🎙 Episode Overview

In this episode, I’m bringing you a different kind of conversation: a follow-up with one of my former Changemaker Essentials students, Mia.

Mia is a nurse director at a large urban teaching hospital in Boston. She started by leading a single 18-bed medical unit, and was recently asked to take on a second unit, bringing her scope to 42 beds and 197 direct reports… while also working on her PhD and raising three kids.

We talk about what that transition has actually looked like, where it’s stretched her, and how she’s using systems thinking, personal mastery, and CME tools to stay a leader (not just a manager) in the middle of all of it.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How Mia went from CNS to nurse director and then to leading two medical units in the same system
• What made her transition smoother: shared physician model, similar patient population, and strong relationships with clinical nurse specialists
• Where the real friction lives right now: performance evaluations, new systems (RL Solutions, Workday), and learning budgeting/forecasting at scale
• How she’s intentionally protecting her leadership identity instead of slipping into “task manager” mode
• The specific ways she’s using tools from Changemaker Essentials to navigate scope creep, feedback, and big structural changes

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• Relationships before results. Mia is very clear that nothing meaningful happens on her units without relationships. She’s investing in knowing her staff professionally and personally, even with almost 200 direct reports.
• Scope increases don’t have to equal suffering. People expect her to say, “It’s horrible, I’m drowning,” and she can honestly say, “It’s going great,” because she trusts her competence, has tools, and is building structure on purpose.
• What got you here won’t get you there. The systems and habits that worked for one unit don’t automatically scale to two. She’s now building checklists, templates, and finance skills so she can grow with the role.
• Feedback is data, not a personal attack. When staff told her they felt blindsided by building work, she didn’t spiral. She logged it as useful feedback and adjusted her communication.
• Leadership ≠ niceness + empathy. Caring about your team matters, but without structural thinking and strategy, that care won’t show up in people’s actual workday reality.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

As you listen, put yourself in Mia’s shoes for a minute:

• What if your role suddenly doubled in scope?
• What systems would break first?
• Where would you feel confident… and where would you feel exposed?

Notice the parts of Mia’s story that spark either excitement or panic for you. That’s usually your growth edge. You don’t have to be leading 197 people to pull a lot from this conversation

📣 Special Announcements

The March cohort of Changemaker Essentials is opening for enrollment soon.

If you resonated with how Mia is thinking and leading – using systems thinking, personal mastery, and real-world tools instead of just “trying harder” – this is the program where I teach those skills in a structured way over 12 weeks.

If you join the waitlist, you’ll:

• Get detailed info about the curriculum and structure
• Hear stories from past students like Mia
• Have the option to book a free 15-minute Zoom call with me to talk through your specific situation and whether CME is a fit

📲 Call to Action

• Join the Changemaker Essentials waitlist. The link is in the show notes. If you’re even remotely curious, get on the list so you don’t miss the details and the short Zoom call spots.
• Listen to Mia’s original coaching episode on the Changemaker Case Files private podcast if you haven’t yet. It gives great context for where she started.
• Share this episode with a colleague who’s just taken on a bigger role or a second unit and feels like they “should” be drowning right now.

👉 Resources Mentioned

• Changemaker Essentials – My 12-week flagship program for nurses and nurse leaders who want to become effective change makers
• Changemaker Case Files Private Podcast – 10 coaching conversations with nurses like you (including Mia)
• CME Waitlist – Get details, launch dates, and an invite to a free 15-minute call with me

🎙 Episode Overview

In this episode, I’m talking honestly about what it actually means to move abroad as a nurse, especially in the middle of a very heavy political moment in the United States. This is not a “panic exit” episode and I’m not here to tell you whether you should stay or go.

Instead, I walk you through how I think about moving abroad from a systems-thinking lens: how it restructures your whole life, what tends to surprise people, and what I wish you’d sort through before you make the leap. I also share how I approached my own move to the Netherlands and why having a vision matters more than fear.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why “I just need to get out of here” is not a real vision for your life
• How to think about your life as a system, and why moving abroad is a massive structural change
• The difference between running toward a life you want versus running away from the one you have
• Three key questions I recommend you ask yourself before moving abroad as a nurse
• Why your U.S. nursing license may not transfer easily, and what that means for your career options
• How values, lifestyle, income, and language factor into an aligned decision to relocate

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• Fear of staying is valid. Fear alone should not be your entire strategy for leaving.
• “All I know is I can’t stay here” is a limited vision. You need something you’re moving toward, not just away from.
• Your life is a system. Moving abroad does not just change your address, it reshapes your relationships, identity, work, and daily routines.
• You will feel like a beginner again. If you cannot tolerate sustained discomfort, moving abroad will be rough.
• Your nursing background is still valuable abroad, even if you never work a traditional RN job again. There are more ways to use your skill set than just bedside care.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

As you listen, I want you to actively picture your life, not a fantasy Pinterest version of it.

