Reflection in Practice: Leadership Presence, Trust, and Purpose in Healthcare
- sawolfdo
- Jan 30
- 2 min read
Healthcare leadership is demanding by nature. Decisions are constant, the margin for error is narrow, and the responsibility to patients, teams, and organizations never lets up. In that setting, how a leader shows up matters.
I was honored to have Christin Collins, and Dr. Robert ("Navy Bob") Roncska join me for Reflection in Practice | A Fireside Chat on Leadership Presence, Trust, and Purpose for an honest conversation about leadership under pressure. This conversation was recorded in response to release of the e-book, Reflection in Practice: A Practical Guide for Transformational Leaders.
The discussion was based upon real experience from healthcare systems, executive leadership roles, and high-reliability military environments. The focus is straightforward: leadership effectiveness begins well before strategy, metrics, or execution.
Trust and the Environment Leaders Create
Dr. Roncska shared lessons from commanding nuclear submarines and later working in healthcare quality and safety. In environments where failure carries serious consequences, trust determines whether people speak up, raise concerns, and think critically.
Trust is not framed as a personality trait or a “soft” skill. It is the result of the environment leaders intentionally build — one where people feel respected, heard, and accountable.
For healthcare organizations focused on patient safety and reliability, this distinction matters.
Purpose That Holds Up Under Pressure
Christin Collins brought the conversation back to purpose, both personal and organizational. Many people enter healthcare with a strong sense of why, yet over time, workload and burnout can create distance from that original motivation.
Rather than relying on mission statements or slogans, the discussion centers on listening, reflection, and alignment. When purpose is clear, priorities sharpen and engagement becomes more sustainable.
Reflection as a Daily Practice
The title Reflection in Practice is intentional. Reflection is a discipline leaders rely on in real time; before responding, before deciding, and before reacting. The panel shared simple, repeatable practices that help leaders slow down just enough to gain clarity and model steadiness for their teams, even in urgent situations.
Why This Conversation Matters
This panelists speak directly to healthcare leaders responsible for culture, quality, safety, and workforce engagement. For leaders navigating pressure, complexity, and change, Reflection in Practice offers space to pause and reconsider how leadership shows up day to day.
Watch the full fireside chat below to hear the complete conversation. If the themes discussed resonate with your leadership experience, we welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation.
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