Coffee Break: Breaking the Cycle of Bullying in Healthcare, One Cup at a Time

Emotional intelligence is not a soft skill; it is a power skill every healthcare leader needs. In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson speaks with Ama Mathewos, CEO of Evolve Lead Succeed, about the role of emotional intelligence in building healthy workplace cultures. Ama explains that self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership and emphasizes the importance of self-management, emotional regulation, and pausing before reacting during difficult conversations and high-stress situations. She shares practical strategies for strengthening emotional intelligence, including naming emotions, recognizing triggers, setting boundaries, using scripts, and developing small daily habits that support well-being. Ama also discusses how coaching, leadership cohorts, and customized development programs help leaders build the skills needed to create and sustain thriving workplace cultures. Tune in to learn how emotional intelligence can help healthcare leaders respond with clarity, build stronger relationships, and create work environments where people can thrive. About Ama Mathewos: Ama Mathewos is the CEO of Evolve Lead Succeed, and a board-certified advanced nurse executive with more than 20 years of experience. She partners with healthcare organizations to reimagine nursing leadership development that drives engagement, elevates team performance, and cultivates thriving workplace cultures. Through Evolve Lead Succeed, Ama helps organizations equip leaders with the skills to create and sustain healthy workplace cultures. Her work includes customized workshops, leadership journeys, strategic transformation plans, executive coaching, nurse leader coaching, and cohort-based leadership development. Ama is passionate about helping healthcare leaders strengthen emotional intelligence, navigate complex workplace dynamics, and develop the micro-behaviors needed to lead with clarity, confidence, and care. What You’ll Learn In This Episode: Emotional intelligence helps healthcare leaders strengthen self-awareness, manage reactions, and better understand how their behavior affects team performance and workplace culture. Self-awareness requires more than knowing “how you are”; it means using feedback and reflection to understand your impact and make intentional changes. Leaders can improve self-management by recognizing triggers, noticing physical cues, pausing before reacting, and choosing a more thoughtful response. Naming emotions, setting boundaries, and using scripts can help leaders and clinicians stay calm during difficult conversations and disruptive interactions. Simple well-being practices in mindfulness, exercise, diet, and sleep can reduce urgency, improve perspective, and help leaders respond rather than react. Leadership development is most effective when it includes ongoing coaching, micro-practices, and community-based support, rather than relying solely on one-time training. Links & Resources: Connect with and follow Ama Mathewos on LinkedIn.  Visit Evolve Lead Succeed on LinkedIn, and explore its website Check out the 33 Scripts Guide to Address Disruptive Behavior here! Buy Renee Thompson’s book Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility here! Grab a copy of Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! here. Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here! Have a question for Renee? Email us at [email protected] to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode! Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases. Liked this episode? Rate, review, and share with your colleagues. Your support helps us reach more healthcare leaders working to create better work environments.

Healthy workplace culture does not happen by chance; it starts when leaders listen, respond, and take consistent action. In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson speaks with Kristie Huff, Chief Nursing and Operations Executive at HealthPark Medical Center, part of Lee Health, about building and sustaining a healthy workforce culture. Kristie explains how listening to nurses and leaders revealed recurring issues with bullying, cliques, intimidation, and unhealthy team dynamics that pointed to a broader need for leadership development and practical support. She describes how HealthPark responded by making workforce culture a strategic priority, engaging clinical nurses through shared governance, and equipping leaders with actionable tools. Kristie also discusses how embedding healthy workforce principles into leadership meetings, safety huddles, nursing excellence initiatives, and ongoing education helped create lasting cultural change rather than another short-lived initiative. Tune in to learn how listening, shared governance, and consistent leadership habits can help healthcare teams create a healthier and more respectful work environment. About Kristie Huff: Kristie Huff, MSN, NEA-BC, is a nationally recognized healthcare executive with more than 25 years of experience leading hospital operations, nursing excellence, and large-scale healthcare transformation. As Chief Nursing and Operations Executive for HealthPark Medical Center, part of Lee Health, she oversees clinical and operational performance for one of Southwest Florida’s premier medical centers. Throughout her career, Kristie has led organizations to achieve exceptional outcomes in patient safety, quality, workforce engagement, financial performance, and disaster response, including serving as Incident Command leader during major hurricanes. A certified Nurse Executive Advanced, she is a sought-after speaker on leadership, nursing innovation, healthcare operations, and building high-performing cultures that deliver outstanding patient care. What You’ll Learn In This Episode: Listening to nurses and leaders can reveal recurring culture issues that may otherwise be dismissed as “just nursing” or normal workplace stress. Healthy workforce work becomes more sustainable when it is tied to strategic priorities, shared governance, leadership development, and nursing excellence. Newer leaders often need practical tools, mentoring, and consistent education to address disruptive behaviors and strengthen team culture. Shared governance gives clinical nurses a stronger voice in identifying priorities, ranking concerns, and shaping solutions that affect their daily work. Culture change requires consistent action, including making a healthy workforce a standing agenda item, challenging disrespectful behavior, and modeling expectations in everyday interactions. Starting small with shared learning, book discussions, and practical tools can build momentum for a larger culture transformation across departments and disciplines. Links & Resources: Connect with and follow Kristie Huff on LinkedIn.  Follow Lee Health on LinkedIn and visit their website. Check out the 33 Scripts Guide to Address Disruptive Behaviour here. Buy Renee Thompson’s book Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility here! Grab a copy of Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! here. Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here! Have a question for Renee? Email us at [email protected] to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode! Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases. Liked this episode? Rate, review, and share with your colleagues. Your support helps us reach more healthcare leaders working to create better work environments.

