Built to Lead - The Health Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast

In Part 1 of a live episode recording of Built to Lead, hosts Hannah and Matthew sit down with Ru Taggar, Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing and Health Professions Executive at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, to explore what it means to lead authentically through a nonlinear career from the bedside to the boardroom.Ru shares her journey from emergency department nurse to senior hospital executive, emphasizing how self-awareness, curiosity, and intentional decision-making shaped her career. She reflects on the power of choosing when to “stand up” and when to “sit out,” offering personal examples, like intentionally passing on CEO opportunities to prioritize alignment with her values and life stage.Listeners will gain insight into:How self-awareness and curiosity can organically guide career transitions.The importance of lateral growth over upward titles in building leadership skills.Why resisting conventional expectations can lead to deeper fulfillment and impact.How women and equity-deserving groups can create safe spaces and networks to navigate leadership with confidence.The role of vulnerability and storytelling in shaping authentic leadership.Ru’s honesty and wisdom offer encouragement for emerging and experienced leaders alike, especially those navigating career transitions or questioning the traditional leadership ladder. Stay tuned for Part 2, where Ru expands on mentorship, equity in leadership, and how she’s creating networks of support for women leaders at Sunnybrook. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Vernissage Health Follow us on Instagram: @VernissageHealth Learn more about Built to Lead and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.comHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 1: Navigating Leadership Transitions with Dr. Peter SingerHosts Matthew and Hannah welcome Dr. Peter Singer, a globally recognized leader in healthinnovation and bioethics, to Built to Lead. Peter shares invaluable insights drawn from hisdiverse and impactful career, including roles as co-founder and former CEO of GrandChallenges Canada, Special Advisor to the Director-General of the World Health Organization,and founder of the University of Toronto's Joint Centre for Bioethics. You can follow Peter'slatest writings and reflections on his Substack at http://singerp.substack.com/.In this episode, Peter explores the importance of navigating career transitions with purpose andimpact, reflecting on his own journey through multiple career acts. He emphasizes viewingcareers not as a series of titles, but as a progression of solving increasingly significantproblems. Peter provides practical wisdom on entrepreneurial thinking within both startups andlarge organizations, and how adopting an innovative mindset can lead to transformationalleadership.Peter also discusses the pivotal moments in his leadership journey, offering personal anecdotesabout mentorship, handling feedback, and the critical role of trust and humility in leadership. Heunderscores the importance of aligning career choices with personal values and impact goals,urging leaders to prioritize meaningful accomplishments over titles.Stay tuned for Part 2, where Peter further elaborates on strategies for supportive leadership andfostering a culture of authentic feedback and continuous growth.Connect with us on LinkedIn: Vernissage Health Follow us on Instagram: @VernissageHealthLearn more about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 1: Resilience Across Career Stages with Rahul Chandran and Dr. Joanne LiuHosts Matthew and Mohini welcome two distinguished guests, Dr. Joanne Liu and Rahul Chandran, to Built to Lead, to explore the theme of resilient leadership in high-stakes global environments. Joanne, a globally recognized medical humanitarian leader and former International President of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Rahul, Chief Strategy and Partnership Officer at Grand Challenges Canada, share their insights from extensive experience in humanitarian innovation and global health leadership.In this compelling conversation, Joanne and Rahul discuss the complexities of deciding when to stand up or step back in leadership roles, highlighting the critical importance of assessment, consultation, and intellectual clarity. They challenge the traditional concept of resilience, redefining it as a blend of adaptability, persistence, and emotional intelligence, rather than simply "toughing it out."Both guests underscore the role of values-based leadership, emphasizing ethical clarity and humility as essential traits, particularly when navigating ambiguity and crisis. Rahul emphasizes the courage to seek help and admit uncertainty, while Joanne highlights the strength found in humility and genuine engagement with teams and stakeholders.Stay tuned for Part 2, where Rahul and Joanne delve further into navigating career transitions, mentorship, and practical leadership strategies for emerging leaders.You can get Joanne's book here: L'Ebola, les bombes et les migrants Reach out to her on her socials: LinkedIn: Dr. Joanne LiuFacebook: facebook.com/Dr.JoanneLiuTwitter: @DreJoanneLiuConnect with us on LinkedIn: Vernissage Health Follow us on Instagram: @VernissageHealth