When I walk through the three questions, pause for a moment and ask yourself:

• What would it actually feel like for me to be the immigrant in another country?
• How would my work, friendships, and family routines change in a different health system and culture?

If you can, jot down a few notes while you listen. Your first answers don’t have to be polished. They just have to be honest.

📣 Special Notes

If you’re seriously thinking about moving abroad and want help sorting through your vision and options, I offer one-off Power Hour coaching sessions. You don’t necessarily need six months of coaching to get clarity on a decision like this, but you might benefit from having someone neutral walk through the trade-offs with you.

📲 Call to Action

• If this episode helped you think more clearly about moving abroad, share it with another nurse who has been talking about “getting out” without a plan.
• Take 10–15 minutes this week to answer the three questions from the episode. Put your answers somewhere you’ll actually see again.

👉 Resources Mentioned

• Change Maker Essentials for values, personal vision, and systems-thinking foundations
• Power Hour Coaching with me for one-time support around big decisions like moving abroad
• Instagram: Follow me on IG to send questions, reflections, or get more context on my own move and work abroad

🎙 Episode Overview

In this episode, I’m talking about something I see over and over again with nurse leaders: we care deeply, we work hard, we mean well… and yet our teams don’t actually change. I break down why good intentions, effort, and even personal self-care aren’t enough to shift team culture or outcomes if the structure of the team stays the same.

I’ll walk you through three different team structures (polka dot, firework, and spider web), how they show up in real life, and the specific structural changes I’m making with my own team in 2026 to move us toward a more resilient, high-functioning “spider web” model.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why working harder, being more organized, or “caring more” doesn’t fix systemic team problems
• The difference between personal support (therapy, planners, meditation) and structural change
• The three team structure models: polka dot, firework, and spider web
• How structure drives behavior, and behavior drives outcomes in any system
• Concrete examples of structural changes I’m making with my own team this year

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• Good intentions are not a leadership strategy. Structure is.
• You can’t “behave” your way out of a broken (or just outdated) team structure.
• A firework model (everything flowing through one leader) looks efficient… until that leader becomes the bottleneck.
• A spider web model (dense, intentional connections across the team) builds resilience, shared ownership, and speed.
• Your job as a leader isn’t to work harder than everyone else. It’s to design a better system for everyone to work in.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

Listen with your specific team in mind. Picture your unit, department, or project team as I walk through the three structures and ask yourself, “Where are we on this spectrum?”

If you’re a formal leader, think about what you can control structurally. If you’re an informal leader, listen for ideas you can bring to your manager or start modeling within your sphere of influence.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take

1. Map your team as a system.

• On paper, list your team members, key tools, and regular meetings.
• Draw lines where communication, decisions, and information actually flow.
• Notice: do you see polka dots, a firework, or something closer to a spider web?

1. Identify one structural tweak.

• Ask: “Where could I create one new connection or communication pathway that doesn’t depend on me?”
• Examples: peer huddles, rotating project leads, structured cross-coverage, or standing check-ins that aren’t all led by you.

1. Shift from “working harder” to “designing better.”

• Any time you catch yourself thinking, “I just need to try harder,” pause and ask:

1. Create feedback loops, not wishful thinking.

• Build in regular check-ins where your team can name what’s working, what’s not, and where the structure is getting in their way.
• Use their feedback as your blueprint for your next round of changes.

📲 Call to Action

• If this episode hit a nerve, share it with another nurse leader who’s stuck in “work harder” mode.
• Send me a DM on Instagram and tell me which model your team currently looks like: polka dot, firework, or spider web.
• If you’re ready for leadership support and a community that actually “gets it,” apply to Nurse Leader HQ.
• Make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes on systems thinking and nurse leadership.

