Excessive control is not going to win the day.

Your work
Written By Katie Quinney

I believe Star Wars has the wisdom we need, if we’re prepared to look at it.

Right now there are tight controls on so many aspects of day-to-day work in healthcare it almost feels like a Darth Vader throat hold.

Yes, healthcare should be able to operate within a budget. Yes, there are efficiencies and gains to be made with the transformation into a more unified health system. Right now though we’re in the midst of that change. The new structures, systems and processes are only beginning to be put in place.

Every day people are trying thier best to deliver the best care in the best way to the communities they serve. Believing and trusting in them to do that has to be the foundation for this shift.

 

The more you tighten your grip, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.

Princess Leia

 

What could slip through right now?

While assurances that savings will not impact patient care, there is the risk that they will. The health system is just that, an interdependent system, all elements and people influencing and affecting the endpoint, the patient-facing delivery of care.

People are frustrated, exhausted, and distracted. Structures are changing, roles are shifting and people are leaving, losing their jobs, or hanging on so tightly that they are not aware of how they are making others feel. This system is about people, it is full of people and it is for people. How many will slip through while the grip is tightened? We can’t afford to lose any of them.

 

What do you do then?

So much can feel out of anyone’s control. Instructions and directives are expected to be followed.

 

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

Victor Frankl

 

Create the space. Create space to consider how you respond. At these times, as with any previous challenge or crisis in healthcare, the magic is found in how you respond.

With that space, you stop and think.

How do I want them to feel, how do I want them to act? How do I need to show up right now? You’ve created space for yourself and to consider others.

With those insights, you can ask yourself what to do to have the desired impact. What is the way to approach this conversation? What is the way to act, speak and listen?

 

I’m not suggesting rebellion.

The frustrations, exhaustion, and overwhelm could have you wishing to respond in many ways. Walk away, ignore it all, keep your head down, fight ferociously, speak up, or keep going. Or a mix of everything and more.

 

Rebellions are built on hope

Jyn Erso, Rouge One

 

I believe healthcare can be a great place to work. When it feels great to be at work, it’s easier to deliver the care and experience that communities deserve and need. I have hope that together that’s possible.

Respond, don’t react. Keep listening, talking, connecting, trusting and listening some more. Loosen the grip, and hold people gently.

 
 

Check out the new podcast

Latest Episodes
#49 Collaboration & Cooperation in Healthcare: Knowing the Difference and Making an Impact
#49 Collaboration & Cooperation in Healthcare: Knowing the Difference and Making an Impact

Every day, healthcare teams work together—but are they cooperating or collaborating? And does it matter? In this episode, we explore the key differences, when to use each approach, and why shared purpose is the glue that makes both work. Whether you're a new charge nurse leading a team or a seasoned leader looking to foster deeper collaboration, this conversation will give you practical insights to build trust, alignment, and impact.

#48 From New to Thriving: How to Set Up Your Leaders for Success
#48 From New to Thriving: How to Set Up Your Leaders for Success

Stepping into a leadership role is like jumping onto a fast-moving treadmill—you’re expected to get up to speed quickly while making decisions, managing people, and finding your footing. If you are leading leaders, you play a critical role in ensuring new team leaders don’t just survive but thrive. In this episode, we break down three foundational moves that will set them up for success.

Intelligent Kindness in Healthcare: A Radical Approach to the System We Need
Intelligent Kindness in Healthcare: A Radical Approach to the System We Need

What if kindness wasn’t just a personal trait but a powerful force for transforming healthcare? I dive into Intelligent Kindness, a concept that shifts kindness from being seen as ‘soft’ to a strategic approach for stronger teams, better patient care, and a healthier system. From tackling self-doubt to building trust and therapeutic alliances, this episode offers a fresh perspective on why kindness—when applied intelligently—is anything but soft.

Small Steps means Big Progress: 4 Steps for Smart Leaders
Small Steps means Big Progress: 4 Steps for Smart Leaders

Tackling a challenge can feel overwhelming, but the key is to start right and stay the course. In this short episode, I share a simple yet powerful four-step framework: It’s about clarity, curiosity, and the grit to see things through. A short and practical listen for leaders in the thick of it!

Psychological Safety in Healthcare: How It Transforms Your Team and Your Work
Psychological Safety in Healthcare: How It Transforms Your Team and Your Work

What happens when staff are afraid to speak up? Healthcare teams struggle with stress, turnover, and burnout—but when psychological safety is strong, collaboration, learning, and performance thrive. In this episode, we break down what psychological safety is, the stories of where it started and the impacts when you have it, and what happens when you don’t. If you care about retention, resilience, and results, this is for you.

Leadership Under Pressure: Prioritising What Matters
Leadership Under Pressure: Prioritising What Matters

Healthcare leaders are being asked to do the impossible. So, how do we make the work achievable? In this episode, we talk about the courage it takes to prioritise and how we talk risk when setting those priorities.