Learn more about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 1: Embracing Non-Linear Career Paths with Jennifer Bernard, Ryan Hinds, and NeilSeemanHosts Matthew and Mobeen welcome a dynamic panel—Jennifer Bernard, Ryan Hinds, andNeil Seeman—to explore embracing non-linear career paths and leadership agility. Jennifer,President & CEO of SickKids Foundation, Ryan, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion atthe Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and Neil, founder of Sutherland House Publishing andRIWI, share their personal journeys of navigating change and unexpected career transitions.In this engaging discussion, Jennifer speaks candidly about the courage required to be the firstand only person of color in leadership spaces, emphasizing the importance of choosingstrategic moments to advocate for change. Ryan reflects on his transition from a CFL athlete tohealthcare leader, sharing insights into overcoming imposter syndrome and finding transferableskills. Neil offers a powerful perspective on entrepreneurial leadership, highlighting the value ofstanding up to challenges while knowing when to strategically step back.Please note: Due to technical difficulties, there are some brief moments of audio disruptionin this episode. We appreciate your understanding and hope you still enjoy this rich and insightful conversation.Stay tuned for Part 2, where Jennifer, Ryan, and Neil dive deeper into how mentorship,representation, and adaptability shape successful careers and impactful leadership.Connect with us on LinkedIn: Vernissage Health Follow us on Instagram: @VernissageHealthLearn more about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leadership in Motion: Leadership in Seasons with Christine Dupuis – Part 1In this episode of Built to Lead, hosts Matthew and Mobeen sit down with Christine Dupuis, Chief Product Officer at Caribou, to discuss leadership through different seasons of life and career. Christine shares her experiences navigating product leadership, AI, startups, and mission-driven organizations, offering practical lessons on self-awareness, adaptability, and leadership evolution. Christine challenges the traditional narrative that leaders must always be at the forefront, instead showing how stepping back, enabling others, and optimizing personal energy can create long-term impact.Key takeaways: Leadership isn’t about being in control—it’s about knowing when to step up, when to step back, and how to build a team and career that aligns with your strengths and values.Check out our previous episode on Leadership in Seasons with Dr. Maja Djikic..Connect with us on LinkedIn: Vernissage HealthFollow us on Instagram: @VernissageHealthLearn more about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosts Matthew and Shagun welcome Dr. Maja Djikic, a leading expert in leadership development and the psychology of change. As Associate Professor at Rotman School of Management and Director of the Self-Development Lab, Maja helps leaders navigate personal transformation and unlock underdeveloped strengths.In this episode, Maja introduces the "Wheel of Self", a model that connects motivation, behavior, emotion, mind, and body in personal growth. She challenges the idea that leadership is about reinforcing strengths, arguing that real change happens when we work on our weaknesses.She also explores stagnation vs. growth, the role of self-reflection, and how leaders can realign with their purpose when progress feels stalled.Stay tuned for Part 2, where Maja dives deeper into rapid transformation and breaking mental barriers.Connect with us on LinkedIn: Vernissage Health Follow us on Instagram: @VernissageHealthLearn more about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Authenticity Part 2:   In Part 2 of the episode on authenticity, the panel discusses authentic leadership in practice.  Sahand reflects about his observation of authentic leadership (AL) in his career and what qualities are essential for authentic leaders, especially from the perspective of those just starting their careers.  The importance of developing self-awareness and having authentic leadership mentors is highlighted.   From a mid-career perspective, Jacklyn shares that self-doubt is part of one’s entire leadership journey, not just in early career stages.  Confidence comes with practice and by having a support system or “circle of influence” in place.    Later in career, Wendy reports that in her experience, mid to late career leaders can become complacent and perhaps “over confident” and rate themselves as more effective and authentic than others do.  Humility and self-awareness are key in this stage of career to help retain authenticity.    The panel also explores the influence of authentic leadership, civility norms in the workplace and the possibility of burnout and turnover among early career health professionals who are subjected to co-worker incivility.  Reasons for workplace incivility, the role of health leaders in role modelling civility and authentically challenging incivility is discussed.    Here are the articles discussed with the authenticity panel:  Authentic leadership in healthcare organizations: A study of 14 chief executive officers and 70 direct reports.  