👉 Resources Mentioned

• Changemaker Essentials – my foundational program on systems thinking and change leadership
• Nurse Leader HQ – 6-month coaching + curriculum for nurse leaders who want to build high-functioning, resilient teams
• Map Your Impact – self-paced workshop to start thinking like a systems thinker in your current role

This week’s episode isn’t what I originally planned. After the ICE shooting of a Minneapolis mom, I shifted my focus. Instead of leadership strategies or business updates, I’m sharing something heavier: how we show up as leaders when the world feels deeply wrong. This episode is a reading of my System Sunday email—a message I spent the week crafting, revising, and grounding in real-life experience. If you're a nurse, a leader, or simply someone trying to navigate injustice while staying present at work, this message is for you.

• What emotional regulation really means—and what it doesn’t
• How silence from leadership during crisis shapes team culture
• Ways to practice professional resistance inside healthcare systems
• Why naming injustice out loud matters more than perfect wording
• Specific leadership actions you can take when the world feels unstable

• Transparency is not the same as emotional leakage. Regulated leaders hold space without handing off their overwhelm.
• Silence is not neutral. Naming what's happening—no matter how messy—builds trust.
• Your influence matters most when values are tested. Build it before you need it.
• Leadership isn’t about having answers. It’s about staying in the conversation when it would be easier to walk away.

Listen slowly. Reflect intentionally. This isn’t an action-packed, high-energy episode—it’s a grounded moment to sit with what’s happening and consider how you want to respond. Whether you’re leading a team or showing up for your community, this episode is about staying human in hard times.

• Check your nervous system before meetings. Are you regulated, or are you leaking?
• Say the quiet part out loud: “This isn’t normal.” It’s enough to break the silence.
• Make space for your team to process. It doesn’t have to be a meeting—just an acknowledgment.
• Revisit your “red lines.” What won’t you do, even if asked?
• Learn documentation strategies that protect your patients, not just the system.

Nurse Leader HQ applications are open this week (starting Monday, January 12). If you want to be in community with nurse leaders doing healthcare differently, now’s the time to apply. I’d love to walk alongside you.

• Share this episode with someone who’s been navigating hard decisions in their workplace.
• DM me on Instagram if you have thoughts or reflections to add—I genuinely want to hear from you.
• Apply for Nurse Leader HQ if you're ready to do leadership in a new way.
• Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss the next episode.

• Join the System Sunday email list
• Apply to Nurse Leader HQ
• Connect with me on Instagram

This episode is part reflection, part reality check. I'm sharing how 2025 really played out—what changed in my corporate life, my business, and my personal world—and what those shifts taught me. You’ll hear how I set the foundation for a life that feels more stable and aligned than it has in years, and why I’m not setting huge overhauls for 2026 (even though I still have big goals). If you want to use systems thinking to reflect on your own year, this one’s for you.

• What I actually did and didn’t accomplish in 2025—and why that’s not a bad thing
• How I balanced running a business with working full-time in a corporate role
• The small changes that added up to big shifts in stability and clarity
• Why things get easier with familiarity, not just more effort
• How I’m thinking about 2026 as a year to make my life work even better—not rebuild it from scratch

• You don’t need to reinvent your life every year. Sometimes the best thing you can do is build on what’s already working.
• Things get easier when you just show up. Familiarity and consistency matter more than force.
• Stability is a huge win. There’s power in setting up systems that keep working, even when you’re not hustling 24/7.
• Burnout prevention isn’t sexy—but it’s essential. Creating space, re-evaluating priorities, and resetting recovery systems pays off.

Approach this like a guided self-reflection. Listen to the episode, then pause and ask yourself: What actually changed in my life this year? What’s working better now? And how can I make next year feel easier, more meaningful, or more aligned?

• Write down the specific ways your life looks different now than it did last year—no matter how small.
• Ask: What was quietly set up in 2025 that I can build on in 2026?
• Reflect on the systems that worked (or didn’t). What helped you stay grounded this year?
• Set intentions not just for growth—but for ease, recovery, and sustainability.

• Enjoying the show? Leave a review—it seriously helps more nurses find these conversations.
• Share this episode with a friend or colleague who’s reflecting on their year too.
• Get on the Nurse Leader HQ Waitlist.
• Follow me on Instagram for behind-the-scenes reflections and updates.

