SROA Soundboard

SCINTIX: A New Treatment for Metastatic Cancer?‎

05/04/2023

Metastatic cancer patients have fewer treatment options and much poorer outcomes than patientes diagnosed at earlier stages. Sam Mazin, cofounder and CTO of RefleXion Medical, talks with SROA about his hopes and plans for his company’s SCINTIX technology to treat metastatic disease. SCINTIX received FDA clearance in February 2023.

 

Website: RefleXion Medical

SROA SoundBoard - Michael Leiter

05/04/2023

Michael Leiter is an honorary professor of organizational psychology with Deakin University in Australia, an expert in burnout and coauthor of a new book, The Burnout Challenge.

 

Questions Answered During Podcast: 
 
1. Tell me briefly about your background and how you became an expert on burnout and engagement. 
 
2. Burnout was recognized as a big problem, then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. Where are we now with regard to burnout? 
 
3. Why is now a critical time for your book, The Burnout Challenge? 
 
4. How can an individual know if they’re experiencing burnout? 
 
5. In part II of the book, you explore six mismatches—workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and values. What are mismatches and why do they happen? 
 
6. There’s an example in the book of physicians being happiest when they practice “at the top of their license” but get “bogged down in administrative, bottom of their license” work. Who should do the “bottom of their license” work? And don’t those people also risk being burned out, too? 
 
7. In the book you recommend a “3C’s” approach that includes collaboration, customization, and commitment. Can you talk about the 3C’s—why are all three needed and how, when used together, can they bring about change?  
 
8. In Chapter 12, you touch on the challenge of fostering ongoing, continuous improvements in job person matches. How can leaders engage in continuous improvement to ensure there are more advantages than downsides in the job-person match? 
 
9. You talk about the medical checkup and the organizational checkup as a useful tool? How does it work and why do you think it can be an effective tool? 
 
10. Every great book has “Aha!” moments readers can connect with. What are the ones from your book that people have shared with you? 
 
11. What key takeaways would you share with healthcare administrators specifically regarding burnout and your book? 
 
12. What is not in the book that would be relevant to healthcare administrators? 
 
13. Are you optimistic that we can see a reduction in burnout at work and better job-person matches? 

SROA SoundBoard - Make Your Work Life Work for You with Chris Westfall

Chris Westfall is a business coach, keynote speaker and best-selling author of, Easier. Chris explains how he got where he is today, some insights into his book, and how you are capable of more than what you realize. 

1. Can you tell me briefly about your background and why you wrote Easier? (0:25)
2. Why do you say everything in life can be made easier? (6:05)
3. Why did you use a business fable, a conversation between a client and a coach? (10:00)
4. Can you give an example of how people can “show up” differently? (11:33)
5. Why 60 ways to “make the world of work” work for you? (14:54)
6. How can Easier help readers achieve true transformation? (17:20)
7. You have talked about how leaders should inspire and not instruct. Do you think most leaders understand the distinction? (19:45)
8. Every great book has “Aha!” moments readers can connect with. What are the ones from your book that people have shared with you? (26:28)

Chris Westfall website: https://westfallonline.com

Easier (book link): https://amzn.to/3VrChKa

SROA 2022 Annual Meeting: People, Purpose, and Passion

The SROA 2022 Annual Meeting is coming to San Antonio October 23rd to 26th. This is the best conference for Radiation Oncology Managers as the focus of our program is on YOU.

Listen now for program highlights and networking opportunities from our Program Chairs, Aaron Brammer and Julie Principe. 

Aaron and Julie answer the following questions: 

• Why are you excited for this year's annual meeting? (0:20)
• Why should members (and other oncology leaders) attend? (1:17)
• What special events and activities will be held at the meeting this year? (2:00)

Visit sroa.org for more information and to register today. We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio!

SROA SoundBoard - The Successful Manager with James Potter

James Potter, Author of The Successful Manager, joins SROA Soundboard. He explains his background, what differences there are between leadership and management training, and some resources that employees can give their managers.

1. Tell me briefly about your background and why you wrote The Successful Manager? (0:27)
2. What is the difference between leadership training and management training? (2:00)
3. Why is the “figure it out approach” the norm when people are promoted to a management role? (3:12)
4. In your 1st chapter you write, “becoming a top-tier manager should be your number one professional goal.” Why do you make such a bold statement? (4:34)
5. What is the hardest part about being a great manager? (5:45)
6. Where does the input from the self-reflection? At what do you go out and get external input for self-reflection? (6:32)
7. Chapter 2 is called “The Seven Characteristics of Great Managers.” Why is this the 2nd chapter, and how do people develop those characteristics? (7:50)
8. How do you give yourself permission on the things you didn’t get better at? (12:00)
9. What are the best resources employers can give managers to become more effective? (13:57)
10. How can leaders support their managers in this new hybrid work environment we find ourselves in? (15:13)
11. Every great book has “Aha!” moments readers can connect with. What are the ones from your book that people have shared with you? (17:33)
12. What key takeaways would you share with healthcare administrators specifically regarding management and your book? (19:37)
13. What is not in the book that would be relevant to healthcare administrators? (21:00)
14. Is there a Successful Manager 2.0 book planned? (22:03)

SROA SoundBoard - Going Beyond D&I–An Interview with Kay Formanek

Kay Formanek, Author of Beyond D&I, joins SROA Soundboard. She explains how her past has influenced her life's work, what people misunderstand about diversity, equity, & inclusion, and how to improve health outcomes and representation on their teams.

