High-performing leaders drive results — but at what cost?

In today’s healthcare landscape, executive and clinical leaders are under pressure to lead through complexity, increase productivity, and maintain high standards — all while navigating burnout, disengagement, and stress within themselves and their teams.

As a physician, educator, and certified energy leadership coach, I help healthcare leaders perform at their highest level — without sacrificing their well-being or their team’s culture in the process.

At Transforming Healthcare Coaching, we partner with healthcare executives and leaders to:

Improve personal and leadership performance under pressure
Manage stress in high-stakes environments
Lead with clarity, confidence, and emotional intelligence
Build team cultures that are engaged, resilient, and aligned
Prevent burnout through systems-level mindset and energy shifts

Our coaching programs combine evidence-based frameworks and assessments with our team’s deep healthcare experience — empowering leaders to show up with purpose, manage complexity with grace, and model the kind of leadership that drives organizational transformation.

This is more than burnout recovery — it’s about renewing the energy for powerful leadership, and it ripples across departments, teams, and, in turn, health systems.

We believe that everyone on the healthcare team can benefit from a coach: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, social workers, executives, management, OT/PT, RD, RT! Imagine a healthcare team and system that actually works for you, the people caring for others, rather than setting you and your colleagues up for burnout.

Whether you're a Chief Medical Officer, emerging leader, or overseeing professional development in your organization, we can help your leaders become the kind of people others want to follow — especially when the pressure is highest.

Together, we can transform healthcare, one person at a time.®

👉 Let’s connect in the DMs to schedule a strategy call!

More fun facts about me:
Simulationist
VitalTalk Distinguished Faculty
Single mom
Peloton junkie
Foodie
Yogi
Ted Lasso fan girl
Future philanthropist

Lillian Emlet

What must leaders do in order to built high-performing teams in healthcare?

This week's Transforming Healthcare Coaching ® Healthcare Coaching podcast with Gillian Faith MS, ACC, SHRM-SCP, CPQC we talk about the actions and mindset to create psychological safety.

This month we focus on Awareness.
You cannot change or improve your own performance if you don't have Awareness of where you are, how you are showing up, and how you make people feel.

Find us on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, Podbean.
#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching #leadershipcoaching #executivecoaching

Contact us on how we support leaders and their teams: 
DM me here inside LinkedIn,
or Book a Call: https://lnkd.in/e9hhwF_t

Klaus Grim, PA-C, CPC

Lillian Liang Emlet, MD MS CHSE CPC ELI-MP

Founder, Transforming Healthcare Coaching® | Executive Coach for Physician Leaders | Elevating Performance, Preventing Burnout, & Building Energized Healthcare Teams | Critical Care Physician | Newsletter & Podcast 👇

Leadership is contagious.

We start off 2026 talking about how you lead YOURSELF, first.

How are you really showing up for yourself?
How are you really role modeling for others?

Check out this week's Transforming Healthcare Coaching ® podcast episode 90 with Klaus Grim, PA-C, CPC where we talk about time, role models, and why self-leadership is fundamental to everything else.

#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching #leadershipcoaching #executivecoaching #clinicianwellbeing 

Check us out on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Podbean.
Please listen and Subscribe!

What to do when the world feels heavy:

Unfortunately, I need to interrupt our usual programming to make a statement.

In healthcare, moral injury occurs very commonly when values of the caregiving profession is misaligned at the individual or systemic level. 

Moral injury occurs when policies, leaders, or systems block clinicians from doing what they believe is ethically required creating a felt betrayal by those with power or condition conditions of care. 

Millions of healthcare professionals witnessed that this week in the United States through the news outlets reporting on the events involving ICE in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 7, 2026

Let us not forget.
Let us support each other.
In this video, I talk about why accepting and using the energy in a productive way might allow us to truly unify together and find a different way forward.

Curious about moral injury? Look up Wendy Dean, MD important expert body of work on this matter. 

If I remain silent, I am complicit.
I want to be known for which side of history I want to be on, and stand with the many other healthcare professionals and organizations and influencers that have taken a stand. We stand together as healthcare professionals. We care for each other. By not talking about things, we perpetuate an old culture, continued injury, and the system as it is. 

How might you role model something different?

How do we transform our workplaces?