🎙 Episode Overview

This week’s episode is a vulnerable one. I’m sharing what it looked like when I hit the early warning signs of burnout this fall and what I did to swerve before it turned into a full-blown crash. This isn’t a theoretical lesson. It’s a real-time reflection on what burnout actually feels like, what it taught me, and how I’m doing now. If you're starting to feel that low hum of stress in your own life or work, this episode is for you.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• The specific burnout symptoms I started noticing in myself
• Why burnout doesn’t always mean you’re in the wrong job
• How I started course-correcting in the middle of Q4
• What it means to “swerve burnout” instead of “bracing for impact”
• Three ways you can reflect and reset before it’s too late

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• Burnout is a feedback signal—not a diagnosis.
• Different people burn out for different reasons.
• You can love your job and still be running too hot.
• Recovery systems matter just as much as strategy.
• Your burnout symptoms are valid—even if no one else sees them yet.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

Listen with a notebook (or your Notes app) open. Track your own warning signs. Pause and jot down what comes up for you—especially if you’ve been brushing off exhaustion, irritability, or that feeling of wanting to delete your calendar.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take

• Make space to think clearly. Block 1–2 hours to reflect without distraction.
• Rank your current life priorities (1–6) and let the list guide your bandwidth.
• Re-establish the recovery systems that help you feel like yourself: gym, connection, rest, joy.
• Write out your personal early warning signs of burnout and share them with someone who can help spot them.
• If you're in a leadership role, talk openly about how you’re doing—modeling honesty helps the whole system.

📲 Call to Action

• If this episode resonated, share it with a friend or colleague who might need to hear it.
• DM me your personal burnout signals—I’d love to learn from your experience.
• Leave a review if you’ve found value in the show. It helps more nurses find our community.
• Want coaching support in 2026? Join the waitlist for Changemaker Essentials.

🎙 Episode Overview

In this milestone 50th episode, I’m bringing you a very real-time reflection on a common mindset trap, one I’ve personally wrestled with and one I teach in Changemaker Essentials: the belief that we must get it right the first time. This episode started with me on the couch doing my year-end planning, spiraling into perfectionism, and then remembering, oh right, this is myth #7. Whether you're planning a project, launching a new initiative, or setting goals for the year ahead, this is one you're going to want to unpack.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why perfectionism sneaks into year-end planning and change work
• The key risks of trying to “get it right the first time”
• How to reframe your mindset to embrace iteration and learning
• Two frameworks for action: the PDSA cycle and design thinking
• Why failure isn’t final—and how I used a failed launch to redesign Nurse Leader HQ

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• Planning forever delays the actual learning.
• Failure isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of iteration.
• Trying to get it right the first time can block meaningful progress.
• Design thinking is not just for designers—it’s a powerful tool for change leaders.
• Instagram will not be the death of me (but I need a more iterative strategy there too).

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

Bring your planner or whatever you're using to map out 2026. As you listen, notice where perfectionism might be creeping into your thinking and where you might need to release control and let learning lead the way.

🛠️ Practical Actions You Can Take

• Use this reframe: “We are well prepared for our first run at this. What processes can we put in place to support continuous adaptation?”
• Choose one project and map it through the design thinking cycle (Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test → Implement).
• Identify one place where perfectionism is stalling progress—and take imperfect action anyway.
• Build in check-in points (weekly, monthly, quarterly) to revisit and refine as you go.

📣 Special Announcements

Nurse Leader HQ launches in January! If you’re a CME alum, there’s still time to join the next cohort. Reach out if you want details or help figuring out if it’s the right fit.

📲 Call to Action

• Share this episode with a perfectionist friend or colleague who needs to hear it.
• Leave a review to help others find the show (especially if you’ve been here since episode one).
• Join the email list to get updates and resources.
• DM me if you want to chat about your own plan to “iterate and improve” in 2026.