Marcy Saxe-Braithwaite, Sylvia Gautreau. Health Management Forum, December 2019   https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0840470419890634?journalCode=hmfa     Title: The Effect of Authentic Leadership, Person-Job Fit, and Civility Norms on New Graduate Nurses Experiences of Coworker Incivility and Burnout.  Health K. Spence-Laschinger and Emily A. Read.  Journal of Nursing Administration.  Vol 16 No 11.  Nov. 2016  https://journals.lww.com/jonajournal/abstract/2016/11000/the_effect_of_authentic_leadership,_person_job.7.aspx    Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/  Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/  For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Novelty Part 2:   In part two, Mathew and I will continue our discussion with Connie by exploring two articles on tools to analyze and manage novel thinking and innovations in health services. Join us in Part 2 as Connie shares some of the tools she uses as a health leader.   The first article is based on an approach of analyzing novelty of service innovation in a healthcare setting. The authors frame healthcare innovation as a product of four domains: organizational newness, environmental newness, market newness and technological newness.    The article suggests these four dimensions work together and can enhance or inhibit the opportunity for innovation. For instance, virtual care was technically feasible long before COVID-19, but it wasn’t until the necessity from environmental newness that it really came to be more feasible. Therefore, it is important that we consider how these four dimensions are working together to create the groundwork for innovation and novel thinking to occur.   The second article discusses the relationship between novelty and constraints. Constraints are often seen as restrictions getting in the way of novel ideas, but in fact the empirical evidence shows that constraints can motivate and focus novelty. No constraints can lead to chaos, adverse outcomes and other unintended consequences.  Connie brings the two articles together and discusses how public policy and regulations, as a framework for constraint, can support how innovation and novel forms of service delivery evolve and are adopted.  Other examples are discussed including virtual care and digital health solutions.     Here are the articles discussed with Connie Clerici:  Novelty and success of healthcare service innovation: A comparison between China and the Netherlands.  Authored Yu Mu, Rujun Wang, and Ying Huang.  University of South Florida M3 Publishing, 2021  https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1154&context=m3publishing    Why Constraints Are Good for Innovation. Oguz A. Acar, Mural Tarakci and   Daan van Knippenberg.  Harvard Business Review.  November 22, 2019.  https://hbr.org/2019/11/why-constraints-are-good-for-innovation    Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/  Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/  For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Curiosity Part 2:   A lively discussion about curiosity with William Jones continues in Part 2.  How does the element of curiosity support innovation and facilitate health system change and transformation?   William notes how difficult change is and points out the limitations of using change models. Instead, William emphasizes the need to focus on people - thoroughly understanding people and their current work processes then building trust and strong relationships to facilitate change.   He also discusses the need for health leaders to demonstrate vulnerability in leading change. This means being willing to admit they don’t have all the answers, to explore ideas and follow others to co-create “small wins” as the initial steps to larger scale change.    The second article discussed sheds light on the “the curiosity perception gap” and the challenges organizations face in terms of how curiosity is viewed differently by C-suite executives and other staff.  William suggests this might represent the tension in organizations between the need for “execution” and “exploration”.  An organization needs to set expectations and be clear about the specific “time and place” for curiosity.  Where does curiosity fit in current workflows and business cycles?  William shares some approaches for encouraging curiosity used in Leynek Medical.  Last, the topic of “information control” in organizations is cited as a possible factor inhibiting the expression of curiosity.      Here are the articles discussed with William Jones:  Create and Sustain a Culture of Curiosity in Healthcare: A Case Study of a Home Healthcare Organization in Toronto.  Sandra McKay, Emily Kind and Kathryn Nichol.  Healthcare Quarterly.  October 2022.     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36412530/    Research: 83% of Executives Say They Encourage Curiosity. Just 52% of Employees Agree.  Spencer Harrison, Erin Pinkis and Ion Cohen.  Harvard Business Review.  Sept 20, 2018.    