Today’s guest is Resa E Lewiss MD, an emergency medicine and lifestyle medicine physician. She is currently an adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in the US. She is also a TEDMED speaker, healthcare designer, and award-winning educator.
In addition to her clinical and academic work, Resa is a widely published writer, contributing to both scientific journals and major outlets like CNBC, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review.
She’s also the co-author of MicroSkills: Small Actions, Big Impact—a practical guide to leadership and success in the modern workplace.
And she hosts two podcasts: The Visible Voices Podcast and The Academic Emergency Medicine Education & Training Podcast, where she explores healthcare, leadership, and the power of perspective.
Through anecdotes about trusting her gut, building her personal board of directors, and effectively networking, Dr. Lewis offers golden nuggets of wisdom for both seasoned and emerging leaders, emphasizing the power of observation, the joy of authentic connection, and the importance of staying true to oneself.
Let’s get started.
Key moments in the podcast:
01:44 Meet Dr. Resa Lewiss
03:00 Rapid Fire Questions with Dr. Resa Lewis
04:33 Childhood Influences and Gender Norms
06:11 Out of Comfort Zone: Bangladesh Experience
10:29 Navigating Gender Roles in Medicine
16:57 Trusting Your Gut and Career Decisions
35:42 The Importance of Networking and Community
41:17 Golden Nuggets for Navigating Forks in the Road
44:54 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview
Here is what stays with us from this conversation:
Listen to the Quiet Inner Voice
Trusting your intuition—especially in moments of doubt—can reveal the path that aligns with your values and energy, even when it means stepping away from what’s expected.
There’s Strength in Saying “This Isn’t for Me”
Choosing to walk away from a well-paved path isn’t failure—it’s wisdom. Real growth begins when we allow ourselves to pivot toward purpose, not prestige.
Courage Looks Like Applying Anyway
Even when the odds seem long and the voices around you say “don’t bother,” stepping forward with curiosity and hope can open doors others never imagined.
Break Big Goals into Micro-Skills
Mastery doesn’t come all at once. Progress begins by breaking overwhelming goals—like academic writing—into manageable steps: reading, writing, editing. One small win at a time.
Build Your Inner Circle Intentionally
Surround yourself with a personal “board of directors”—people who challenge, support, and walk beside you. Relationships built on trust, not transactions, are the ones that endure.
Introversion Isn’t a Limitation—It’s a Leadership Strength
Leading quietly, connecting deeply one-on-one, and creating space for others to shine are powerful ways to move through the world with impact and integrity.
Your Story Is Worth Telling
When we share our own story—not just others’—we unlock new layers of clarity, connection, and courage. Authenticity isn’t just inspiring—it’s magnetic.
Be the Change the System Needs
Challenging entrenched norms and pushing for equity isn't easy, but it’s essential. Whether through founding organisations, writing, or speaking up, your voice matters.
Redefine Where—and How—You Lead
Influence isn’t limited to titles or traditional platforms. Sometimes, the most powerful leadership happens outside the system—in stories, conversations, and acts of advocacy that ripple outward.
Recommended Reading:
Book: MicroSkills: Small Actions, Big Impact, Resa E Lewiss
Women Don’t Ask, Negotiation and the Gender Divide, Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever
Blink, The Power of Thinking without Thinking Malcolm Gladwell
Connect with Resa E Lewiss MD
Listen to this podcast on Spotify or Apple or subscribe to it on Substack. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.
This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will Find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.
Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland
Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.
Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.
Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and
Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.
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