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 leadersh...
May 19, 2025•37 min
Dr. Jeffrey Albert had all the traditional markers of success—multiple leadership roles, decades of experience, and a deep commitment to healthcare. But beneath the surface, he felt stuck, disillusioned, and quietly burned out. In this episode: Dr. Albert reflects on how leadership began to feel hollow, even as he rose in influence and responsibility. He describes the creeping realization that knowing more wasn’t solving the deeper sense of powerlessness. A pivotal moment came when he recognized...
May 05, 2025•41 min
Most physicians assume that success in medicine means working harder—but what if that’s the very mindset keeping them stuck? Dr. Nneka Unachukwu (Dr. Una) shares her incredible journey from a shy, introverted physician to a thriving entrepreneur and business leader. She opens up about the deep shame and imposter syndrome she faced when launching her business school, the fear of marketing as a new private practice owner, and the key mindset shifts that helped her break through. In this episode, D...
Apr 21, 2025•45 min
For years, Dr. Ben Reinking believed that working harder was the key to success—until it nearly broke him. In a career defined by relentless productivity, he found himself questioning whether he was truly fulfilled or just surviving. In this episode we discuss: Early Leadership Struggles: How growing up as the oldest of seven children shaped his natural leadership, but his quiet nature often made him feel overlooked in traditional leadership settings. The Hidden Cost of Burnout: A sudden staffin...
Apr 07, 2025•35 min
What if your biggest setback turned into your greatest opportunity? Dr. Cameron Roth never expected to be rejected from medical school. He had a clear plan—until life forced him to find another way. That detour led him to rural Central America, where he immersed himself in teaching and public health, an experience that reshaped his perspective on service, adaptability, and leadership. In this conversation, Cameron shares: How missing out on medical school the first time taught him resilience The...
Mar 17, 2025•43 min
In this honest conversation, Sandy talks with Dr. Jon King, a seasoned surgeon who’s spent over three decades navigating the highs and lows of private practice. Dr. King opens up about the internal battles he faced with burnout, self-criticism, and the pressures of modern healthcare—and how he’s rewriting the script on leadership, purpose, and joy in medicine. Together, they dive into: Why Dr. King says most surgeons lose touch with their “why”—and how reconnecting with it transformed how he lea...
Dec 02, 2024•26 min
In this raw and reflective conversation, Sandy’s connecting with Dr. Jacob Anderson, a family physician and program director, who opens up about the highs and lows of stepping into a leadership role in medicine. Together, they explore: The realization of becoming “the powers that be,” and what it’s like to confront the very structures he once resisted. How curiosity—and even discomfort—can transform moments of defensiveness into powerful growth moments. The push and pull of healthcare’s “us vs. ...
Nov 04, 2024•25 min
In this deeply moving and candid conversation, Sandy Scott sits down with Dr. Stephen Beeson, founder of Practicing Excellence, to explore the intersection of professional leadership and personal vulnerability. Together, they dive into: Dr. Beeson’s shift from a family physician to a leader focused human development. And the profound grief Dr. Beeson is navigating after the recent loss of his brother, and how this tragedy has reshaped his perspective on what truly matters in life. This episode i...
Oct 07, 2024•42 min
Let’s dig into: The role of bullies and dark places in our lives Growing from the judgment and rejection from peers The pragmatism of pausing to navigate our circumstances from the inside-out Unlocking the power of a “both—and” approach to life (vs “either—or”) How to say “no” in a way that leads to more “yeses” Why having a safe place to roleplay feedback is a winning strategy And more Dr. Jonathan Fisher is training minds and healing hearts as a Mindful Cardiologist, Organizational Well-Being ...
Sep 23, 2024•51 min
Let’s dive into: How mowing the lawn led to military and medical service The need for new mental models and ways of thinking Shifting from “I’ll do it” to “I’ll develop my people” Why connecting with others is a pragmatic strategy for being more productive Insights after a tough exit interview that Tom learned a ton from His mission to develop stronger medical leaders through coaching programs and workshops And more Check out The Referent Group here: https://www.thereferentgroup.com/ Dr. Tom Hus...
