Micro Skills, Macro Impact (Part 1)

Micro Skills, Macro Impact (Part 1)

From EM Pulse Podcast™ by UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine

March 18, 2026 · 18 min

About this episode

Dr. Resa Lewiss discusses the importance of micro skills in achieving professional goals in the emergency department.

“If you read this book on a Friday, we promise you will be better at your job on Monday.” In the high-stakes environment of the Emergency Department, we often focus on the “big saves,” but what if the secret to a thriving career lies in the tiny details? In part one of this special two-part series, we sit down with Dr. Resa Lewiss , an emergency and lifestyle medicine physician, TEDMED speaker, and co-author of the hit book Micro Skills: Small Actions, Big Impact . We dive into why the “workplace playbook” isn’t always handed to us and how breaking down overwhelming professional goals into small, actionable behaviors can transform your trajectory. What Exactly Are “Micro Skills”? Dr. Lewiss defines Micro Skills as the small, actionable behaviors and steps that serve as the building blocks for achieving massive goals. Whether it’s tackling an overwhelming project or building a habit you thought was “just for other people,” almost everything can be broken down into these manageable units. For Dr. Lewiss and her co-author, Dr. Adaira Landry, these skills are the “missing playbook” they wish they’d had…

People in this episode

Guest: Dr. Resa Lewiss

Topics covered

  • micro skills
  • self-care
  • professional development
  • emergency medicine
  • workplace strategies

Keywords

  • micro skills
  • self-care
  • emergency medicine
  • professional development
  • workplace playbook

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: TEDMED

Books & works: Micro Skills: Small Actions, Big Impact

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