Tough Nuts, Big Hearts: A Raw Look at Healthcare Practice Leadership - A Special Snack Episode, EP 164
In this candid "snack episode," Miranda Dorta turns the tables and interviews Tracy Cherpeski about transformative moments in her coaching practice. Through unscripted conversations, Tracy shares powerful insights about working with healthcare providers, revealing how vulnerability, cultural awareness, and thoughtful leadership shape successful medical practices. From emergency room physicians transitioning to private practice to international healthcare providers navigating different systems, Tracy's experiences illuminate the common threads that connect all practice owners.
Memorable Quote:
"We slow down to speed up, we slow down to scale up. And so in those first four to six weeks of our work together, you're probably not gonna like me very much because I'm not going to allow you to move at the speed of light... If we're moving too fast, we miss the details, we miss the scenery, we miss the opportunities." - Tracy Cherpeski
Episode Highlights:
- The breakthrough moment with an ER physician-turned-practice owner who finally expressed his business uncertainties, highlighting the importance of creating safe spaces for healthcare providers to be vulnerable
- How working with an Australian physician practicing in Norway challenged Tracy to abandon her usual framework and develop a more culturally responsive approach to coaching
- The consistent pattern Tracy observes across practices: "tough nuts with big hearts" - highly credentialed professionals deeply committed to providing excellent patient care
- The value of "slowing down to speed up" in the first 4-6 weeks of client work, allowing practice owners to spot opportunities they might miss when rushing toward goals
- Tracy's insights on leadership versus management, and helping practice owners find the delicate balance between control and guidance
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