Our guest this week, Annie Wildermuth PhD, PA-C, RD, ACC on Transforming Healthcare Coaching ® podcast, we are aligned on the important role in development for all professions and all levels of leadership: for physicians, nurses, NPs, PAs, pharmacists, and more. 

Check out this week's podcast on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen!
Klaus Grim, PA-C, CPC
#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching

Who are the invisible greatest supports for healthcare professionals?

It's the partners, spouses, and significant others.
And it's hard. 
Relationships are stress-tested, chronically, again and again, during training and the practice of medicine. 

So excited that Lisa Muehlenbein, Ph.D. is releasing the insights from her research on the medical marriage, relationships, and bringing a voice and an opportunity for strengthening that bond, giving voice to what it feels like, and providing a different way forward.

Please check out The MedLife Support Podcast on Apple Spotify and anywhere you listen and share with a friend and colleague in healthcare!

#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching #clinicianwellbeing

Expert in Physician and Family Burnout Prevention & Organizational Wellness | Building Supportive Cultures for Healthcare Professionals | Director of Wellness | Physician Family Wellbeing Advocate

I’m excited to share that my podcast—The MedLife Support Podcast— is officially LIVE!

This podcast was created to hold honest, evidence-based conversations about physician burnout—not in isolation, but in the context of physicians, the people behind the white coat, and the systems meant to support them.

The idea for this show grew out of years of academic study in health psychology, doctoral research on physician burnout and the marital relationship from the spouse perspective, and lived experience as part of a physician family. What became increasingly clear is that burnout is not solely an individual issue—it’s relational, systemic, and deeply human.

We’re launching with 12 episodes available now, designed to be listened to individually or binged, offering research-informed insight alongside practical, applicable tools that support physician families and anyone navigating a high-stress profession.

If you are a physician, part of a physician family, or work in physician wellness and healthcare leadership, I hope this podcast serves as a meaningful resource.

The podcast is live and available wherever you listen (link in comments).

#physicianfamilies
#physicianburnout
#physicianwellness
#healthcareleadership
#healthcareculture

Sneak peek! 
Check out Stand Up (for) Doctors! by Kim Downey
An incredible person and force advocating for physician mental health, coaching, and wellbeing.

We interviewed her in 2025 on the Transforming Healthcare Coaching ® podcast: 
Check out her story in the Comments below! ⤵️ 
#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching #clinicianwellbeing

Leadership + Wellbeing (that's where the un-lock lies!)

Doctors are resilient — but resilience doesn’t mean doing it alone.

In this clip from Stand Up (for) Doctors!, Lillian Liang Emlet, MD MS CHSE CPC ELI-MP reflects on how so many physicians found coaching during the pandemic — not because they were weak, but because support helps you move forward faster.

Sometimes, all you need is a quiet “secret Sherpa” walking beside you.

🎧 Full episode drops Tuesday 27 — Episode 145: Coaching, Leadership & Culture Change in Medicine

#PhysicianWellness #StandUpForDoctors #DoctorSupport #MedicalCulture #HealthcareLeadership #PhysicianCoaching #BurnoutRecovery #Episode145 #HealthcarePodcast #YouTubeShorts

Incredible webinar by Katina Sawyer, Ph.D. University of Michigan Center for Positive Organizations today. 

Great tangible take-aways for leaders with practical strategies.

When we coach our pivotal leaders-in-development in healthcare,
Our first foundation is awareness and self-leadership of wellbeing.
If we are not well ourselves as leaders,
It's no wonder that we don't have the capacity for holding the growth, emotions, and performance of our team, colleagues, departments, and patients.

And it's a both/ and:
Individual leadership + wellbeing coaching
Organizational culture, programs, and supports for those leaders.

We need both.
Curious about how we help you as a leader in healthcare? Message me. Let's chat.

And go out and read Drs. Sawyer and Grabarek's new book Leading for Wellness summarizing their organizational research on wellbeing, culture, and leadership. Link in Comments below. Patricia Grabarek, Ph.D.Katina Sawyer, Ph.D.

#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching

There are many high intensity “stressful” specialties…

I should know: I am an intensivist & emergency physician.

I also oversee our wellbeing curriculum & am an executive coach.

I also actively participate in activities that restores & resets my inner compass, emotional capacity, & physical wellbeing: yoga, breathwork, Brain.fm, gratitude practice.

