"From Authority to Influence: What Clinician Leaders Must UN-Learn to be Effective in Leading Change" with Dr. Rob Nordgren

In this episode of Lead Well MD, Ashley sits down with physician executive Dr. Rob Nordgren, Chief Medical Officer of the Greater San Francisco and East Bay Division for Sutter Health, to explore the leadership shift clinicians must make as they move from expert problem-solver to system leader. Drawing on Rob’s journey from pediatrician to senior, system-level executive, the conversation unpacks what physicians often need to unlearn about authority, hierarchy, and control in order to lead through influence instead.

Together, Ashley and Rob discuss why trust, humility, curiosity, and emotional intelligence matter so much in healthcare leadership, especially when leading across disciplines and through complexity. They explore how real influence is built through listening, communication, alignment, and respect, not title alone. The episode also digs into change leadership, including why resistance is often rooted in perceived loss, how to engage skeptical clinicians, and what separates mere compliance from true commitment. It’s a grounded, practical conversation about how clinician leaders can build trust, navigate change, and lead in ways that actually move people and systems forward.

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