SpreadLove In Organizations - Healthcare Leadership

From helping others learn how to use Adobe by literally writing manuals to leading globally thousands of engineers in a major tech company, Minette Norman's recipe for success to deliver transformation is collaboration and inclusion. Empathy and building inclusive psychologically safe environments have been Minette's guiding principles as she led teams and now through her entrepreneurial journey and books. "Inviting" is her reaction to leadership. Minette leaves us with a charge to be bravely self-aware as leaders since our people look at us and we have the power and responsibility to make the positive changes needed around us. "You have so much more power to change the workplace than you think." MEET OUR GUEST Minette Norman, a leader, entrepreneur, author, and thinker. Minette Norman brings decades of leadership experience in the software industry to her consulting business, Minette Norman Consulting LLC, which is focused on developing transformational leaders who create inclusive working environments with a foundation of psychological safety. Minette has extensive experience leading globally distributed teams and believes that when groups leverage diversity in all its forms, breakthroughs happen. Her most recent position before starting her own consultancy was as Vice President of Engineering Practice at Autodesk, where she transformed how Autodesk developed software. Responsible for influencing more than 3,500 engineers around the globe, she focused on state-of-the-art engineering practices while nurturing a collaborative and inclusive culture. Minette is a keynote speaker on topics of inclusive leadership, psychological safety in the workplace, and embracing empathy. Named in 2017 as one of the “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” by the San Francisco Business Times and as “Business Role Model of the Year” in the 2018 Women in IT/Silicon Valley Awards, Minette is a recognized leader with a unique perspective. Minette has co-authored a book about psychological safety for leaders, The Psychological Safety Playbook: Lead More Powerfully by Being More Human, which will be published in February 2023. Her second book, The Boldly Inclusive Leader, will be published in August 2023. Minette holds degrees in Drama and French from Tufts University and studied at the Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris. More from Minette below: Her website: https://www.minettenorman.com/ The Psychological Safety Playbook website: https://thepsychologicalsafetyplaybook.com/

A diplomat who became passionate about innovation-driven entrepreneurship and ecosystems shares what it takes for communities, cities, and countries to become innovation hubs. Phil Budden's work is centered on studying and creating those ecosystems grounded around 5 key stakeholders interconnected: Entrepreneurs, Government, Universities, Big Businesses, and Risk Capital. For him though, beyond all, it is about people and connecting those great minds together to create impact. His words of wisdom are powerful for all of us leaders: "be thoughtful about your leadership and its impact." "Leadership takes innovative tech to impact." MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Phil Budden, Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan focusing on 'innovation-driven entrepreneurship' (IDE) and innovation ecosystems. Phil Budden Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan focusing on 'innovation-driven entrepreneurship' (IDE) and innovation ecosystems. Phil's approach combines academic, historical, and real-world perspectives on how different stakeholders can all contribute to building successful innovation ecosystems. Prior to MIT, Phil had undertaken projects on innovation and entrepreneurship for the British Prime Minister's office and served as the British Consul General to New England where he had been responsible for transatlantic business issues, including trade and investment, corporate/government affairs, as well as science and innovation. Phil has held several diplomatic posts with the British government:  British Cabinet Office; British Embassy, Washington DC; 1st Secretary and Adviser to the PM. Phil holds a BA and MA in History from Lincoln College, the University of Oxford; an MA in History and Government from Cornell University; and a PhD in History and International Political Economy from the University of Oxford.

The key to innovation is being fearless, ensuring we are not afraid to try and fall. Leadership is serving, empowering, and humility. Imagine the world if we feel empowered we can change it for the greater good. This is how Navin Goyal feels - "empowered" - and wants to ensure he is transmitting this to leaders, entrepreneurs, and people around him. Through his journey as a physician, entrepreneur, and now a VC, he is focused on leveraging capital to grow impactful companies across the globe. "The pressure we put on ourselves to not fall is silly. Just get up and keep going." MEET OUR GUEST Navin Goyal, a physician and entrepreneur who serves as CEO of LOUD Capital, an early-stage venture capital and alternative investment firm leveraging capital, entrepreneurship, and education to grow impactful companies across the globe. Navin Goyal, M.D. is a physician and entrepreneur who serves as CEO of LOUD Capital, an early-stage venture capital and alternative investment firm leveraging capital, entrepreneurship, and education to grow impactful companies across the globe. Bringing his physician training to do good for people, Navin strives to make venture capital more purpose-driven, inclusive, and accessible.  Before co-founding LOUD Capital, Navin practiced anesthesiology in a large hospital-based setting and was the Medical Director of a community hospital for several years. The beginning of his entrepreneurial journey was co-founding OFFOR Health (formerly SmileMD), a venture-backed mobile healthcare company that expands access to care across the United States with a dedicated focus on lower-income and rural communities. Navin is a frequent speaker at medical schools, hospitals, and businesses worldwide, sharing his perspective on how physicians can bring their ethical code to influence and impact the world more fully. His story, his experience, and what he sees as an opportunity for physicians to have a broader impact on themselves and society is the focus of his book, Physician Underdog. Navin received his M.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and trained in anesthesiology at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