The Power of Place: How Your Work Environment Shapes Your Leadership
The Power of Place: How Your Work Environment Shapes Your Leadership

Your environment influences more than just your workflow—it affects how you feel, how you lead, and even how others perceive you. Rabbit holes aside, an organised and decluttered workspace helps your focus and reduces frustration. Taking some of the hard work of what is often hard work.

In short, your workspace isn’t just where you work—it’s how you work. In this episode, I’m sharing ideas and stories to give you a fresh perspective on how you can support your energy, and effectiveness by looking at the physical environment you are in.

The Power in Knowing What You Stand For.
The Power in Knowing What You Stand For.

Frustration, burnout, feeling like something is off—these emotions don’t just come from the workload or the people around us. Often, they’re a signal of a deeper misalignment with our core values. If you don’t have clarity on what truly matters to you, decision-making becomes harder, confidence wavers, and tough situations feel even heavier. In this episode, I explore how understanding your values gives you the power to make better choices, feel more grounded, and lead with confidence—even in challenging environments.

What game are you playing as a healthcare leader?
What game are you playing as a healthcare leader?

You move patients through the system, tick off tasks, and hit targets—but does that mean you're winning? In this episode, I explore the tension between short-term urgency and long-term impact, using Simon Sinek’s Infinite Game to challenge how we think about healthcare leadership.

#40 Fuel for the Soul: Why Inspiration Matters for Healthcare Leaders
#40 Fuel for the Soul: Why Inspiration Matters for Healthcare Leaders

If you’re feeling uninspired right now, you are not alone. In this episode, I reflect on why inspiration matters now more than ever—how it boosts well-being, drives productivity, builds hope and helps leaders reconnect with their purpose. I share the personal sources that inspire me—like poetry, nature, and the courage of vulnerability—and explore how these can transform the way we lead.

#39 Three ways to lighten your load in the coming weeks.
#39 Three ways to lighten your load in the coming weeks.

Healthcare leaders are playing the long game, so let's set up for success and a sense of thriving. This week I'm sharing 3 ideas (with a couple of others that come along) that have cropped up this week. Ways to make it all feel a little lighter, more joyful and energising for everyone.

#38 SCARF and Status: How Understanding Triggers Can Transform Your Leadership
#38 SCARF and Status: How Understanding Triggers Can Transform Your Leadership

Learning about the SCARF model was one of those moments that made a lot of things make sense. It changed how I approached situations and ultimately how I led. So, in this episode, we are talking about the SCARF model, with a focus on the status element. Exploring how understanding these dynamics can help you manage your own responses and better navigate the reactions of those you lead.

#36 Intentions Over Perfection: Grounded Goal-Setting
#36 Intentions Over Perfection: Grounded Goal-Setting

Sometimes plans can change in an instant—especially in healthcare leadership. All that work, thinking and well - planning - are out of the window. In this episode, I’m considering plans and goals from a different perspective - that of values-based intentions that then create choices - that you can make in the moment. By anchoring your leadership goals in what truly matters, intention-setting empowers you to adapt to unexpected challenges while maintaining clarity and purpose.

#35 Reflect, Refine, Reimagine: Ending the Year with grace
#35 Reflect, Refine, Reimagine: Ending the Year with grace
#34 Compassion Is Not Pie: Through Self-Doubt and Beyond
#34 Compassion Is Not Pie: Through Self-Doubt and Beyond
#33 Joy, Generosity, and Growth: The Network Every Leader Needs
#33 Joy, Generosity, and Growth: The Network Every Leader Needs

This episode explores the role of open, diverse, and deep connections in gaining perspective, sustaining resilience, breaking silos, and unlocking joy during challenging times. Hear how a simple phone call helped me shift from spiralling to succeeding and why generosity—not self-interest—should drive your network-building efforts.

#32 The Leadership Upgrade: Expanding Your Capacity for Adaptive Change
#32 The Leadership Upgrade: Expanding Your Capacity for Adaptive Change

The challenges of today’s healthcare environment demand more than adding skills—they require a shift in how we think. In this episode, I’m unpacking vertical development: what it is, why it’s what I believe healthcare leaders need right now, and how it can equip you to lead through complexity and change. It’s your introduction to the foundational components of vertical development—heat experiences, colliding perspectives, and reflection—and how these practices enable leaders to expand their capacity to think, lead adaptively and increase job satisfaction.

Small Steps, Big Impact: Embracing Your Own Pace
Small Steps, Big Impact: Embracing Your Own Pace

Leading in healthcare it can seem like a race to keep up, but the real power lies in valuing every step forward. This week I'm reflecting on why gratitude, pacing, and resting are essential for sustainable leadership.

Katie Quinney

Healthcare Leadership Coach and Mentor

https://www.katiequinney.com
Previous

Your first steps when someone says “I’m being bullied”

Next

Leading change in healthcare - how are you going to start a movement?