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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.

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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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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.

Send us a text

Host: Jarvis T. Gray, The Quality Coaching Co.
Guest: Dr. Cie Armstead, Founder of Owlservations, DEI Expert

Episode Overview

In this inspiring episode, Jarvis T. Gray sits down with Dr. Cie Armstead, a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in healthcare leadership. Dr. Cie shares her personal leadership philosophies, her unique career journey, and offers practical insights on how healthcare leaders can navigate the evolving landscape with authenticity and resilience.

Key Topics & Takeaways

1. Leadership Mindset & Favorite Quote

• Dr. Cie's Core Value: Actively seek out, see, and amplify the positive—even in challenging conditions.
• Favorite Leadership Quote: From Michelle Obama’s The Light We Carry:
• “Go forth with a spoonful of fear and return with a wagon full of competence. I stay comfortably afraid.”

2. Career Journey & Passion

• She previously held executive DEI roles at the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Healthcare Executives, and spent 24 years with the American Bar Association.
• Her career has been devoted to building and leading diversity initiatives from the ground up.

3. DEI in Healthcare: Trends & Challenges

• Diversity is a permanent part of healthcare—it's not just a trend.
• A key trend today: separating genuine DEI champions from those who only gave lip service, especially with changing political climates.
• Healthcare leaders must be steadfast in their commitment to inclusion, equity, and diversity, regardless of external pressures.

4. Personal Leadership Lessons

• Dr. Cie overcame personal doubts about her accent and background, learning to embrace her identity as a leader.
• Self-reflection and authentic self-acceptance are vital parts of effective leadership.

5. Biggest Challenge & Opportunity in Healthcare

• The workforce: nurturing psychologically safe, inclusive environments so everyone can deliver their best.
• The opportunity lies in leadership creating these healthy workplace cultures, especially after gaining new skills through challenges like COVID-19.

6. Looking Ahead

• Dr. C is excited to pursue international travel (Dubai, Ghana, Australia), including a solo trip, and celebrates both big and small achievements regularly.

7. Special Project

• Owlservations is launching a new research study on how professionals of color are navigating 2025. Participation is open for virtual focus groups and an online survey.

Connect with Dr. C. Armstead

• Website: Owlservations LLC
• Participate in the 2025 Professionals of Color research study via the website.

Final Thoughts:
Dr. Cie reminds us that leadership is ultimately about influence and integrity—staying true to core values, championing others, and striving for inclusivity even when it’s tough. Her optimism and faith light the way for healthcare leaders

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

Hosts: Jarvis T. Gray, Vella Catania
Guest: Vella Catania (she/her), Founder of Love Vella Ayurveda Healing with Heart

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, hosts Jarvis T. Gray and Vella Catania delve into the intersection of healthcare excellence and entrepreneurship through the lens of Ayurveda. Vella shares her deeply personal journey from schoolteacher to holistic healer, describing how a life-altering injury led her to Ayurveda and ultimately inspired her to start her own business. This episode is packed with practical advice for wellness entrepreneurs and healthcare leaders looking to diversify their approach and make a deeper impact.

Key Topics Covered

• Vella’s Journey Into Ayurveda:
  Vella discusses her upbringing in Buffalo, her career as a teacher, and a traumatic injury that pushed her to seek holistic healing. Her powerful experience with Panchakarma and Vedic yoga became the catalyst for launching her practice.
• Ayurveda as a Healing Modality:
  Vella explains the depth and ancient wisdom behind Ayurveda, emphasizing that it's not a fad but a way of life. She shares how Ayurveda can help with chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and overall well-being.
• Services & Unique Offerings:
  Learn about Vella’s approach, which includes personalized Ayurvedic consultations, seasonal cleanses, rejuvenative body therapies (like Shirodhara and Marma point therapy), culinary workshops (famous for her healing khichdi!), and intimate half-day retreats in her Buffalo-based ashram.
• Core Personal Values:
  Vella highlights the importance of integrity, deep connection, privacy, vulnerability, authenticity, and relationship-building in her healing practice.
• Business Coaching Conversation:
  Jarvis and Vella shift gears to discuss business strategy, including the challenges of doing everything alone, the importance of building a team, branding consistency, and setting quarterly revenue and operational goals.
• Sales & Marketing for Wellness Entrepreneurs:
  The hosts explore effective lead generation, the importance of community events and networking, and the value of both local and online marketing.

Actionable Takeaways

• Prioritize Connection: Healing and transformative work thrive in safe, private, and deeply connected environments.
• Quarterly Goal Setting is Key: Especially for small business owners, focus on realistic, 12-week goals rather than year-long projections.
• Focus on Sales & Marketing: For new businesses, spend 80% of your energy on finding, serving, and keeping clients.
• Event Marketing Works: Regular attendance at networking and community events is crucial for growth, especially at a local level.
• Know Your Ideal Client: Spend time building customer avatars to target your offerings and marketing more effectively.

Let's Connect:

• Vella Catania: Love Vella Ayurveda Healing with Heart
• Jarvis T. Gray: Excellence In Healthcare Podcas

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 special live edition of the Excellence in Healthcare podcast, host Jarvis T. Gray brings together healthcare leaders, including private practice owner Tracy (Shades of Resilience Counseling) and nurse/leader Soulara, for an engaging discussion on who truly benefits when healthcare leaders “level up” in mindset, behavior, and presence. The conversation highlights the ripple effects of leadership growth—from the patient experience to team dynamics and broader community impact.

Key Discussion Points

• Starting with the Patient Experience
  • Jarvis sets the stage by asking how advanced leadership tangibly improves the experience for patients and their families. Discussion centers on how better leadership leads to improved quality, safety, communication, and trust.
  • Tracy emphasizes that clients “show up different” when they trust the quality and safety of their care.
• Trickle-Down Leadership Impact
  • Leadership growth impacts the entire care team. Improved processes and environments stem from leaders who set clear expectations and foster psychological safety.
• Building Team Culture
  • Jarvis underscores that growth in leadership is more than managing tasks—it’s about creating an environment of psychological safety and resilience.
  • Guests discuss the importance of accountability and emotional intelligence, sharing personal experiences from the front lines.
• Community Engagement & Advocacy
  • Leadership growth isn’t limited to internal operations—it extends to the community. Tracy shares her efforts in legislative advocacy to increase care access, while Solar highlights public health and wellness workshops.
• Actionable Reflection & Call to Action
  • Throughout the episode, Jarvis poses reflection questions for listeners:
    • Where are your leadership strengths visible in patient or team outcomes?
    • How can you connect your organizational leadership growth to community-facing initiatives?
  • The episode closes with a powerful invitation for listeners to commit to a tangible leadership growth action for the coming week.

Memorable Quotes

• “When leaders grow, leaders also build better systems, better businesses.” — Jarvis T. Gray
• “Staff will go over and above with quality of service. That’s the feeling we want.” — Tracy
• “The time that we become stagnant is when we die. When things die.” — Solar
• “Your growth is really a gift to others.” — Jarvis T. Gray

Connect & Participate

• Engage with Jarvis and the Excellence in Healthcare community during future live episodes.
• Share your leadership insights or responses to reflection questions via LinkedIn or the podcast community spaces.

Closing Thoughts

Leadership growth in healthcare isn’t just an individual pursuit—it cultivates better outcomes for patients, improves team culture, and enhances community well-being. “Keep growing, keep giving, and keep leading with courage, clarity and purpose.”

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.