It is so rare to sit with a math genius leader who has won over the casinos and is now transforming venture capitalism through impact investment. Semyon Dukach, known for leading one of the MIT blackjack teams in the early 90s, featured in the movie Breaking Vegas, serial entrepreneur, and investor, shares with us his story and leadership beliefs. Semyon is focused on impact investing as a VC and more specifically backing exceptional immigrants. With his strong belief that "opportunity should be the same for everybody", he is extensively working to improve equity and global impact through his leadership and investment philosophy. "Love makes the world go round." MEET OUR GUEST Semyon Dukach Managing Partner, One Way Ventures, the venture capital fund backing exceptional immigrant tech founders who are building great companies like Brex, Momentus Space, and Chipper Cash. Semyon Dukach, Managing Partner at One Way Ventures, the venture capital fund backing exceptional immigrant tech founders building great companies like Brex, Momentus Space, and Chipper Cash. Semyon is a refugee from the Soviet Union and was formerly the Managing Director of Techstars. Prior to Techstars, he was a prolific angel investor and a friend of the startup community. Semyon has made over 100 angel investments, including early investments in Quanergy, SMTP.com, and Wanderu. Xconomy lists Semyon as a top angel investor in New England. His philosophy has been to focus on helping his founders at all costs. Prior to becoming a full-time angel, Semyon co-founded several technology companies including Vert and Fast Engines. Fast Engines was sold to Adero in 2000. Beyond startups, Semyon is known for leading one of the MIT blackjack teams in the early 90s to beat the casinos. Semyon earned his B.S. from Columbia University and M.S. from MIT, both in Computer Science.

When we hear military leadership, we wrongly think of several concepts of management but not the true profound ones anchored in leading from the front while eating last. In this inspiring chat with Dave Noesges, a US veteran and pharmaceutical executive, we discussed leadership to its most profound meaning. For Dave, it is about 3 core pieces: Leading by example which translates into living the standards you want your people to have; Humility & Confidence; and Getting close to your people by caring deeply for them. We also talked about DEIB, high-performing teams, and several other learnings from Dave's extensive experience leading highly successful diverse teams. His final words of wisdom are so profound as for him now, after an inspiring successful career, people are the ONLY thing that mattered to him. "Enjoy the journey, it is way more worth than the destination." MEET OUR GUEST Dave Noesges a veteran and biopharma executive. Dave Noesges is a retired pharmaceutical executive with Eli Lilly and Company, where he spent 31 years in sales, marketing, and general management roles in the US and abroad.  He spent much of his career leading sales forces in the Neuroscience and Diabetes therapeutic areas.  His last position was to lead the Lilly Diabetes sales force of nearly 2,000 people as Lilly re-established market leadership in diabetes over a 10-year period, and launched several best-in-class medicines. Dave is a 1984 graduate of the United States Military Academy and served 5 years as a combat engineer in the US Army, most of that time in West Germany.  After the Army, he attended the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated in 1991, joining Lilly immediately after that. He has been married for 35 years and has two grown children, one an elementary school history teacher and the other a Physician Assistant working in urgent care. He devotes his time now to caring for his 90-year-old father, spending as much time as possible with his wife and daughters, and engaging in many charitable endeavors through his church.  He and his wife also travel extensively working on a long bucket list of international destinations.

