Firing someone. It's the conversation no one wants to have, and yet it's one of the most common things healthcare leaders and practice managers reach out to Amy about.

And the question is almost always the same:

Can I still be People First if I let someone go?

In this episode, Amy pulls back the curtain on a recent experience where she had to let someone go, walking you through the four mistakes she made along the way and what each one taught her about leadership, organizational design, and the gap between who we hire and what our organizations actually need.

If you've ever questioned whether letting someone go aligns with a people-centered leadership philosophy, this episode will challenge your assumptions, give you a practical framework for thinking it through, and leave you with three reflective questions to ask before you make your next move.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4stktm36

Surveys going out. Responses not coming in. The same ten people answer every time. If you've led a team, a practice, or an organization for any length of time, you've probably been there.

In this episode, Amy Lafko shares a story from a recent facilitation experience in Alaska. What she brought to the room wasn't another survey or an open-ended group discussion. It was something far more unexpected: markers, flip chart paper, and a challenge to design a magazine cover.

What happened next surprised even the most skeptical people in the room.

Whether you're trying to re-engage a stagnant team, plan for the year ahead, or just break out of the meeting rut, this episode gives you a concrete tool you can pick up and use immediately, along with a few important facilitation tips that make all the difference.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/hchkfk4u

"I tried everything you recommended, Amy, and nothing has changed."

In this episode, Amy tackles a message she received directly on LinkedIn from a frustrated leader who was doing "all the right things."

They'd had the performance conversations, outlined the steps, and followed all the right leadership advice—but their team member's performance was still completely stalled.

It's a common hurdle in leadership, but the solution to getting unstuck is more nuanced than it might first appear.

If you're navigating a performance conversation that feels like a dead end, or you want to be better prepared for the next one, this episode is your guide.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4revcph8

Most attempts to resolve conflict in the workplace fail, not because the people involved aren't trying, but because they're trying to solve the wrong problem.

In this episode, Amy Lafko shares a story from a recent Productive Conflict workshop where one participant came back ready to report on how she'd tried to apply Amy's model. And the conversation that followed reveals something critical about how most of us approach conflict: we focus on the symptom and miss the source entirely.

Amy walks through what it looks like when a leader discovers mid-conversation that she and her team members aren't working toward the same thing at all, and what shifted when they finally found their real common ground.

Spoiler: it had nothing to do with the process everyone was arguing about.

This episode is for any healthcare leader who has tried to address a conflict and found themselves going in circles, or who has wondered why the same issues seem to resurface no matter how many times they've been "resolved." The answer might be simpler (and more profound) than you think.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ybkhpnzr

Eleven league championships. Eight district titles. And almost no seniors on the roster.

In this episode, Amy draws on a front-row seat at her niece's swim meet to bring one of her favorite leadership concepts to life: building bench strength.

What makes a team championship-level? It's rarely about having the single fastest swimmer in every race. It's about depth, and enough talent distributed across the team so that even second and third-place finishes add up to something bigger. Amy explores what happens when a coach starts building that depth not at the high school level, but years earlier. And what that approach has to do with how you grow your practice.

Your invitation this episode: start having growth conversations earlier than you think you need to: with everyone on your team.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mv8kw83m

What if the most powerful retention tool in your practice isn't a raise or a promotion…what if it's a question?

In this episode, Amy shares a story from a recent conversation with a former client whose practice, operating across seven locations, found a creative way to keep their people engaged, committed, and genuinely excited to come to work. And it didn't require restructuring their pay scale or creating a new management tier.

Amy revisits her "career rock wall" concept: the idea that growth at work doesn't have to mean climbing a straight ladder. For practices where the org chart is relatively flat—as so many healthcare practices are—the rock wall offers a different kind of path. One that's driven by passion, contribution, and connection to the work itself.

If you've ever wondered whether the people on your team need more than just a paycheck to stay motivated, or if you've felt stuck trying to retain great staff without a clear path to promotion to offer them, this episode is going to give you something to think about and something practical to try.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5hbdhdsm

"I thought staying silent was helping me and the team. But I was actually hurting both." Are you staying quiet at work because speaking up feels too risky? That silence might be costing more than you think.

In this episode, Amy shares a powerful moment from a recent client workshop that changed how one team member viewed her own silence. What started as an exercise in conflict resolution became a revelation about the hidden cost of staying quiet—not just for individuals, but for entire teams.

You'll discover why some team members would rather carry the weight of unresolved issues than risk "rocking the boat," and how what feels like keeping the peace might actually be preventing your team from thriving. Amy breaks down the psychology behind workplace silence and shares practical insights about creating environments where people feel safe enough to speak up about what really matters.

Listen now to discover what might be going unsaid in your organization, and what to do about it.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3sksnrfu

Projects going off the rails despite hiring talented people and giving them freedom to excel? The culprit might be the opposite of what you'd expect: too much freedom, not enough structure.

In this episode of Willing to Grow, Amy Lafko tackles a common leadership misconception—that being "people first" means removing all constraints. Through real client stories, she reveals how the absence of clear boundaries can actually set your team up for failure and frustration.

If you've ever felt torn between giving your team freedom and providing direction, this episode offers the tactical guidance you need. It's time to stop apologizing for setting boundaries and start seeing them as the leadership gift they truly are.

Ready to lead with both empowerment AND clarity? Press play now!

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/33wc22wd

If you've ever heard a team member say, "That's just the way we've always done it" and felt equal parts frustrated and stuck, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Willing To Grow, Amy Lafko responds to a real question sent in via LinkedIn from a healthcare leader navigating one of the most common challenges in practice management: overcoming inertia in stagnant teams and processes. The conversation is candid, practical, and grounded in real-world leadership experience.

Amy unpacks why resistance to change isn't always what it looks like on the surface, and why the most important question a leader needs to ask isn't directed at the team at all. She walks through a framework that healthcare leaders can use immediately, drawing on insights from DISC behavioral styles, Driving Forces (motivators), and the People First methodology.

Whether you're leading a small private practice or overseeing a large healthcare team, this episode will give you a fresh perspective on how to move people forward, without leaving anyone behind.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ym4mcms2

Hiring someone with an impressive resume and then watching them struggle in a role they should have crushed? Or feeling that constant energy drain trying to coach someone into a position that just isn't working?

In this episode, Amy Lafko challenges one of healthcare leadership's most persistent myths: that skills and experience are enough to predict success. Drawing from her own leadership journey—including a critical decision about when to say "no" to an opportunity—Amy reveals why behavioral fit is the missing piece in most hiring and promotion decisions.

This isn't about finding "perfect" candidates—they don't exist. It's about getting clear on what makes success easier for everyone involved. When you understand whether a role needs high organization or flexibility, people-focus or task-orientation, urgency or steadiness, you can make hiring and placement decisions that set your team up for sustainable success.

If you're tired of the exhausting cycle of hiring, coaching, and watching good people struggle in the wrong roles, this episode will change how you approach every staffing decision moving forward.

Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5buytx35