Most physicians assume the only way to lead well is to work harder—until they realize the cost of that belief is far higher than they ever imagined.

• Dr. Tamara Moores-Todd shares how growing up as the smallest athlete on her team shaped her grit, her leadership instincts, and her belief in the power of setting others up to shine.
• She describes entering medicine with the assumption that perfection came from relentless effort, even tracking her study hours in a spreadsheet to prove she was “working hard enough.”
• As an emergency physician, she began seeing the limits of individual heroism and the necessity of well-designed systems—ultimately leading major workflow innovations and large-scale COVID efforts.
• When she became interim CHIO—with a newborn at home—she found herself sleeping four hours a night and questioning whether she could keep going without losing herself or her family.
• Through coaching, she discovered that radically caring for herself—starting with tiny habits like a nightly facial routine—transformed her energy, her presence, and her leadership.
• She learned to delegate deeply, release the hero role, and lead as a “setter,” empowering her team to execute flawlessly without her always being in the room.
• She reflects on a near-death experience that sharpened her clarity about what truly matters and ignited a commitment to build systems that help people feel alive in their own lives.

This conversation reveals why the most effective clinical leaders stop trying to be the hero—and instead lead from wholeness, clarity, and a deep commitment to staying fully alive.

Most physicians imagine leadership as a linear climb. But for Dr. David Marcozzi, the real ascent began when he was stuck—unsure of his path, working as an orderly, and quietly absorbing everything around him.

• Dr. Marcozzi reflects on his earliest formative role as an orderly, learning that healing is a calling—and leadership can emerge from any level of an organization.
• A surgeon’s offhand comment about his insight sparked the belief that he could become a physician, igniting a life-changing pursuit.
• His work at Ground Zero after 9/11 profoundly shaped his sense of purpose, catalyzing a two-decade career in military medicine, federal leadership, and crisis response.
• Facing initial humiliation in the U.S. Senate (despite elite credentials), he learned that humility and trust-building matter more than titles.
• During the COVID-19 crisis, he drew on lessons from combat and trauma response to lead through uncertainty, anchoring his team in preparedness and calm.
• He shares how small pauses, private emotional honesty, and a relentless drive for positive impact keep him grounded amid pressure.

This conversation reveals why leadership in healthcare demands both relentless execution and deep personal alignment—and how discomfort can be the clearest sign you’re growing.

Most physicians avoid hard conversations to stay kind—until they realize kindness without courage can cause more harm than good. Dr. Cara Beatty shares two pivotal moments that changed her:

• Watching a mentor avoid a terminal diagnosis discussion and hearing Dr. Berwick speak about radical equity in care.
• She reveals how her view of leadership evolved—from giving orders to building trust, asking better questions, and empowering others.
• Coaching became central—not as a fix, but as a framework for listening deeply, challenging assumptions, and growing with intention.
• She opens up about battling her inner critic and how practicing courage daily (and naming that process out loud) transformed her team’s culture.
• Her biggest shift? Letting go of control and leaning into psychological safety, which paradoxically accelerated results in retention, productivity, and engagement.

This episode explores why true leadership isn’t about doing more—it’s about creating the space where others can think, risk, and thrive. Dr. Cara Beatty is the PCN Chief Executive of the Providence Medical Group Central Division.