthcare Trends for Leaders:
  1. AI in Healthcare: Leaders must stay informed on the growing impact of AI, even if not technical experts.
  2. Hospital-at-Home: The shift of care from hospitals to homes and ambulatory centers is accelerating.
  3. Consumer-Centric Care: Healthcare organizations must understand and attract patients as consumers, a crucial shift for future success.
• The Value of Failure in Leadership:
  Marion shares that his “superpower is failure,” having learned the most from ventures and experiments that didn’t work out. For leaders, embracing and learning from failure is essential for long-term growth.
• Biggest Challenge & Opportunity in Healthcare:
  Workforce shortages are both the biggest threat and opportunity. Marion champions proactive engagement—building the healthcare pipeline with early education and community involvement to “grow your own workforce.”
• Advice for Healthcare Leaders:
  • Don’t let fear of failure prevent bold decisions.
  • Stay focused on continuous learning and purposeful growth.
  • Be authentically yourself—Marion’s own career pivoted when he ignored advice to play it safe.
  • "Do the next right thing" after every challenge or setback.
• Looking Ahead:
  Marion is excited to continue growing Inflow Executives, finalize his book on leadership, and see his Authentic Gratitude Communication Framework adopted and studied by more organizations.

Connect with Marion Spears Karr

• LinkedIn: Marion Spears Karr
• Email: mskarr@inflowexecutives.com

Is your healthcare organization ready for excellence? Take the Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment and find out! Evaluate your leadership, strategy, and operations.

• Start now: Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast for more insights into achieving healthcare excellence.

New episodes of the "Excellence In Healthcare" podcast are released every Tuesday at 02:00 a.m. (est). Don't miss out on the latest insights and strategies for Mastering Healthcare Excellence.

Send us a text

Host: Jarvis T. Gray, The Quality Coaching Co.
Guest: Denika Moore, CEO of Mothers With Attitude, LLC

Summary:
In this candid and inspiring episode, host Jarvis T. Gray welcomes Denika Moore, founder of Mothers With Attitude (MWA), a unique organization dedicated to supporting families—especially those impacted by addiction, incarceration, and health inequities. Denika opens up about her personal journey from addiction and family loss to becoming a champion for maternal health and reentry support, particularly in Black and Brown communities.

Key Discussion Points:

• Denika’s Origin Story:
  • How her own struggles and experiences in addiction, loss, and recovery inspired her to launch Mother With Attitude, LLC.
  • The importance of lived experience in connecting with and advocating for her clients.
• Values and Mission:
  • Integrity, empowerment, respect, and holistic, judgment-free care.
  • A deep commitment to meeting clients where they are and supporting both individuals and families through pregnancy, addiction, and reentry.
• Business Strategy & Goals:
  • Desire to reach more Black and Brown communities and bridge resource gaps in places that lack access to holistic maternal and family support.
  • Building a sustainable model by leveraging both non-profit grants and for-profit Medicaid billing, as well as establishing strategic partnerships and sponsorships.
• Overcoming Barriers:
  • Navigating challenges of competition with larger organizations that have shifted focus away from personal mission to profits.
  • Creative grassroots approaches to obtaining resources, such as securing donations from retailers and leveraging grant support for clients.
• Marketing Insights from Jarvis:
  • The power of marketing a movement, a lifestyle, and a transformation—identifying which resonates most with Denika’s mission.
  • Finding a clear market-dominating position by articulating the unique problems MWA solves for specific communities.
  • Building a client ecosystem and pursuing aggressive sponsorship goals.
• Actionable Advice:
  • Tips for building strategic partnerships, setting up a CRM, leveraging drip campaigns, and structuring both grant and sponsorship outreach.
  • Being clear on client avatars (who is served, how, and by whom the services are funded).
  • Developing packages that clearly communicate the distinct value MWA brings.
• Personal Reflections:
  • Denika’s courage and passion for helping others, especially mothers facing adversity.
  • The importance of building community, teaching next generations, and prioritizing impact over profit.

Connect with Denika Moore & Mothers With Attitude:

• Doula & peer mentorship services for justice-involved families and those impacted by addiction.
• For partnerships, support, or service inquiries, reach out via community networks or look for MWA in maternal health directories.

Is your healthcare organization ready for excellence? Take the Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment and find out! Evaluate your leadership, strategy, and operations.

• Start now: Healthcare Excellence Readiness Assessment

Thank you for tuning in! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast for more insights into achieving healthcare excellence.

New episodes of the "Excellence In Healthcare" podcast are released every Tuesday at 02:00 a.m. (est). Don't miss out on the latest insights and strategies for Mastering Healthcare Excellence.