by Mo Akindolie
I’m Dr Mo Akindolie, a consultant paediatrician and healthcare leader. In each episode of Healthcare Leadership Conversations, I spotlight remarkable healthcare leaders, exploring the stories, insights, and journeys of the people leading change in one of the most vital sectors of our society. You’re invited to listen in, learn, be inspired, and perhaps even see healthcare leadership and life a little differently.
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Publishing Since
10/26/2025
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April 23, 2026
<p>I wanted to bring this episode to you because meetings are such a big part of how we lead, especially in healthcare, and yet so many of them feel rushed, reactive, or disconnected.</p><p>In this episode of Healthcare Leadership Insights, I explore what it actually takes to lead meetings that matter, drawing on the principles of authentic gravitas. This isn’t about dominating the room or having all the answers. It’s about how you show up, how you create space for others, and how intentional small shifts can completely change the quality of your conversations.</p><p><strong>What You’ll Discover</strong></p><p>- <strong>Why Presence Isn’t About Performance</strong>: Gravitas isn’t about confidence or charisma, it’s about clarity, curiosity, and how you show up for others.</p><p>-<strong> The Power of Better Conversations</strong>: Creating space before the agenda and asking thoughtful questions can transform collaboration and influence.</p><p>- <strong>From Reactive to Intentional Leadership</strong>: Without time to think and reflect, we don’t lead, we simply respond to pressure.</p><p>What really stands out in this episode is how much impact sits in the moments we often overlook. The space before a meeting starts, the decision to ask one better question, the willingness to listen instead of jumping straight to solutions. These aren’t big, dramatic leadership moves, but they change how people feel, how they contribute, and ultimately, the outcomes you create together.</p><p>There’s also a deeper message here about self-leadership. If we don’t create time to think, to reflect, and to be intentional about who we are as leaders, we default to reacting. And in environments as complex and pressured as healthcare, that shift from reactive to intentional can make all the difference.</p><p>If you’ve ever left a meeting feeling like it didn’t quite land, or wondered how to have more impact without being louder or more forceful, this episode will give you a different way to think about it. Try one small shift in your next conversation and see what changes.</p><p><strong>Connect with Healthcare Leadership Conversations</strong></p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/healthleadershipconversations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">instagram.com/healthleadershipconversations</a></p><p>LinkedIn (Dr. Mo Akindolie): <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mo-akindolie-56a4ba5b/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">linkedin.com/in/dr-mo-akindolie</a></p><p>Website: <a href="https://healthcareleadershipconversations.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">healthcareleadershipconversations.com</a></p><p><strong>Episode Resources</strong></p><p><a href="https://rebeccanewton.co.uk/#book" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Authentic Gravitas: Who Stands out and Why by Dr Rebecca Newton</a>.</p><p><a href="https://hbr.org/2020/09/gravitas-is-a-quality-you-can-develop" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gravitas Is a Quality You Can Develop, Harvard Business Review by Rebecca Newton</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.stevenrogelberg.com/the-surprising-science-of-meetings-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Surprising Science of Meetings by Steven G Rogelberg</a>.</p><p><a href="https://hbr.org/2019/01/why-your-meetings-stink-and-what-to-do-about-it" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Why Your Meetings Stink—and What to Do About It, Harvard Business Review by Steven G. Rogelberg HBR</a>.</p><p>Healthcare Leadership Conversations is produced by <a href="http://urbanpodcasts.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Urban Podcasts</a>.</p>
April 16, 2026
Episode Shownotes Authentic Gravitas: Who Stands out and Why by Dr Rebecca Newton - https://rebeccanewton.co.uk/#book Gravitas Is a Quality You Can Develop, Harvard Business Review by Rebecca Newton - https://hbr.org/2020/09/gravitas-is-a-quality-you-can-develop Connect with Healthcare Leadership Conversations: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/healthleadershipconversations LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthcare-leadership-conversations/ Website - https://healthcareleadershipconversations.com/
April 9, 2026