"How can I increase impact and prosperity for all" has been the guiding principle for Dina Sherif an impact-driven entrepreneur, Senior Lecturer, and Executive Director of MIT Legatum. Through this lens, we discussed impact, sustainability, social change, and the key ingredient to successfully building startups that will make the world a better place. A lot has to do with intentionality about the purpose and strong belief in human equality that "everyone is allowed"... One of the most powerful reactions to "Spread Love in Organizations" we heard here from Dina: "In a world filled with hate and unkindness, organizations need more love and real true kindness. When this culture is there, you’re lifting up the bar asking people to show up as the best versions of themselves." "Today more than ever, we need love and real true kindness on how we show up for each other in the workplace." MEET OUR GUEST Dina Sherif Entrepreneur, Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan, and Executive Director of the MIT Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship. Dina Sherif is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management where she also acts as Executive Director of the MIT Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship. Dina is also a Founding Partner of Cairo based Ahead of the Curve, which is the Arab region’s leading firms on issues related to sustainable business growth and impact-driven entrepreneurship. Most recently, Dina joined Disruptech, Egypt’s first Fintech-focused venture capital fund as a Partner, pursuing her passion in building a fund that will support technology being used as a critical tool in creating financial inclusion for a largely unbanked population, most specifically women. Formerly, Dina was a Senior Advisor to Ashoka, providing support to their Global Venture/Fellowship Support arm and helping them reimagine new ways to identify the world’s leading social innovators. She also held the endowed Willard Brown Chair for International Business at the American University in Cairo (AUC), where she was also the Founding Director of their Center for Entrepreneurship. During the time she held the Brown Chair, Dina also taught classes on social entrepreneurship and business ethics.  Prior to the above, Dina helped establish the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at AUC. Dina has been the lead author of several publications including the book From Charity to Social Change: Trends in Arab Philanthropy and key reports such as the 2015 UNDP Business Solutions Report and the first of its kind 7 country study on trends in responsible business practice in the Arab region, in addition to other key policy pieces and blogs on the importance of entrepreneurship and impact investing to building more sustainable and inclusive societies. In acknowledgment of her dedication to creating a new way of doing business, Dina was given the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Egypt by the American Chamber of Commerce in 2016; was recognized by the Embassy of India as a “Woman of Substance” in 2016; was chosen as one of 10 United Nations Global Compact Sustainable Development Goal Pioneers in 2016; and was named as one of the top 50 most influential women by the Amwal Al Ghad Magazine. During her time at the Harvard Kennedy School, Dina was also a recipient of the prestigious Lucius Littauer Fellows Award in recognition of academic excellence and service. Dina is also an Eisenhower Fellow and was also a fellow at the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School as well as a Research Fellow at the New America Foundation. Dina is currently a member of the Special Presidential Advisory Council for Economic Development reporting to the President of Egypt; a Global Advisory Board Member in the Eisenhower Fellowships; a member of the Board of Qalaa Holding, a member of the Board of Smart Medical Services, and a member of the Board of EducateMe. Dina holds a Masters of Public Administration and Management from the Harvard Kennedy School, an MA in Economic Development Studies from the American University in Cairo, and a BA in Political Science and International Relations from the American University in Cairo. She is also a graduate of the non-credit leadership program delivered by THNK School for Creative Leadership in Amsterdam. Areas of Expertise: Entrepreneurship | Development of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems | Sustainable Economic Development | Impact Investing | Strategic Philanthropy | Responsible Business Practices | Gender Equality and Economic Inclusion of Women | Qualitative Research

In this episode, I sat with Cathy Nolan, an experienced international healthcare business executive and leader who shared with me her secret recipe for building high-performing diverse teams: it starts with the clarity of vision, giving people a voice, and having fun! And if you're not having enough fun, be courageous to make a change. For Cathy, trust is built when we help each other. Hear more stories, life-learning experiences, and powerful words of wisdom. She leaves us with great advice: trust your instinct, you are good enough. "If you're not having fun, make a change." MEET OUR GUEST Cathy Nolan an experienced international business executive, and founding member at Chief. Cathy has spent over 23 years in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, with nearly 20 years at Eli Lilly and Company, and 3 years at Aimmune Therapeutics. She is an experienced international business leader, creating value by delivering highly successful launch and growth strategies in Big Pharma, niche, and non-conventional biotech. She has extensive experience across US, UK, and Europe including multiple launches in Neuroscience, Oncology, and Immunology. She has a decisive, forthright and authentic leadership style with a proven ability to build and develop talented, diverse, and thriving commercial teams at a global, regional and local level. Cathy is from a large Irish family and grew up on a farm in the west of Ireland. She is married to Jon from England, and lives in Twickenham, South West London, with Jon, their two boys, Lorcan (10) and Cormac (8), and their Labradoodle dog Ozzie. Cathy likes to spend time with her family and friends, stay fit and active, read, and watch movies. 