Listen to hear more about:

1. How did growing up in South Africa fuel your passion and life’s work in diversity? (0:26)
2. Why did you write the book Beyond D&I? (2:09)
3. What do most people struggle with regarding diversity, equity and inclusion? (3:24)
4. What’s wrong with current approaches to diversity? How can diversity policies fail to deliver? (5:13)
5. Would you say the why is more important as the how? (7:21)
6. What is inclusive courageous leadership and how can leaders achieve it? (8:00)
7. You suggest organizations and leaders need to move beyond D&I to include E, L and P (equity, purpose and leadership). Why does it need to be D + I + E + L + P? (12:53)
8. How can healthcare leaders ensure DIELP is a strategic priority? (16:14)
9. DE&I in health care needs work to improve health outcomes for underrepresented groups and to ensure physicians and other staff are more representative of the population at large. How do you think healthcare leaders can effect real change to improve health outcomes and representation on their teams? (18:28)
10. What are the “Aha” moments in your book that people have commented on? (21:26)
11. What’s not in the book that you would like to share with our audience? (23:07)

Think Outside the Checked Box - Keisha-Marie Clarke

Keisha-Marie Clarke presented “Think Outside the Checked Box” at SROA’s 38^th Annual Meeting. She reflects further on the importance of embracing and advancing diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace.

Listen to hear more about:

1. Have you experienced a professional environment that truly does DEI well? (0:45)
2. How do leaders insure that that they continue focusing on DEI? What does inclusive leadership look like to you? (3:10)
3. Are there any examples of leaders in health care doing DEI well? (5:00)
4. How can administrators consciously shift and change their narratives to improve patient outcomes? (6:14)
5. Is inclusion a learned behavior? (8:32)
6. What kinds of hard, intentional questions should leaders ask others? How do they ensure they don’t alienate their teams on the path toward DEI? (11:04) 
7. You said, “If you want an inclusive workplace, you have to put it there.” How do leaders do that? (14:45)
8. How can leaders make inclusivity measurable? (18:07)
9. What are some key takeaways you would like administrators and their teams to remember? (19:50)

SROA SoundBoard - In Conversation with Administrators Series -Tim Laugh

Tim Laugh, Director, Cancer Services at Owensboro Health, joins SROA Soundboard for its "In Conversation" series. He reflects on his experience as an administrator, what he enjoys doing outside work and advice for others.

Listen to hear more about:

• Could you tell me briefly about your current position? (0:30)
• What do you like about being in a leadership position? (1:02)
• What do you find most challenging about leadership, especially in radiation oncology? (1:32)
• Do you feel your job as an administrator is becoming tougher with cuts and the RO-APM? (1:56)
• What do you hope to accomplish in your current role and at this point in your career? (2:50)
• What have you learned about leadership that you could share? (3:42)
• What/who inspires you? And why? (4:19)
• How does your family feel about you being a Radiation Oncology Administrator? (4:49)
• What professional organizations do you belong to and why? (5:33)
• What role has volunteering played in your career and in life personally? (6:28)
• What do you like to do in your free time? (7:21)
• What are you currently reading? (8:05) Do you have a favorite book you would recommend? (8:24)
• What’s on your playlist? (8:48)
• What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? (9:27)
• Based on everything you’ve learned over your career and your life, what advice would you offer others? (9:38)

SROA SoundBoard - Patty Saponaro

Patty Saponaro, Associate Chair for Administration at UNC Radiation Oncology in Chapel Hill, NC, joins SROA Soundboard to share her experiences. She recalls her presentation from the SROA 2021 Annual Meeting, what mentoring means, and explains why the mentor/mentee relationships are important. 

Listen to hear more about:

• Why did you give the presentation “Mentored and Being Mentored” at SROA’s Annual Meeting? (0:30)
• You’re about to retire in a few months. Looking back retrospectively, how would you say mentorship helped you in your career? (1:09)
• Can you clarify what you mean by how it’s a way to touch the future? (2:00)
• Are you currently mentoring someone for succession planning for the role that you are going to be vacating? (2:45)
• Do you think that happens very often, where someone is retiring and they are thinking about succession planning? (3:27)
• Does any mentor stand out in particular to you? (4:53)
• Can you elaborate on the differences between formal mentorship and informal mentorship? (7:02)
• Why is it important to have a charter? (10:04)
• Why do you suggest that the mentor ask the mentee about why they want to be mentored? (11:35)
• Do you have examples of probing questions mentors can ask mentees? (13:50)
• Why is it important for the mentee take the lead? (15:18)
• Do mentorship relationships fail sometimes? If so, why? (16:50)
• What key things would you like mentors to keep in mind as they undertake mentoring someone? (18:32)
• What should mentees remember when seeking out and engaging in mentorship? (20:01)
• What parting advice would you give to our listeners? (21:38)

The Art of Alignment - Patty Beach

Patty Beach, Leadership Development Consultant and author of The Art of Alignment, joins SROA Soundboard to share her experiences. She recalls her early career, what being inclusive means, and explains some key ideas in her book. 

Listen to hear more about:

• Can you tell our listeners about your background and how you came to be an expert in the art of alignment? (0:30)
• What does it mean to be inclusive from your perspective? (2:48)
• In the book you write, “Most leaders have good ideas. The problem is they don’t know how to work inclusively and get people aligned behind them.” Why is that? (4:10)
• Often ideas come from the bottom up rather than the top down. How can leaders create alignment with ideas that may not originate at the top? (6:54)
• How does realignment work? (9:10)
  
• What are the 5c’s in the alignment process? (11:11)
• Why is alignment an art? (14:38)
• How do you see the art of alignment working in healthcare specifically? (16:57)
• In your book, you talk about Memorable Success Formulas? Can you provide an example for our listeners? (20:52)
• What would you like healthcare leaders to take away from our conversation and from your book? (24:45)
• Can you point our listeners to any other helpful resources? (25:58)