The Inspired Healthcare Leader is your go-to podcast for frontline healthcare leaders who want to lead with more ease, joy, and success. I’m Mara Ergas-Zabari, a lifelong healthcare leader, consultant, and passionate supporter of those on the front lines. Each week, I’ll share personal insights, practical tips, and inspiring stories to help you reconnect with your spark and navigate the challenges of leadership. Together, we’ll explore relevant topics to your daily work-life like overwhelm, team dynamics, and work-life balance. I’ll be approaching these topics through the lenses of personal development, human psychology, complexity, and systems science. You’ll also hear from experts who share my love for creating thriving teams and cultures. Let’s build a community where you feel seen, supported, and inspired. Join me on this journey—you deserve it! Submit a question, request, or feedback for the podcast here: maraergaszabari.com Or email hello@maraergaszabari.com
Why do some healthcare teams go the extra mile—offering ideas, solving problems early, and supporting one another—while others do only what’s required, even with the same staffing and pressure? In this episode, I unpack the hidden force behind high-performing teams: discretionary effort. You’ll learn why extra-mile energy can’t be commanded, incentivized, or pressured into existence—and what actually unlocks it. Grounded in motivat...
In this episode, I unpack hurrying sickness, a chronic state of internal urgency that quietly erodes your calm, presence, and leadership effectiveness. Drawing on research, neuroscience, and my personal healthcare leadership experience, I walk you through 7 subtle signs you may be living in urgency mode, from constant multitasking and impatience to feeling uneasy when things finally slow down. This isn’t about doing less or fixing ...
If you’ve ever edited an email ten times, softened your words to avoid judgment, or stayed quiet in a meeting even though you knew exactly what needed to be said, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. We’re talking about FOPO — the Fear of People’s Opinions — and how it quietly constricts confidence, clarity, and presence for healthcare leaders. You’ll learn why caring professions are especially vulnerable to this pattern, wha...
If you’re ready to grow, stretch, and step into bigger opportunities in your leadership journey, this episode will show you exactly how to position yourself for what’s next. Today, I’m walking you through the identity and presence upgrades that help frontline healthcare leaders expand their impact and be seen as ready for broader, more strategic roles. You’ll learn why your next chapter isn’t about doing more, but about showing up ...
If you’ve ever found yourself doom scrolling in your office, reorganizing your desk drawer to avoid your inbox, or grabbing a “treat” that gives you five seconds of relief before the overwhelm returns—this episode is your turning point. In this episode, I break down the exact difference between coping and self-care, why your brain defaults to micro-dissociation on high-pressure days, and how tiny, two-minute “self-care snacks” can ...
If you’ve been working harder but still hitting the same walls, this episode reveals the breakthrough leaders need now: shifting from fixing problems to rethinking the system that creates them. You’ll learn why old assumptions quietly limit your team’s growth, how double-loop thinking unlocks entirely new possibilities, and what future-ready leadership really looks like inside today’s complex healthcare environment. With a powerful...
In healthcare, we’re taught to manage through control—policies, checklists, and approvals. But what if the real key to alignment and calm is letting go just enough to create clarity? In this episode I share how “simple rules” can replace endless policies and bring teams into effortless coordination—even in chaotic environments. You’ll learn the science behind why less control leads to better outcomes, hear a real NICU success story...
Ever wonder why some days at work just flow—while others feel like you’re trudging through mud? In this episode I reveal the hidden science behind inspiration and how it fuels real-world leadership energy. You’ll learn how to tune into the quiet cues of your system, notice what brings you alive, and create conditions for synchronicity and flow—even in the complexity of healthcare. Discover four simple steps to reconnect with what b...
Ever wondered why the same challenges keep resurfacing on your team—no matter what you try? If so, you might be bumping up against a leadership blind spot. In this episode I break down the hidden patterns, habits, and assumptions that quietly erode trust and communication in healthcare teams. With insights from psychology’s Johari Window and real-world stories from the front lines, this episode will help you replace defensiveness w...
