In this episode of Lead Change, Dr. Mary Mulcahey sits down with Dr. Alex Ghanayem—orthopedic spine surgeon, longtime Loyola faculty member, department chair, and past president of the American Orthopaedic Association—for a candid and deeply reflective conversation about leadership in medicine.

Dr. Ghanayem shares how his leadership journey unfolded organically, never driven by titles or ambition, but by consistently doing the work, earning trust, and saying yes when others saw potential in him. He reflects on nearly 30 years at one institution and how stewardship, culture, and people—not individual recognition—define true leadership legacy.

The discussion explores leading through disruption (particularly the post-COVID era), the importance of financial and organizational sustainability, and why leaders must think years—not months—ahead. Dr. Ghanayem emphasizes integrity and trust as the true currency of leadership, the discipline required to stay focused amid constant noise, and the humility needed to empower others and step out of the weeds.

Throughout the episode, listeners gain practical wisdom on leadership development, the value of professional societies like the AOA, and why aspiring leaders should stop chasing titles and instead invest in relationships, allies, and the long-term health of their organizations.

Key Take-Home Points

• Leadership is earned, not planned.
  Many impactful leaders never set out to lead—they focused on doing meaningful work well and accepted responsibility when trusted by others.
• Integrity and trust are leadership currency.
  People may disagree with you, but if they trust your intentions and integrity, productive leadership is possible—even in conflict.
• Think long-term, not just short-term.
  Today’s challenges were shaped by decisions made years ago; effective leaders must look 5–10 years ahead and plan accordingly.
• Culture matters more than structure.
  A strong, people-centered culture creates resilience, collaboration, and a willingness to go the extra mile—even in challenging environments.
• Great leaders “become smaller.”
  Self-awareness, humility, and understanding how your presence affects others are essential to empowering teams.
• Transition from doer → manager → leader.
  Leaders must resist staying in the weeds and instead trust, support, and elevate those closest to the work.
• Focus on what you can control.
  Noise and distractions are inevitable—discipline and strategic focus allow leaders to move forward effectively.
• Don’t chase titles—build allies.
  Leadership success is never achieved alone; relationships and trust built along the way make advancement possible.
• Professional societies matter.
  Organizations like the AOA play a critical role in leadership development, education, and safeguarding the future of musculoskeletal care.

Episode 11: The Power of Presence, Reflection, and Purpose

In this episode of the Lead Change podcast, host Dr. Mary Mulcahey sits down with Janet Foutty, former CEO of Deloitte Consulting and Executive Chair of Deloitte US, and co-author of Arrive and Thrive. Janet reflects on her 33-year career at Deloitte, her leadership philosophy, and her current focus on advancing women’s health through organizations like Women’s Health Access Matters (WAM).

The conversation explores Janet’s service-oriented leadership mindset—flipping the traditional leadership pyramid to focus on enabling others—and how lessons from business leadership translate directly to medicine and healthcare. Janet discusses why investing in women’s health research and innovation is both a moral imperative and an economic opportunity, highlighting historic inequities and underinvestment.

A major focus of the episode is Arrive and Thrive and its seven leadership practices. Janet emphasizes the importance of investing in your best self through self-awareness and reflection, embracing authenticity with consistency, and redefining concepts like “executive presence” to be inclusive rather than coded or exclusionary. She also shares practical tools, such as Deloitte’s Business Chemistry framework, and reflects on how leadership styles evolve across different career chapters. The episode closes with Janet’s favorite leadership thinkers, quotes, and advice on preparation, focus, and lifelong growth.

In this episode of Lead Change, Dr. Mary Mulcahey interviews Dr. Matt Provencher—renowned orthopedic sports medicine surgeon, military leader, researcher, and mentor. Their conversation explores Dr. Provencher’s extensive career in the U.S. Navy, his clinical and research work, his leadership philosophy, and his roles across professional sports and major orthopedic societies.

Dr. Provencher describes the development of MOTION, the Military Orthopedic Tracking Injuries and Outcomes Network, born from a need to systematically capture outcomes across a unified EMR. He highlights the importance of team-building, persistence, and leveraging subspecialty societies (like SOMOS) in advancing large-scale research initiatives.

He discusses his leadership experience as Director of Surgical Services aboard the USNS Mercy, managing hundreds of medical professionals from multiple countries and NGOs in humanitarian and disaster-relief missions. He shares how these high-stakes leadership scenarios shaped his appreciation for communication, structure, team trust, and leading by example.

Dr. Provencher also reflects on his time as Head Team Physician for the New England Patriots, where teamwork, interdisciplinary communication, and optimizing return-to-play protocols were central to success.

Throughout the episode, he emphasizes humility, service, patient-centeredness, and the drive to continually teach, innovate, and give back to the next generation. He also discusses his motivations for pursuing an MBA, how it enhanced his leadership in professional societies like AOSSM, and its role in improving organizational strategy, financial stewardship, and meeting innovation.

The episode closes with his favorite leadership books and his go-to quote from JFK: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to one another.”