Charge nurses set the tone for the entire department, especially when leaders are not in the room. In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson discusses a common challenge healthcare leaders face: charge nurses who are clinically strong but struggle with professionalism, communication, and respect. Drawing on the Healthy Workforce Institute’s Department Culture Change initiative, which has worked with more than 135 departments, Renee shares that every department assessed had some concern involving charge nurses. She explains why leaders often avoid difficult conversations and outlines three practical strategies: having honest conversations, providing training focused on the “people” side of leadership, and removing charge nurses from the role when harmful behavior continues. Renee also reflects on Tim Gunn’s lessons on professionalism, kindness, curiosity, integrity, and consistent daily habits, which are valuable reminders for charge nurses and healthcare leaders alike. Tune in to learn how healthcare leaders can hold charge nurses accountable, strengthen professionalism, and create a healthier work culture for every team member. About Dr. Renee Thompson: Dr. Renee Thompson is a leading authority on creating healthy work cultures by eliminating bullying and incivility in healthcare. With more than 31 years of experience as a clinical nurse, educator, quality manager, and executive leader, she has become one of the most sought-after experts on workplace culture. As CEO and Founder of the Healthy Workforce Institute, Renee works with healthcare organizations worldwide to equip leaders with the tools they need to cultivate professional, respectful, and supportive teams. Renee is a published author, award-winning speaker, and one of only 30 nurses worldwide to earn the Certified Speaking Professional designation. She also serves on The Joint Commission’s Workplace Violence Technical Advisory Panel and has been recognized globally for her thought leadership and advocacy. What You’ll Learn In This Episode: Charge nurses play a powerful informal leadership role and must model professionalism, respect, and healthy workplace behaviors. Leaders often avoid difficult conversations with charge nurses because they lack the skills, fear defensive reactions, or feel uncomfortable using their authority. Honest feedback should be specific, direct, and balanced by naming what the charge nurse does well and what behavior needs to change. Charge nurses need training not only in operations and patient flow, but also in the people side of leadership, including conflict, feedback, emotional intelligence, and respectful communication. When charge nurses continue to behave unprofessionally after feedback and support, removing them from the role may be necessary to protect the team culture. Consistent leadership habits, such as documenting conversations and addressing issues early, help sustain a healthy and respectful work environment. Links & Resources: Learn more about the Charge Nurse Development for a Healthy Workforce course from the Healthy Workforce Academy. Check out Tim Gunn’s book Gunn’s Golden Rules. Learn more about the Framework here! Learn the 33 Scripts to Address Disruptive Behavior here! Buy Renee Thompson’s book Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility here! Grab a copy of Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! here. Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here! Have a question for Renee? Email us at [email protected] to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode! Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases. Liked this episode? Rate, review, and share with your colleagues. Your support helps us reach more healthcare leaders working to create better work environments.

A thriving healthcare system begins with leaders who prioritize their people, ensuring that a supportive culture drives exceptional patient care and outcomes. In this episode, Dr. Stacy Alves, Chief Nurse Executive at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, shares her leadership philosophy that when leaders take great care of their staff, those teams are better equipped to deliver exceptional patient care. She explains how creating a positive work environment through collaboration, recognition, and providing the right tools empowers caregivers to succeed. Dr. Alves also discusses a successful performance improvement initiative in which a multidisciplinary team's engagement led to higher employee satisfaction and better patient outcomes, while offering practical strategies for managing change by addressing resistance through individual conversations. Throughout the discussion, she emphasizes the importance of leaders being present with their teams, modeling healthy behaviors, and leveraging technology to reduce administrative burden and support frontline care. Tune in for an insightful conversation on how empowering employees and fostering a healthy work culture can transform patient care and drive lasting success in healthcare! About Dr. Stacy Alves: Stacy Alves, DNP, MS, RN, NEA-BC, is the Chief Nurse Executive at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, with 11 years of leadership experience in professional development, nursing informatics, and clinical operations. Guided by the belief that caring for caregivers leads to better patient care, she has helped achieve 12 consecutive Leapfrog A ratings, Healthgrades Top 50 recognition, led surge workforce development, and launched a nursing professional governance structure during the pandemic. Stacy is a certified Improvement Advisor and HeartMath instructor, and in 2019 became the first recipient of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Extraordinary Nurses Award for Transformational Leadership. She earned a DNP from the University of San Francisco, a master's degree from the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, and a BSN from California State University, Sacramento. What You’ll Learn In This Episode: Prioritizing employee well-being leads to stronger engagement and better patient care. Collaborative problem-solving empowers teams to develop sustainable solutions that improve both performance and job satisfaction. Publicly recognizing positive behaviors while addressing resistance through individual conversations strengthens accountability and team culture. Leaders who model healthy behaviors foster a culture of well-being and work-life balance across their organizations. Technology can streamline administrative responsibilities, enabling leaders to spend more time supporting and engaging with their teams. Links & Resources: Connect with and follow Dr. Stacy Alves on LinkedIn. Follow Kaiser Permanente on LinkedIn and visit their website! Check out the 33 Scripts Guide to Address Disruptive Behavior here! Buy Renee Thompson’s book Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility here! Grab a copy of Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! here. Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here! Have a question for Renee? Email us at [email protected] to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode! Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases. Liked this episode? Rate, review, and share with your colleagues. Your support helps us reach more healthcare leaders working to create better work environments.