"You Don't Have to Have All the Answers: Moving From Expert to Coach-Leader" with Dr. Richard Winters

What if leadership felt less like carrying all the answers - and more like creating the conditions for others to think and act well together?In this episode, Ashley Wendel is joined by Dr. Richard Winters, a practicing emergency medicine physician, Director of Leadership Development for the Mayo Clinic Care Network, ICF-certified coach, and author of You’re the Leader, Now What?, for a grounded, honest conversation about what clinician leadership really asks of us.Together, they explore why leadership can feel so destabilizing for clinicians and how practical frameworks, coaching skills, and facilitation can make the work both more humane and more effective.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why the shift from expert → facilitator is one of the hardest (and most important) transitions for clinician leadersHow leadership struggles are normal, not a personal failure—and why naming that mattersThe difference between technical problems and adaptive leadership challenges where no one has the “right” answerHow to build shared reality before rushing to solutions - and why knowing the answer can actually get in the wayWhy emotional intelligence alone isn’t enough - and how effective leaders balance connection and resultsCoaching as a core leadership competency, not a remedial tool or “extra” taskWhy leadership development must lead to real behavior change, not just completed coursesIf you’re a clinician carrying pressure to have all the answers, this episode offers relief, clarity, and practical ways to lead with more intention - without losing yourself in the process.Send us Fan Mail