In this episode of the "Leading Ladies in Healthcare" podcast, Dr. Lisa, a seasoned family physician, and executive leadership coach, addresses the challenges women face in the workplace, particularly the pressure to be likable. She identifies six habits that can undermine women's leadership presence: over-apologizing, second-guessing decisions, using soft language, avoiding conflict, deflecting praise, and exhibiting nervous body language. Dr. Lisa offers practical tips to overcome these habits, encouraging women to embrace their authentic selves while maintaining authority and assertiveness. The episode aims to empower women leaders in healthcare to recognize and combat gender bias.

Breaking the Likability Trap: Habits Women Leaders Must Overcome to Thrive

Today women represent more than 50% of the medical school class, yet only hold
20% of the positions in the C-suite. My own journey with leadership was by trial
and error. I wanted to represent the 20% but quickly realized, there was no
leadership path to follow or defined curriculum to teach me the skills I needed
to adjust quickly to this new role. I struggled with balancing work and family,
navigating our complex healthcare system, and trying to find my voice in
leadership. After 20 years in the healthcare field with leadership roles in
academia, public health, the insurance industry, and hospital administration, my
mission is to help increase the number of women physicians in leadership roles
by equipping them with the personal and professional development skills they
need to be successful. Women physicians are often deterred from seeking
leadership roles due to the lack of organizational support of work-life
integration, gender equity, racial discrimination, and equality in pay. Having
women in leadership roles not only creates the pipeline for future leaders but
also improves the delivery of care to the communities we serve.