In this powerful episode of Lead Well MD, we step outside of medicine and into the world of military leadership — but stay firmly rooted in what matters most: building trust in high-stakes, high-pressure environments.

Ashley is joined by Colonel Randall Wickman, a retired U.S. Army Infantry Officer, combat-wounded veteran, and former Pentagon leader who now works in healthcare leadership development. With nearly 30 years of active duty, Colonel Wickman has led soldiers in some of the most intense environments on earth -  and he brings battle-tested wisdom directly to clinician leaders navigating the chaos and responsibility of modern healthcare.

Together, they explore:

• Why trust is everything when the stakes are high
• A three-part framework for trust: competence, character, and reciprocity
• How quiet teams - not loud ones  - are often the ones in crisis
• How structured reflection builds accountability and prevents blame
• What it means to truly earn the title of "leader" - in the OR, on the floor, or in combat

If you’re a physician leader navigating burnout, team dysfunction, or the isolation of responsibility, this conversation will change how you think about trust - and how you build it.

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