What action, dose, & frequency do you routinely do throughout the day in high intensity specialties?

Looking at you emergency medicine, trauma surgery, critical care (adult and peds) nurses, APPs, & physicians…


#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching #clinicianwellbeing

Chief Well-being Officer: Michigan Medicine, Wife, mom to three, views my own and not necessarily representative of those of my employer

View Elizabeth Harry MD DipABLM’s profile

If you’ve ever wondered why “just cap the hours” hasn’t reliably fixed resident burnout, this new JAMA Network Open study is a helpful reset. In a national sample of 540 residents in high-burnout specialties (mean ~65 hours/week), work hours were not significantly associated with burnout—but were associated with higher stress (and higher self-perceived competency milestones).  

🔗https://lnkd.in/gjb9BdEc

🚫Stress ≠ Burnout (and the distinction matters)

This paper reinforces something we often blur in day-to-day conversations:
	•	Stress is often a situational, time-limited response to demands.
	•	Burnout is a pathologic, chronic occupational syndrome—classically involving exhaustion, cynicism/depersonalization, and reduced sense of accomplishment—that can emerge after prolonged, intense stress in a mismatched system.  

The headline implication

If longer hours track with stress but not burnout, then burnout prevention can’t be “hours-only.” It has to include what happens during those hours: workload design, supervision, meaning, team function, EHR/communication burden, and culture.  

🧘‍♀️Evidence-based stress-reduction interventions (Lifestyle Medicine–aligned)

Not as a substitute for systems fixes—but as protective capacity while we redesign the work:
	•	Mindfulness/meditation training (including app-supported options) to reduce perceived stress and improve emotion regulation.  
	•	Breathwork / downshifting protocols (e.g., 2–5 minutes of slow breathing) to rapidly reduce physiologic arousal.
	•	Movement snacks (10-minute brisk walk, stairs, mobility) to blunt stress reactivity and improve mood.
	•	Sleep protection as a clinical skill: consistent wind-down, light/caffeine timing, and—when needed—CBT-I approaches for insomnia.
	•	Social connection on purpose: a “micro-dose” of belonging (text a co-resident, debrief with a teammate, ask for a 2-minute check-in).
	•	Cognitive reappraisal / self-compassion: brief reframes that reduce threat appraisal (“This is hard and it’s temporary; what’s my next best step?”).

Bottom line: Stress is a signal; burnout is a systems diagnosis. If we treat them as interchangeable, we’ll keep prescribing the wrong fix.

What’s one change you’ve seen that reduces stress during the shift (not just after it)?

#PhysicianWellBeing #MedicalEducation #Residency #Burnout #Stress #LifestyleMedicine #Mindfulness #WorkDesign #CognitiveLoad #HealthcareLeadership American College of Lifestyle Medicine ACGME

Open article: Stress and Burnout in Residency Training by jamanetwork.com

Did you know we have a free medTHRIVE® Connect community where we host webinars, book clubs, and content for healthcare professionals to Transform Health Relationships to Inspire Vision and Energy (THRIVE)? 

Link to sign up for our little community in Comments below: 
It's a space for practicing healthcare professionals and administrators/ managers who want to develop themselves, so that they can develop others. It's for people who see themselves as leaders-in-development.
It's for people who want a healthier healthcare workforce.
And it starts with us.

Our February webinar is from my dear LinkedIn friend and colleague, who does amazing work with families and children as a social worker, and also a force for good in relationships through her company Just Jax Advising. Please welcome our first 2026 webinar with Jackie Hallberg, LMSW (yes you know her from LinkedIn Wishful Wednesdays that's hosted with Damian Kinsey IYKYK) as she talks about the good, the bad, the ugly about what healthy and unhealthy relationships look like.

In healthcare, we need to recognize it, and we need to know when to get professional guidance and help. As leaders, it's also a signal to nurture them and ensure the foundations for you and your team are strong. 

Streaming Live on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, and in our medTHRIVE® Connect Circle community on the app.

#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching #clinicianwellbeing

View Lillian Liang Emlet, MD MS CHSE CPC ELI-MP’s profile

Dating & Relationships: Real Talk for Healthcare Leaders

Relationships can be invisible strengths for the healthcare workforce; or it can be a major stressor and signal in the health of your organization. Let's get real about relationships.

