Many physicians believe performance means constant motion—until they realize that slowing down might be the most powerful leadership move of all.

• Dr. Amit Vashist reflects on how his early years as a patient with a seizure disorder shaped his humanistic approach to healthcare.
• Navigating a cross-cultural medical journey, he discovered that humility could be misunderstood—and that leadership meant learning to speak up and be seen.
• Initially resistant to coaching, Amit shares how he came to see it not as fixing what’s broken but as refining his leadership “serve”—like a tennis coach does for an athlete.
• Through journaling, presence, and visualizing his future self, he shifted from urgency to clarity and from performance to purpose.
• A pivotal insight: “Slowing down is not a threat to performance—it’s a gateway to better outcomes.”
• His decision to start posting vulnerably on LinkedIn became both a reflection tool and a leadership practice.
• He explores the profound difference between being driven by the inner critic and guided by the inner mentor.
• Amit’s ultimate goal: leadership that is sustainable, relational, and grounded in deep human presence.

This conversation explores why leadership clarity doesn’t come from doing more, but from aligning more deeply with who you are becoming. Dr. Amit Vashist is Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at Ballad Health— and is dual board‑certified in internal medicine and psychiatry.

Most physicians are trained to stay in control, to know the answers, and to solve problems quickly. But what happens when the real power lies in letting go, asking better questions—and even playing a little?

• Dr. David Wild shares his early roots in a rural community and how family business and medicine shaped his leadership foundation.
• A passion for anesthesia and systems-level change led to roles in performance improvement and health system leadership.
• Coaching became pivotal—not for answers, but for asking the right questions and unlocking inner wisdom.
• He describes the profound difference between “giving advice” and helping someone “find their own path.”
• The conversation explores how play, creativity, and even AI tools became essential practices for restoring energy and insight.
• A powerful story emerges: evacuating a hospital rooftop during a hurricane, revealing the raw humanity and resilience of community care.
• David reflects on how redefining identity, staying open, and questioning deeply held beliefs unlocked new clarity.

This episode explores how releasing control, embracing play, and asking powerful questions can transform not only leadership—but who you are becoming. Dr. Wild currently serves as Chief Medical Officer at Ballad Health and is a board-certified anesthesiologist.

Most physicians rise through their careers believing that self-reliance is the key to success — until the moment it no longer works.

In this candid conversation, Dr. McNamara recounts:

• The rejection that forced her to confront her fear of asking for help.
• How mentorship transformed her belief about what makes a strong leader.
• The emotional cost of compartmentalization — and the freedom she found in integration.
• Why building genuine relationships, not perfection, is what inspires lasting leadership.
• The two tools that reshaped her leadership mindset: “above the line” thinking and “who, not how.”

This episode reveals the hidden truth: real leadership starts when you stop pretending you can do it all alone. Dr. Erin McNamara, a pediatric urologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, shares how early academic success created an identity rooted in self-sufficiency — and how her first major failure shattered that illusion.