https://hbr.org/2018/09/research-83-of-executives-say-they-encourage-curiosity-just-52-of-employees-agree    Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/    Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/  For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Perspective Part 2:   Mobeen and Matthew continue their conversation with Dr. de Villa and discuss the three key skills in perspective management. Firstly, "perspective-taking" is the ability to adopt the standpoint of others, aiding in understanding their desires and concerns. The second skill, "perspective-seeking," involves actively reaching out to grasp different viewpoints without judgment, promoting authentic curiosity and learning. Lastly, "perspective-coordinating" entails leveraging the collected perspectives to gain insights, understand impacts on individuals, and make well-informed decisions.   Their engaging conversation draws out the importance of comprehending others' viewpoints and using them to make effective leadership decisions, particularly during uncertain, crisis situations.    Here is the article discussed with Dr. de Villa:  Why Understanding Other Perspectives is a Key Leadership Skill by Stephan Surdek.  Forbes Magazine.  Nov 17, 2016 Available at: Why Understanding other perspectives is a key leadership skill  Dr. Eileen de Villa is the Medical Officer of Health for the City of Toronto. In this position, she leads Toronto Public Health, the largest local public health agency in Canada, which offers various programs and services to the city’s more than 3 million residents.   In the fight against COVID-19, Dr. de Villa guided Toronto’s largest vaccination campaign. Her unwavering commitment to equipping the public with knowledge and her pivotal role in pandemic response has been recognized globally.       Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/  Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/  For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Diversity Part 2:   Mobeen and Matthew continue their conversation with Dr. Timothy and discuss two articles about inclusive leadership in professional education and in the actual practice of leadership.  The first article is about the importance of providing Black mentorship in medical residency programs and the criticality for racially concordant mentorship.  In the second article, they discuss what is means to be an inclusive leader, including the six dimensions of inclusive leaders.   Here are the two articles discussed with Dr. Timothy:    The Key to Inclusive Leadership by Juliet Bourke and Andrea Titus.  Harvard Business Review.  March 6, 2020 Available at:  https://hbr.org/2020/03/the-key-to-inclusive-leadership  The Needs for Addressing Black Mentorship Within Residency Training in Canada by Onaope Egbedeyi BA, Hadal El-Hadi MD, Tina R. Madzima MDCM, Teresa Semalulu MD MPH, Modupe Tunde-Byass MB BS, Rukia Swaleh MD; for the Black Physicians of Canada Research Group Available at: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/194/42/E1455   Dr. Timothy is the Black Health lead at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and founder of the Masters of Public Health in Black Health, who started its inaugural cohort in Sep[tember of 2023.  For her work, she has been named a Top 25 women of influence in 2022, and winner of the Doris Anderson award in 2021.    Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/  Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/  For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Built to Lead Season 4:  Live Launch with Ene Underwood, CEO, Habitat for Humanity (GTA)   Listeners are welcomed to Season 4 by Dr.Audrey Laporte, Director of IHPME, who thanked the students and alumni of IHPME for creating and sustaining the Built to Lead Podcast, a companion offering of Vernissage Health.  The podcast is used as a learning tool in graduate level leadership classes throughout IHPME and ensures that health leadership is a career path for those who want to have impact in the field.    In this special live launch, Ene Underwood, currently CEO at Habitat for Humanity (GTA), starts Season 4 with an engaging conversation about what it means to be a rebel for a cause and her leadership journey from the private sector to health care to housing.     Along the way, our cohosts, Hannah and Matthew, mine some gems of advice for emerging and early career leaders on what it takes to lead and advocate for positive change.  Ene reflect on some pivotal learning moments in her career and encourages us all, as leaders, to have patience, leverage our power, and do the homework to become effective leaders of change.    Episode Guest:    For over a decade, Ene Underwood has been the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area. There she leads a team that defies the odds by helping working families build strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable homeownership in what is characterized as one of most challenging residential real estate markets in North America.    Ene was a member of Ontario’s Housing Affordability Task Force which filed its report with the Ontario government in February 2022 setting an ambitious goal of 1.5 million new homes over the next decade.    Ene’s career began in the private sector as a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company, followed by close to two decades of leadership in Ontario’s publicly funded hospital sector, before devoting her career to addressing the housing challenges facing the GTA and Canada.    Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/  Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/  For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com     Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.