Dating & Relationships: Real Talk for Healthcare Leaders

Are you a leader who asks for feedback?

I am always surprised by how few people in positions of leadership routinely ask for feedback:
At the end of a shift, meeting, week, or month.

If you don't get data triangulated from people you trust:
People whose opinions you care about,
People who can give a fair assessment and useful critique,
People who you respect.

Grateful for all the feedback I've received over the last 20 years.

Check out this week's Transforming Healthcare Coaching ® with Gillian Faith MS, ACC, SHRM-SCP, CPQC where we talk about micro-actions that leaders can take. 

#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching #leadershipcoaching #executivecoaching

Expectations. Anticipation. 

Pre-determined ideas influence the lens by which we see the world.

This week's Transforming Healthcare Coaching ® podcast with Vicki Landers PT DPT MHA ACC we talk about the awareness and insight that healthcare leaders must carry inside themselves...so that they can open up possibilities in how they deal with people, find solutions, and create opportunities.

Find us on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Podbean.
#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching

Let me know which book we should feature for medTHRIVE Book Rounds book club for Q4!

Some really great potentials on this list curated by organizational psychologist Adam Grant  

#leadershipcoaching #coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching

Open article: The New Books to Refresh Your Thinking in 2026 by open.substack.com

The New Books to Refresh Your Thinking in 2026

On this edition of Transforming Healthcare Coaching ® The Thriving Healthcare Leader newsletter, Gillian Faith MS, ACC, SHRM-SCP, CPQC reminds us of an important coaching practice and concept for leaders that deal with conflict or opposing viewpoints within their teams.

Polarity mapping and polarity coaching perspectives can help all of us be more comfortable with the pro/ con of perspectives and find a way to resolve them. 

Would love to hear people's perspectives on finding the "both/and" on your teams in healthcare. Comment below!

#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching #leadershipcoaching #executiveleadership

View newsletter: The Thriving Healthcare Leader

Polarities in teamwork arise when members hold opposing views on interdependent issues, such as when individual autonomy versus collective goals exist

Open article: Cohesive Teams  - Shifting from Polarities to Creative Solutions by Lillian Liang Emlet, MD MS CHSE CPC ELI-MP • 4 min read

Cohesive Teams  - Shifting from Polarities to Creative Solutions

So excited to be part of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association #Pittsburgh! 
If you are local the region: Check out this great event at the end of the month!
Maria Abunto, MD, MPH, MBA Mpande Mwape RN, MSN, MBA Cecily Tibbs Peters Kiran Cherlakola

Strategy and Transformation | Community and Stakeholder Engagement

We are 3️⃣ weeks out from our first Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association #Pittsburgh event of 2026... and you're invited! 

🗓️ Date: Friday, January 30, 2026
🕕 Time: 6pm - 9pm 
📍 Location: 118 Mervis Hall - Katz Graduate School of Business (3950 Roberto & Vera Clemente Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15260)

🔗 Register here: https://bit.ly/4juiRR1 
🆓 No registration fee!

This will be an engaging evening of first hand stories of entrepreneurial paths from a dynamic panel, moderated by our own Maria Abunto, MD, MPH, MBA, featuring:

🟣 Anna Li – CEO & Founder, Korion Health
🟣 Jenny Yu, MD FACS – Founding Managing Partner, Sixth House; Clinical Advisor, VitVio; Entrepreneur in Residence, University of Connecticut
🟣 Haylee Massaro – Associate Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon University, Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy 
🟣 Wei Yu – Counsel, Intellectual Property & Technology, Dentons Cohen & Grigsby
🟣 Sue Cohen – Associate Professor of Organizations & Entrepreneurship, University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business

#HBAMidAtlantic #HBAPittsburgh #HBAimpact

My word for 2026 is: sustainable (growth strategy)

If you didn't already know,
In addition to the Transforming Healthcare Coaching ® The Thriving Healthcare Leader newsletter with Gillian Faith MS, ACC, SHRM-SCP, CPQC
I also have a Substack where I reflect and integrate cognitive science, leadership principles, and life reflections and build in public.

Feel free to check out my reflections as we start off 2026 and return from our team retreat.

Interested in staying in the loop for all our content: newsletter, podcast, free webinars, LinkedIn livestreams: all in the same place? 