Sep 09, 2024•32 min
Let’s dive into: Navigating gossip and a lack of psychological safety What to do when keeping the peace has become a full time job Leading teams with intention and open lines of communication Taking a formal leadership role a couple months before COVID The reason to keep track of failures The power of replying to your emails in-person And more Dr. Becca Brakely, is an Associate Chief Medical Officer and Chief of Women’s and Children’s Health at Central Maine Healthcare....
Aug 19, 2024•37 min
This is a deeply meaningful episode that I think you’ll feel and take something away from: Meta-leadership vs traditional leadership Organizational intelligence vs emotional intelligence Being a part of the first HIV-positive delivery Responding to the murder of a faculty member at the height of COVID Managing the overnight firing of 3 key physicians And more Dr. Leah Harris, among many things, Chairs the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School....
Jul 22, 2024•47 min
Let’s dig into: The payoff of overidentifying with work The link between perfectionism and self-esteem The unexpected result of being vulnerable The power of therapy The science of meditating 3 minutes a day And a whole lot more Dr. John Guenther is an accomplished leader and pediatric specialist with over 37 years of experience.
Jul 09, 2024•22 min
This is a special episode because Dr. John Guenther was my son’s physician when he was born, and he diagnosed him with severe brain damage and seizure disorders. He impacted my family and I in a deep way. This feels vulnerable to publish — and I hope some part of it’s helpful to you. On this episode, we dig into: How human experience shapes us in deeper ways then we realize Meeting Dr. Guenther between my son’s seizures Harvesting insights from our past that help us (vs holding us back) Overcomi...
Jun 24, 2024•28 min
Let’s dive into: Pivoting career aspirations after thinking your path is set Losing a father unexpectedly at a critical time in life How to align stakeholders to solve problems faster Turning grief into learnings that shape us in profound ways How to break down problems to maximize your impact Shaping the future of healthcare with AI And more… Dr. Alan Young is a seasoned physician and healthcare innovation entrepreneur, blending extensive clinical expertise with strategic business acumen. From ...
May 13, 2024•38 min
Let’s dive into: Why things can feel “off”, even when everything look amazing from the outside How to actually get out of a rut, without putting a bandaid How an unexpected death in his family sparked his formal leadership journey Managing young faculty, remotely, from the horn of Africa (before COVID) A simple way to guarantee you have time in your day to spend on strategy Transitioning between leadership, coaching and mentorship How to let go of things after delegating them The power of clicki...
Apr 29, 2024•35 min
Let’s dive into: A successful collaboration between a medical group practice and a hospital that reduced readmissions Feeling unsettled with deciding what to focus on Managing concerns from a group of physicians in an efficient way How to have difficult and productive conversations with senior leaders Exactly how he uses a part-time virtual assistant to get more done in less time Evolving and adapting without sacrificing outcomes and values Dr. Timo Dygert specializes in invasive cardiology at t...
Mar 25, 2024•26 min
Let’s dive into: Jumping into things you don’t know much about The transition from treating patients to fixing broken systems How to rise above task-drag and spend more time working strategically The pitfalls of taking too much responsibility Making space for people who haven’t talked in a meeting How to bring more perspectives to the table in a productive way Dr. Amy Scanlan is the Chief Medical Officer of the Trinsic Clinically Integrated Network - an Intermountain and UCHealth company....
Feb 02, 2024•27 min
Sandy and Dr. Scherer have collaborated on several impactful projects over the past year. Today, they're digging into: How Dr. Scherer’s research met initial resistance before becoming a game-changer in emergency general surgery. Dr. Scherer's career transition from a large academic medical center to CMO, and now CEO, of SAMGI. How Dr. Scherer uses agility to identify issues and implement solutions swiftly. The challenges and rewards of growing SAMGI while aligning the business with her core vis...
Oct 12, 2023•25 min
Sandy and Dr. Natasha Beauvais are digging into: The biggest surprises of implementing the Deliberately Developmental Organization model at her practice Reframing ways we get stuck as opportunities for positive change The pitfalls of relying too much on high performers -- and what to do instead The process of overcoming the fear of leading A simple recipe to develop trust in meetings With more than 20 years of professional experience, Dr. Beauvais understands the deep connection between our phys...