👉 Resources Mentioned

• Learn more about Changemaker Essentials.
• Join the NLHQ Waitlist if you're a CME alum
• Follow me on Instagram

🎙 Episode Overview

Right after watching my team present during a company-wide session, I hit record. I couldn’t help but reflect on how many times I’ve coached others (and myself) through the basics of giving an effective presentation-whether it's on Zoom, in a meeting room, or from a keynote stage. In this episode, I’m sharing the quick, practical mindset shifts and strategies that help presentations actually land, whether you're speaking to staff nurses or hospital execs. I also explain how my corporate and coaching work feed each other in real time and why I wouldn’t trade that synergy for anything.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• How to slow down your speech so your message sticks
• Why signaling confidence and ease matters more than you think
• The two things to lock in before you ever build a slide deck
• How to adapt your message based on who's in the room
• Why you should always open with a story—and how to do it without forcing it

🧠 Key Ideas to Take With You

• People can't absorb your message if you're rushing.
• Audiences mirror your energy—signal ease and they relax.
• A presentation without a clear audience and goal? Missed opportunity.
• Good storytelling isn't about impressing—it's about connecting.

🎧 How to Get the Most Out of This Episode

Think about a real presentation you have coming up. Maybe a project update or a team training. As you listen, jot down where you're already strong and where you could try a new approach. I promise, one or two shifts can change the whole experience.

📣 Special Announcements

Power Hours are 50% off this for Black Friday! If you're prepping for a presentation or want help refining your message, this is a great time to book a focused session.

📲 Call to Action

• Want help with an upcoming presentation? Book a Power Hour while it’s on sale.
• DM me on Instagram

After receiving upward feedback from my team, I tried something a little meta and surprisingly effective. In this episode, I walk you through exactly how I used ChatGPT to synthesize, share, and build on the feedback my team gave me. You’ll hear the full behind-the-scenes on the activity I created, why I think it’s a must-try for leaders, and how it’s already transforming the way we work together.

• A simple but powerful feedback activity any leader can replicate
• How I used ChatGPT to process and synthesize 10 forms of upward feedback
• Why modeling transparency matters more than we think
• What my team told me—and how I’m using that input to grow
• How this activity helps turn feedback into systems-level change

• Feedback is a system input—what matters is how we process and act on it
• Modeling vulnerability and transparency can change team culture
• When you invite your team into the meaning-making process, you get better results
• Good leadership includes showing your team how you think, not just what you decide

As you listen, think about the last time you asked your team for feedback and what you did with it. Consider what it would look like to reflect that data back to your team, and use it to shape future conversations.

• Try the “Start, Stop, Continue” feedback format with your team or peers
• Use an LLM (like ChatGPT) to help summarize feedback and extract patterns
• Share anonymized or aggregated feedback with your team and invite comments
• Build structured, asynchronous ways for quieter team members to weigh in
• Create reflection prompts to turn feedback into a living system of improvement

• Subscribe to Nursing the System so you never miss an episode
• Try this feedback-sharing activity with your own team
• Message me if you do, I’d love to hear how it goes!

This week we’re talking about culture. Not as a vague workplace buzzword, but as something you’re constantly shaping through your behavior, your feedback loops, and your presence. Whether you're a formal leader or not, you're feeding data into your system every single day. This episode is about how to do that more intentionally.

• What makes up a workplace culture (hint: it’s not your policies)
• The three most powerful levers you can pull to shift culture
• Why feedback loops are the lifeblood of a healthy system
• How modeling behavior (even casually) sends strong signals
• The difference between organizational structure and culture—and why it matters

• You’re never separate from the culture—you’re shaping it every day.
• Micro-interactions send macro signals about what’s normal.
• Modeling and feedback are culture-change tools, not just leadership fluff.
• The healthiest cultures aren’t perfect—they’re self-correcting.

Listen with curiosity about your own patterns. What are you modeling? How are you receiving feedback? And how might those habits be shaping your team’s culture, on purpose or not?

• Ask yourself: What do I want to be more normal in my work culture? Then model that.
• Pay attention to how you receive feedback. Do you get defensive? Over-implement? How can you shift toward curiosity?
• Introduce a 360-style feedback loop (even informally!) by asking peers or your team: “What’s one thing I could start, stop, or continue?”
• Normalize feedback as data and use it to help your system see itself and evolve.

If you want to understand your influence inside a system and take more strategic action—check out the Map Your Impact Mini Course. It's only $27 with our podcast code and is packed with value for nurse leaders and change makers.

• 👉 Take the Map Your Impact Mini Course (use your exclusive podcast discount code-MYI10OFF)
• 📩 Join the System Sunday Newsletter for weekly strategy and behind-the-scenes insights