FREE medTHRIVE® Connect 
(community inside the Circle app so you can take us on the go!) is where that is! 

Link in Comments below. ⤵️

Open article: Dropping Grapes: Pruning With Intention by open.substack.com

A new year means a new vision,
And new action towards what might be.
Here we share some actionable steps for leaders of all professions to engage and explore with their teams an empowered future.
#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching

We are just a DM away! Let's chat about where you want your teams to move towards!

The new year always brings a flurry of reflection guides, goal-setting workshops, and resolutions that sound beautiful in January and sometimes are a 

Open article: Visioning an Ideal Future State by Lillian Liang Emlet, MD MS CHSE CPC ELI-MP • 5 min read

Jackie Hallberg, LMSW, Charles Caldwell and 8 other attendees

Amplification.
Learning.
Growth.

People who podcast also listen to podcasts.
Perhaps we are auditory learners.
Succeed in Medicine is a graat podcast check it out!
Grateful to have been interviewed by Bradley Block, MD  back in 2024

Host and Creator of the Succeed in Medicine Podcast | CEO of Doctor Podcast Network | Otolaryngologist - Head and Neck Surgeon | Partner at ENT and Allergy Associates | Medical Expert Witness

🎉 500 Episodes! 🎉

Half a thousand conversations.
Hundreds of stories, lessons, and breakthroughs.
One truth: the journey of being a physician is never linear — but it’s always worth talking about.

Grateful for every listener, every guest, every honest conversation.

Episode 500 marks a powerful moment with Dr. Danielle Ofri exploring how physicians survive medical mistakes without losing themselves. It’s a fantastic conversation! Enjoy.

🎧 Episode 500: https://buff.ly/DQWaJ35

Yass Josh Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd, FACP, FIDSA! 
Amy Lafko would agree! Look forward to this year 2026 where we will be featuring both of your books in the medTHRIVE® Connect free Book Rounds book club! 

(Link to Transforming Healthcare Coaching ® favorite books in the comments below)

"Take care of your people so they can take care of the mission."
#leadershipcoaching #executivecoaching #coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching

View Josh Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd, FACP, FIDSA’s profile

Love your players, love your staff, love your employees, or love your teammates.


The message is always the same.

Take care of your people so they can take care of the mission. 

Photo from College Football Hall of Fame

#WEARE!

Proud alum: former Resident Assistant in Residence Life at Penn State.
It's where I found my volunteering and leadership beginnings.
Asian-American organizations, Omicron Delta Kappa, Student Health Services

Proud to be Episode 74 on the People of Penn State Podcast in 2025
#coachinghealthcare #healthcarecoaching #leadershipcoaching

View company: Penn State Alumni Association

For the 100th episode of The People of Penn State podcast, we went straight to the Symbol of Our Best, the Nittany Lion.

Meet Mason Reber, the 54th Nittany Lion. For the past three years, Mason has proudly carried one of Penn State’s most iconic traditions. As he prepares to graduate in just a few days, he reflects on his journey behind the suit, his most unforgettable moments, and what it truly means to be part of the Penn State family.

Tune in to hear his story, and help us celebrate 100 episodes of Penn Staters making an impact.

https://lnkd.in/gkSCPEiF

I am an executive coach who empowers high-achieving professionals to elevate their leadership, embrace transitions, and thrive through change.

Change is hard, especially for high achievers who hold themselves to exceptionally high standards and value stability while often grappling with fear of failure.  

However, transitions don’t have to be daunting. Coaching can provide the tools and mindset to confidently navigate change with purpose and joy.

As your coach, I will partner with you through life's twists and turns, transforming these transitions into opportunities for growth and fulfillment. Through one-on-one coaching and tailored leadership development programming, I foster personal and professional growth through every step of the journey.

--

My Story:

My story is filled with many unique chapters. In short, over the course of my career I’ve been a consultant, physician, military officer, healthcare leader, medical education leader, and professional coach -- often wearing three or more of these hats at the same time. Along the way, I’ve found the most joy in providing inspiring leadership through change and helping high-achieving individuals successfully navigate transitions and challenges. I look forward to utilizing my deep expertise in leadership, professional development, and coaching to help you elevate your leadership and thrive through change.

Gretchen Rickards

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺.