Oct 10, 2022•28 min
Sandy and Dr. Paul DeChant are jumping into: Addressing exhaustion before or after cynicism Closing the door to protect your time and energy Political correctness in mergers and acquisitions Empathizing with the victim mindset LEAN methodology as a way to solve charting Click here to learn more about Dr. Paul DeChant. Produced by the Sandy Scott Coaching Group...
Apr 25, 2022•35 min
Sandy and Dr. Jeff Smith are jumping into: A method for balancing performance and wellness Jeff’s experience with coach training (spoiler alert: out of his comfort zone) Managing outbursts of anger Healing your reputation The best time to say “no” to a request or something new More about Dr. Jeff Smith here .
Mar 28, 2022•43 min
Sandy and Dr. Natasha Beauvais are jumping into: The Deliberately Developmental Organization model Offering benefits to a whole organization vs only high performers Supporting colleagues who don’t realize they’re stuck An insight in running better meetings Why it’s critical to articulate culture before growing market share Coaching patients to build their own insights (great example about a patient drinking too much alcohol) Check out the Northern Virginia Family Practice Podcast here . About Dr...
Feb 21, 2022•44 min
Sandy and Dr. Randy Cook are digging into: A bitter contest between Randy and hospital administration Retooling a clinic after 100% of the nursing staff resigned How to reduce the impact of administrative turbulence on patients How plagiarism in a medical journal sparked the career of a well-known pediatrician Importance of focusing on goals over obstacles Randy’s insights from hosting a growing physician podcast since 2019 Dr. Randy Cook brings more than four decades of bedside practice as a ge...
Feb 07, 2022•45 min
We go through important experiences, especially difficult ones, and learn only a fraction of what we could. If you’re an accomplished “doer” and less adept at reflecting — use this exercise as a tool to uncover one of Your 2021 Insights. Because despite the uncertainty and chaos, there’s a meaningful path for you to take in 2022. So get started with 5 minutes to pause, reflect and invest in yourself right now.
Dec 16, 2021•6 min
“The Evolving Role of the CMO” -- exploring the new paths, nuances and perks of being a CMO Dr. Dan Field peels back the layers of being a CMO, digging into: What autonomy, variety and success looks like for CMOs Strengthen your awareness of the greater good Creating opportunity by humbling yourself Replacing one kind of autonomy for a better kind The perks of serving as the medical director for an annual pilgrimage to France Using medical training and experience as a springboard for your career...
Aug 23, 2021•44 min
“The Evolving Role of the CMO” -- exploring the new paths, nuances and perks of being a CMO Dr. Brent Jackson peels back the layers of being a CMO, digging into: His unexpected path to becoming a CMO Two super practical ways to leaders to invest in their teams How to move forward from COVID with a scarcity of capital Getting things done through influence when physicians don’t report to you Difference between leading surgery vs leading an organization Surprises about the results Brent got from co...
Aug 16, 2021•45 min
Today we have Dr. Jeff Leman on the show to dig into: First impressions of coaching A big shift in understanding the role of physician leaders Getting the leadership monkey off your back The value of rediscovering our values and naming them in clear terms The type of person Jeff recommends coaching for, based on his experience Among other roles, Dr. Jeff Leman is the Program Director at the University of Illinois Family Medicine Residency Program, an Associate Medical Director at UnityPoint Clin...
Jun 24, 2021•26 min
Today we have Dr. Tom Shellenberger on the show to dig into: What led him to hire a coach Counterintuitive insights that coaching brought to the surface The hardest parts of the coaching process The type of person Tom recommends coaching for, based on his experience
Jun 01, 2021•25 min
Today we have the incredible Dr. Ann Messer on the show, digging into... Balancing a love of family and a love for medicine Cancelling Christmas to build a clean water system in Nicaragua (and bringing the kids along) Treating lines of patients in the mountains of a developing country Benefits of stepping into unfamiliar situations AND THEN building up your knowledge base Rebalancing your life priorities for long-term sustainability Releasing The Corona Care Handbook (#1 Best Seller) What is One...
May 17, 2021•40 min