<p>I’ve been thinking a lot about the response to last week’s episode, because the number of messages that came in really said something. So many of you said the same thing. “I didn’t know it had a name… but this is exactly what I’ve experienced.”</p><p>In this episode, I wanted to go deeper. Not just naming the pet-to-threat phenomenon, but actually exploring what you can do when you find yourself in it. This is a more practical, honest conversation about navigating systems that shift from supporting you to undermining you, and how to protect your identity, your wellbeing, and your career. </p><p><strong>What You’ll Discover</strong></p><p>-<strong> It’s Not Imposter Syndrome</strong>: Pet-to-threat is a systemic pattern done to you, not an internal lack of confidence, and that distinction changes everything. </p><p>-<strong> Protect Your Identity and Power</strong>: Building a reputation beyond your organisation creates resilience and gives you real options. </p><p>-<strong> Know When It’s Time to Leave</strong>: Sometimes the system won’t change, and recognising that early can protect your health, your performance, and your sense of self. </p><p>What really stayed with me while putting this together is how many people are quietly navigating this without language for it. And once you name it, something shifts. You stop internalising it. You start seeing the system more clearly. And from there, you can make more intentional decisions about how you show up and where you choose to stay.</p><p>This episode isn’t just for those experiencing it, it’s also for leaders. Because if we’re honest, these patterns don’t sustain themselves by accident. They’re shaped, reinforced, and sometimes ignored at the top. And that means they can also be changed.</p><p><strong>Connect with Healthcare Leadership Conversations</strong></p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/healthleadershipconversations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">instagram.com/healthleadershipconversations</a></p><p>LinkedIn (Dr. Mo Akindolie): <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mo-akindolie-56a4ba5b/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">linkedin.com/in/dr-mo-akindolie</a></p><p>Website: <a href="https://healthcareleadershipconversations.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">healthcareleadershipconversations.com</a></p><p><strong>Episode Resources</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376421576_Women_of_Color_at_Midcareer_Going_from_Pet_to_Threat" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Women of Color at Midcareer: Going from Pet to Threat </a>™<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376421576_Women_of_Color_at_Midcareer_Going_from_Pet_to_Threat" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">. Psychological Health of Women of Color: Intersections, Challenges, and Opportunities, p 275.” "Thomas, K. M., Johnson-Bailey, J., Phelps, R. E., Tran, N. M., & Johnson, L. N. (2013).</a></p><p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/keciathomas/2024/01/13/the-persistence-of-pet-to-threat/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Persistence Of Pet To Threat </a>™<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/keciathomas/2024/01/13/the-persistence-of-pet-to-threat/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> By Kecia M. Thomas.</a></p><p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeseq/2021/06/29/the-infuriating-journey-from-pet-to-threat-how-bias-undermines-black-women-at-work/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Infuriating Journey From Pet To Threat</a>™<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeseq/2021/06/29/the-infuriating-journey-from-pet-to-threat-how-bias-undermines-black-women-at-work/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">: How Bias Undermines Black Women At Work.</a></p><p><a href="https://ucheblackstock.com/book/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Uche Blackstock - Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine.</a></p><p><a href="https://advancinghealthequity.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Advancing Health Equity.</a></p><p><a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/01/16/black-doctors-leaving-faculty-positions-academic-medical-centers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Why Black doctors like me are leaving faculty positions in academic medical centers.</a></p><p>Healthcare Leadership Conversations is produced by <a href="http://urbanpodcasts.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Urban Podcasts</a>.</p>
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I’m Dr Mo Akindolie, a consultant paediatrician and healthcare leader.
In each episode of Healthcare Leadership Conversations, I spotlight remarkable healthcare leaders, exploring the stories, insights, and journeys of the people leading change in one of the most vital sectors of our society.
You’re invited to listen in, learn, be inspired, and perhaps even see healthcare leadership and life a little differently.
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