I attend a lot of networking events, and because of that, I’ve learned to trust that early instinct.

When I attended my first Next Level Networking event mid last year, I felt it immediately.

The vibe was warm and welcoming. We’re a diverse group of women who genuinely support and champion one another.

This week, I had the opportunity to give back to that community by presenting my talk, 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘐𝘯 101: 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵.

The conversation was thoughtful, engaged, and practical. It was a reminder of how powerful learning can be when it happens in the right room.

Thank you, Next Level Networking, for creating a space where connection feels natural and support is authentic. Communities like this are rare and invaluable.

Not all networking spaces are created equal. The right ones do more than help you expand your network. They make it easier to show up, contribute, and keep growing.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆?

#CommunityMatters #WomenSupportingWomen #LeadershipDevelopment #ProfessionalDevelopment

Leadership and Transitions Coach | Physician | Educator | Lifelong Learner

This morning, I went to the wrong gym.

I’m a member of Orangetheory Fitness and rotate between three studios depending on the instructor or convenience. I intentionally booked today’s class for a specific coach, but out of habit, I drove to the gym I usually attend on Tuesdays.

It wasn’t a big deal, but it was a great reminder of why change is so hard.

It’s often said that we humans are "creatures of habit,” but there’s a reason for that. Neurobiologically, we are wired to prefer stability. Because of this, even minor deviations in our routine can feel disorienting. 

This is one of the reasons leadership communication during change is so important. Clear, consistent communication matters, and repetition is essential.

Research suggests people need to hear about a change multiple times before it sticks, with a commonly cited rule of thumb being seven times. That means one meeting or one email is rarely enough, even when the change seems obvious to the leader.

Bottom line: change is hard, whether you’re navigating it personally or leading others through it.

What’s one change you’ve led that required more communication than you expected?

#Leadership #ChangeManagement #ChangeIsHard #LeadingChange

Thank you to SoMeDocs(Doctors on Social Media) and everyone who joined last night’s 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 session. It was a privilege to help kick off such a meaningful event.

In my talk, “𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘰𝘣 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦,” I explored something I see again and again in my work with women leaders across healthcare:

When challenges like responsibility without authority or change fatigue go unnamed, they’re often internalized as personal shortcomings. Once they’re named, they become leadership realities we can understand, address, and navigate.

Left unaddressed, these challenges contribute to a larger pattern. Women are leaving leadership, not because they lack ambition, skill, or resilience, but because leadership often asks them to compensate for structural gaps that were never theirs to fill, like shouldering invisible work or leading without adequate time or support.

Many of us respond the only way we know how – working harder, taking on more, and carrying it quietly. But over time, that pattern becomes unsustainable.

If you’re a woman leader in medicine who has ever thought, “Maybe it’s just me,” I hope this conversation can serve as a reminder: 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁.

The conference continues through the week and is free for live attendance, with a VIP option for recorded access to all sessions. 

I’ll share the agenda and registration link in the comments.

#WomenInMedicine #HealthcareLeadership #WomenLeaders
#LeadershipDevelopment #SustainableLeadership

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about superpowers.

One of mine is 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿.

As a physician, I was trained to look beyond surface symptoms to identify root causes quickly and accurately. Today, I apply that same diagnostic approach to help leaders understand what’s actually getting in their way before jumping to solutions.

Most leadership challenges aren’t about effort or capability. They’re the result of blind spots or skill gaps that haven’t yet been clearly identified.

Drawing on my background in medicine, adult education, and leadership development, I help leaders slow down, identify root challenges, and create a path forward that focuses their energy where it will have the greatest impact.

Because whether you’re treating a patient or leading an organization, the right diagnosis changes everything.

What’s a superpower you’ve developed over time, and how does it show up in your work?

#LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipCoaching #DiagnosetheLeader

Many leadership challenges don’t stem from bad intent.
They stem from a lack of clarity, often driven by avoidance.

Avoidance shows up as vagueness, delayed feedback, softened messages, or conversations that never quite happen. We often tell ourselves we’re being kind by holding back. In reality, that restraint creates confusion and slowly erodes trust.

When leaders are transparent and direct, they show respect through honesty, not ambiguity. Clear expectations and timely, constructive feedback don’t just improve performance. They reduce anxiety, build trust, and give team members a the best chance to succeed.

Clarity isn’t always comfortable.
But it is one of the most generous things we can offer the people we lead.

Where might avoiding a hard conversation be getting in the way of clarity right now?

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #Communication

Anyone else still struggling to put together 2026 goals?

Every January, I start with the best of intentions. 
A fresh notebook. 
A hot cup of coffee. 
A genuine desire to set goals.

And then... nothing.
Followed by avoidance.
Sometimes for months on end.

For many high achievers, goal setting doesn't spark motivation. It sparks discomfort.

Not because we lack discipline or ambition, but because something about the process feels unexpectedly threatening.

I wrote a new blog exploring why so many capable people quietly dread this process, and how shifting from achievement-based goals to identity-based ones can change everything.

If you've ever found yourself procrastinating on goals you 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 matter, this one's for you.

(𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴).

No alternative text description for this image

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱.

One of the most effective rules of habit-building is simple: 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆.

A Christmas gift for my daughters recently brought this to life in an unexpected way.

When they opened the piano keyboard, we had no idea how much joy it would bring or how it would change our days. After some experimenting, it now lives on a built-in desk in our kitchen, a space that had previously been a landing zone for mail and paper piles.

Placement mattered more than we expected.

Because the keyboard sits in a space we all pass multiple times daily, it gets used constantly. My daughters play before and after school. I play during lunch or when I drop my keys directly underneath it. My husband will sit down while closing up the kitchen for the night.

I see this pattern in my coaching work. People rarely struggle to build new habits because of lack of motivation. They struggle because their systems create too much friction.

As the book 𝘈𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴 explains, humans are wired to conserve energy. When a habit requires extra steps or decisions, it becomes far less likely to stick, whether that's getting to an out-of-the-way gym, making thoughtful food choices in a house full of snacks, or choosing presence over scrolling when you're tired.

By placing the keyboard in a space we regularly move through, we removed the friction.

The result has been many hours of music in our home, more moments of presence, and a surprising amount of time spent creating rather than passively consuming.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲?

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.

That discomfort often shows up the moment you decide to go after something new.

A role.
A goal.
A different way of working.
Or maybe a new direction altogether.

But instead of encouragement, you may notice:
• Subtle discouragement
• Skeptical questions
• Less support than you expected

There’s a term for this dynamic: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘯.

When crabs are placed in a bucket, any crab that tries to climb out is pulled back down by the others. Over time, none escape, so no lid is needed.

Humans aren’t crabs, of course. But during times of change, similar patterns can show up, often without intention or awareness.

I wrote a blog post about why this happens, why it shows up so often during transitions, and how to protect your momentum when it does.

If you’re in a season of growth and finding it harder than expected, this may resonate.

𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴.

#Leadership #Transitions #Mindset

𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸.

When someone recognizes your work, do you immediately downplay it?

“Oh, it was nothing.”
“Anyone could have done that.”
“I just got lucky.”

These responses might feel humble in the moment, but they quietly diminish your achievements and your leadership presence.

This habit, known as 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴, is often tied to playing small and avoiding the spotlight.

Here’s what happens when you consistently deflect praise:
• You train others to undervalue your contributions
• You reinforce your own self-doubt
• You make it easier for others to overlook you when decisions are being made

How you receive recognition shapes how others see your potential.

Consider trying this instead:
The next time someone offers you a compliment, pause and simply say 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 — and let it land.

You may be surprised by how powerful that one small shift can be.

#LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipPresence #StopPlayingSmall #Mindset

Military medicine shapes how we lead, often long after we take off the uniform.

I’m excited to share a new 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 – past, present, or future.

This is a space for connection and honest conversation about leadership challenges and shared experiences across career stages.

✔ One hour
✔ No prep
✔ All career stages welcome
✔ Hosted by Women in Medicine®; membership not required

If military medicine has been part of your story, we'd love for you to join us.

𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘯-𝘶𝘱 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴.

#WomenInMedicine #MilitaryMedicine #WomenPhysicians #PhysicianLeadership

taplio

The Battle

Lillian Emlet

Gretchen Rickards

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreLillian Emlet's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGretchen Rickards's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Lillian Emlet

Gretchen Rickards

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Lillian Emlet's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreGretchen Rickards's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreLillian Emlet's LinkedIn Performance