"Drive and determination to take care of patients" is what describes this week's inspiring guest Dr. Cheerag Upadhyaya. As a neurosurgeon and leader, Cheerag shares his lessons from the operating room leading teams in a high-stress environment to the administrative roles leading strategy and transformation in this episode. The essential ingredients for him to lead high-performing cross-functional teams are grounded in setting high expectations, articulating them well, ensuring a safe place for people's feedback, and being humble that it is teamwork. Several powerful insights, stories, and words of wisdom in this great chat we're sure you will enjoy! "Do not ignore mistakes. Own them. Acknowledge them. And think how could I and we have done better." MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Cheerag Upadhyaya Clinical Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Chief Transformation & Business Strategy Officer. Cheerag D Upadhyaya, MD, MBA, MSc is Clinical Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Chief Transformation & Business Strategy Officer. He completed neurosurgical residency at the University of Michigan, complex and minimally invasive spine fellowship at the University of California San Francisco, and research fellowships at the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes / National Institutes of Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program resulting in a Masters in Science from the University of Michigan. He recently completed his Masters of Business Administration from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is a member of the Executive Committee for the AANS/CNS Spine and Peripheral Nerve Section as well as a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, American Medical Association, American College of Surgeons, and Scoliosis Research Society. He has been awarded the Scoliosis Research Society Edgar Dawson Traveling Fellowship and AANS/CNS Spine and Peripheral Nerve Outcomes Committee Award. Dr. Upadhyaya was elected to the Editorial Board of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine in 2021.

Careers are a mix of decisions, serendipity, and chance. At least for Dr. Shahin Gharakhanian, this is his belief about his career reflecting his humility. Innovation is about "daring". Through this chat, you'll hear from a physician, a pharmaceutical expert, and a leader who lived through one of the most challenging outbreaks of HIV since its very beginnings and led teams who developed life-saving drugs. His deep belief is anchored in "doing well by doing good", this is a constant motivation that we should all have in biotech. For Shahin, as biopharma leaders, we should have 3 facets: being an inspirational leader, a strong administrator, and a great manager. Hear more about the mix of those three capabilities, incredible other stories, and powerful words of wisdom in this episode! "Have the guts to come out of your comfort zone." MEET OUR GUEST Dr. Shahin Gharakhanian physician and Pharmaceutical Executive. Dr. Shahin Gharakhanian is a physician and Pharmaceutical Executive with expertise in Pharmaceutical Medicine, Leadership/Management, and operational experience both in the US & in Europe. Shahin is specialized in HIV Medicine and Infectious Diseases and has practiced clinical medicine for over 20 years in AP-HP Hospitals in Paris France. Shahin joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1991, progressing to Vice-President of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, with roles in 3 main areas: Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, and Strategic Leadership including membership in the corporate Operating Council. Overall, within the industry, he has held positions ranging from General Manager of a Contract Research Organization to Program Executive leading product development, and regulatory approval/launch in multiple therapeutic areas across the world. Shahin has also founded, built, and organized full functional departments/units for biotechnology companies and hospitals and two LLCs as an entrepreneur. He is a member of several international societies. His passion is Patient-focused programs for drug & vaccine development, approval, and launch.

"Don't defer your life." This is a great word of wisdom to reflect on. We live one life but still manage to live it in a "deferred" way. "Someday we'll get there, someday we'll do what we really want..." With this advice, we force ourselves to think if we are living our life as we want, whether we are doing what we love, and working where we want to bring impact. It is easier said than done but worth a moment of reflection. In this episode with Stephanie Chen, we also talked about leadership, how she sees healthcare as a fundamental human right, and what she has done to get closer to serving that purpose with love, passion, and accountability. "Love people enough to tell them the truth." MEET OUR GUEST Stephanie Chen Chief Legal Officer and Culture Officer at ChenMed. Stephanie Chen serves as ChenMed’s Chief Legal Officer and Culture Officer.  She has been with ChenMed since 2006, and served as General Counsel prior to being named Chief Legal Officer in 2016.  A graduate of New York Law School, which she attended on a Harlan Scholarship, Stephanie was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2008. She graduated cum laude from Boston College with a degree in economics. Stephanie and her husband, Dr. Chris Chen, the CEO of ChenMed, have four children together and live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida