What if reaching the top of your career mountain leaves you wondering, "Is this it?"

In this episode of Scalpel and Sword Podcast, Dr. Lee Sharma welcomes Jake Kennington, to explore the journey from professional achievement to personal fulfillment, and discover how to realign and redesign your life. Jake shares his origin story—from discovering engineering at BYU, building a career in California, to facing a mid-career crisis after passing his grueling structural engineering exam. He discusses how priorities shift over time, the subtle cues of misalignment, like boredom or lack of excitement, and his framework for change: Redefine, Realign, and Reconnect (REDAC). Together, they dive into avoiding the "villain" trap, the power of reflection, and Jake's transformative 12-hour (35-mile) walk inspired by Colin O'Brady's Antarctic trek.

Gain insights on endurance as a tool for confronting limiting beliefs, the value of group coaching, and practical steps for professionals, including physicians navigating transitions. Jake also introduces his upcoming "Second Summit" program and free "Own Your Life Playbook" resource.

1. Recognize Misalignment Cues: Pay attention to subtle signs like boredom, resentment, or lack of excitement in your daily work. Reflect on how your priorities have shifted since starting your career. Journal weekly about what success means now versus then, and identify one small change to realign your routine for better fulfillment.
2. Apply the REDAC Framework: Redefine your current definition of success by listing top priorities. Realign actions by auditing your schedule and adjusting one habit weekly. Reconnect with yourself through daily reflection or meditation. Use this to design intentional career shifts without abandoning your expertise.
3. Embrace Reflective Practices: Schedule a long walk or quiet time to unplug from distractions and confront limiting beliefs. Slow down to wage peace with your mind, reflecting on past experiences for lessons. Start small with 10-minute daily journaling to build clarity on your next life chapter.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest:

Jake Kennington is a licensed structural engineer with over a decade of experience designing $100M buildings. A father of four and husband of nearly 16 years, he founded Actively Human to help established professionals redesign their lives by choice, not default. Drawing from his own mid-career transition, Jake coaches on alignment, personal development, and stepping into the next chapter.

📍 Website: activelyhuman.com

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jakekennington

📝 Free Resource: Own Your Life Playbook here

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if the way we were trained to give feedback in medicine is the very thing burning doctors out today? Every physician remembers their first day of residency—the fear, the overwhelm, and the sudden realization that medical school did not truly prepare them for the intensity of real-world practice.

In this episode of Scalpel and Sword Podcast, Dr. Lee Sharma sits down with fellow OB/GYN Dr. Emily McInnis for an honest conversation about what it was really like to train in a high-pressure residency environment, and how those experiences shape the way physicians communicate, lead, and handle conflict today.

Dr. Emily reflects on being “thrown into the deep end” as a brand-new intern: performing C-sections on day one, navigating brutal call schedules, and learning through trial by fire. She and Dr. Sharma discuss the infamous culture of the “closet talk”—private reprimands filled with yelling and humiliation that were once considered normal teaching tools in medicine.

This episode dives deep into the unspoken emotional realities of medical training: the craving for praise, the terror of making mistakes, the loneliness of being on call, and the long-term impact of how young doctors are treated.

Most importantly, it offers hope, showing that physicians have the power to break old cycles and create healthier, more humane cultures for the next generation.

Three Actionable Takeaways

• Feedback Doesn’t Have to Hurt to Be Effective; Constructive criticism delivered with respect is far more powerful than yelling or shaming. Physicians learn better and perform better when they feel safe rather than attacked.
• Culture Is Modeled, Not Inherited; Just because harsh communication was normalized during training doesn’t mean it must continue. Every clinician has the opportunity to choose kindness and professionalism in how they teach and lead.
• Psychological Safety Improves Patient Care; When trainees and team members aren’t afraid to ask questions or admit uncertainty, errors decrease and collaboration increases. Healthy communication is a patient-safety strategy.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest:

Dr. Emily McInnis is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist practicing in Auburn, Alabama. Trained at the University of Mississippi, she experienced firsthand the intense, high-pressure culture of traditional residency programs. Passionate about mentoring and compassionate communication, Dr. Emily now strives to create a more supportive environment for colleagues, trainees, and patients alike.

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if conflict in healthcare wasn't a sign of failure, but an opportunity for innovation, better teamwork, and superior patient outcomes?

In this episode, Dr. Lee Sharma welcomes Dr. Jeff Stuart, as he shares his journey from anesthesiology and CMO roles to specializing in conflict resolution, including mediation training and insights from the High Conflict Institute. They discuss the inevitability of conflict in high-stakes environments like hospitals, the impact of the pandemic on exposing underlying tensions, and strategies for informal and formal mediation. Jeff highlights the link between effective conflict management and patient safety, drawing from real-world examples like collaborative COVID testing programs. He also touches on working with high-conflict personalities, the value of self-awareness, and passing these skills to the next generation, including his medical student daughter.

If you're a physician dealing with team dynamics, leadership challenges, or burnout, this episode offers practical wisdom to turn conflict into productive dialogue and lasting change.

Three Actionable Takeaways:

• Embrace conflict as inevitable: Recognize that conflict in healthcare is normal and can lead to better outcomes when managed proactively. Start by building awareness of your own style using Thomas-Kilmann assessments, and focus on patient-centered goals to foster collaboration.
• Build trust through process: Use structured approaches like mining for conflict in meetings with diverse stakeholders like ER docs and pharmacists, to encourage open dialogue, listen actively, and achieve buy-in. Aim to respond rather than react for more efficient resolutions.
• Invest in self-awareness and training: For high-conflict situations, prioritize future behaviors over past blame; seek mediation or coaching using Vanderbilt's model and maintain composure with tips like not taking things personally and keeping 51% optimism to support long-term resilience.

About the Show:

Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. Scalpel and Sword, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose.

About the Guest:

Dr. Jeff Stuart is the co-founder of RX Solve Conflict, an experienced physician executive with leadership roles as a medical director, board member, and Chief Medical Officer during the pandemic. A board-certified anesthesiologist with an MBA from Wharton, he has mediation training from the Center for Understanding and Conflict and the High Conflict Institute. He focuses on transforming conflict into opportunities for better healthcare outcomes and is pursuing ICF coaching certification.

Website: https://rxsolveconflict.com

Email: jeff@rxsolveconflict.com

About the Host:
Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools.

• Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma:
  📧 Email: scalpelandsword@gmail.com
  🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma

Tags:

conflict resolution in medicine, physician leadership, healthcare mediation, high conflict personalities, patient safety, RX Solve Conflict, pandemic leadership, emotional intelligence, physician burnout, medical training

Social Media Hashtags:

#ScalpelAndSword #ConflictResolution #PhysicianLeadership #HealthcareMediation #PatientSafety #RXSolveConflict #MedicalPodcast #EmotionalIntelligence #PhysicianWellness #HealthcareInnovation

The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.