Ever wish you could walk into high-stakes meetings with calm, grounded confidence instead of that racing heart and second-guessing mind? In this episode I’ll reveal how to train your brain like an elite athlete — not with spreadsheets or mantras, but through the science of visualization. You’ll learn how mental rehearsal rewires your nervous system for poise, clarity, and courage, turning the same imagination that fuels your worry ...
In healthcare leadership, overload isn’t failure; it’s reality. The real skill isn’t juggling faster—it’s choosing smarter. In this episode, I share how savvy leaders say no not out of resistance, but out of intention. You’ll learn a simple, powerful framework for triaging requests—deciding which balls to catch, which to bounce, which to shelve, and which to drop on purpose. We’ll explore how to protect your focus, communicate boun...
Ever walked out of a meeting feeling relieved that everyone nodded along — only to watch your “agreed-upon” plan fizzle later on? You’re not alone. In healthcare leadership, the pressure to move fast makes us crave consensus. But quick buy-in often plants the seeds of resistance, rework, and frustration. In this episode, I break down The Agreement Trap — why smart leaders fall into it, how rushing to “yes” silences crucial intellig...
Feeling stuck in survival mode at work — running on adrenaline, scanning for the next problem, and holding everything together so nothing slips? It’s an exhausting way to lead — and it quietly narrows your vision, keeps you reactive, and signals to your team to play it safe. In this episode of The Inspired Healthcare Leader Podcast, I share how to shift from survival-driven leadership to a more expansive, creative, and strategic wa...
Ever left a meeting kicking yourself for staying quiet—even though you knew you had something important to say? Or maybe you spoke up, but it came out stiff, and you wondered if people really heard you. That’s the struggle of finding your leadership voice—and it’s more common than you think. In this episode, I break down why your voice matters more than your title, how silence can quietly erode your influence, and the science-backe...
Ever leave work more drained from the drama than the workload? It might be the quiet “yes” that secretly means “no,” the stalled follow-through, the vague emails, the smiles with no real commitment behind them. These subtle behaviors can quietly stall progress, erode trust, and drain your team’s energy. In this episode, I reveal what’s really behind this kind of hidden resistance—known as passive-aggressive behavior—why it shows up...
If you’ve ever wished for just one day without problems, this episode will flip that desire on its head. In healthcare leadership, the constant stream of staffing crises, patient complaints, and broken workflows isn’t proof of failure—it’s proof that leadership is alive and working as designed. The real secret? Not all problems are created equal. Some point to toxic soil, while others signal that your team is moving into richer, mo...
Healthcare leadership can feel like a nonstop mental CrossFit competition — constant curveballs, competing demands, and high-stakes decisions. But here’s the truth: real progress in mindset work shows up not in what you add, but in what you stop doing. In this episode, I unpack the 7 things you naturally let go of when you’ve truly begun mastering your mind. You’ll learn how to spot your own progress, why your mental state shapes t...
Coaching doesn’t have to mean pulling someone into your office for a heavy, formal sit-down. In fact, the most powerful coaching happens in the in-between moments — the hallway chats, the nurses’ station conversations, the quick reflections that feel almost ordinary. In this episode of The Inspired Healthcare Leader Podcast, I reveal the magic of identity-based reframes that transform behavior faster than traditional feedback, how ...
Work-life balance is a myth — especially in healthcare leadership. But that doesn’t mean you’re destined to live drained and depleted. In this episode of The Inspired Healthcare Leader Podcast, I invite you to reimagine your leadership life through work-life integration. Instead of chasing impossible balance, you’ll discover how to weave your values into both work and life so the things that matter most show up in both spaces. Disc...
You may think your legacy as a healthcare leader will come later — after you’ve achieved more, climbed higher, or finally “figured it all out.” But here’s the truth: your legacy is already in motion. Every interaction, every decision, every moment you show up with integrity and care is shaping lives right now. In this episode, we uncover the quiet, powerful ways leaders influence their teams and patients every day — often without r...
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Betrayal Weekly is back for a brand new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-4 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.