Have you ever walked into work and felt that weight in the air? The kind where you hope you don’t run into anyone in the elevator? Where Sunday night already feels heavy because Monday morning is looming?
And it’s not the patients or the work you dread — it’s the culture. The unspoken tension that makes everything harder. Or maybe it is spoken by way of constant background complaints with nothing actually changing.
Now think about the opposite.
A team where you actually look forward to sign-out because of who’s in the room. Where even on the busiest days, the huddle starts with encouragement. With people having each other’s backs. Where there are no dumb questions, and humility and empathy come naturally.
That kind of culture doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built — slowly, intentionally, and with the kind of leadership that’s willing to do the hard, often invisible work.
And here’s the truth: as a physician leader, you have the power to shape that culture. The question is — what kind of environment do you want to create?
Culture Building Requires Endurance
Culture building — or culture changing — is not for the faint of heart.
It’s the work of indefatigable, tenacious visionaries who can hold both the long-term vision and have the patience to see it through.
Leaders who dare to tackle culture are often the ones most likely to accomplish real, lasting change.
The real challenge is that culture feels intangible, yet its impact is profoundly tangible.
It shows up in the way people walk into a room, how they speak up — or don’t — in meetings, rounds, huddles, and break rooms, and whether they go home feeling energized or depleted.
A toxic culture breeds resentment, burnout, and even depression. It can lead to heightened anxiety, difficulty in relationships, poor focus, and less productivity in a forward direction for the hospital.
A thriving culture, on the other hand, fuels collaboration, joy, and resilience. An environment where innovation, improvement, support, and longevity are the moral of the story.
And here’s the truth: you can’t “fix” culture at a happy hour.
Team dinners, social outings, and celebrations are great when the foundation is already strong, but they don’t heal fractures.
I’ve heard people complain that this “new generation” isn’t interested in going to happy hour anymore. No one shows up. How are we going to build the camaraderie that we need in our team? Well…
Culture starts at home and real culture change happens in the workplace itself.
Culture can be found:
- In our schedules.
- In our offices.
- In the group text chats.
- In the morning huddle.
Culture flows down and out. It follows our lead and our examples.
It’s born from how leaders set boundaries, outline expectations, articulate shared values, and personally embody the integrity and compassion they want mirrored back to them.
Culture work is slow, often invisible, and always worth the investment.
In medicine, we’re fortunate to work in so many different settings during our training — and often throughout our careers. As physician leaders, we also get the chance to interact with leaders in other departments.
Those conversations can be eye-opening, because they let us compare notes on what’s really happening within our teams.
Women Physician Leaders Are Uniquely Positioned As Culture Builders
Early in my leadership career, I worked across several different centers. I remember one conversation in particular with a male colleague.
We started talking about the cultural issues we were both noticing on our teams — the subtle shifts over time, the tension in certain dynamics, the vision we held for what a truly supportive, interdisciplinary culture could look like.
We even started brainstorming:
- What habits would build that ideal kind of culture?
- What steps would move us closer to it?
- How long would the commitment take to get us there?
By the end of that conversation, I felt energized and inspired.
But my colleague? He looked overwhelmed — and quickly shifted to talking about an easier, more tangible project.
And that moment really stuck with me. What makes one leader believe the effort is worth it, while another decides it’s too big, too daunting, or too slow to pursue?
Here’s what I know:
As women physician leaders, we cannot afford to let culture drift.
We’ve seen what happens when the air is heavy, when dread sets in on Sunday nights, when the work itself isn’t the problem but the environment is.
We also know the power of walking into a room where collaboration, encouragement, and support are the default.
And because we know both sides — we are uniquely positioned to do this work. To hold the vision. To persist when others move on to something easier. To model the culture we want and lead our teams into it.
Tips for Modeling, Building and Sustaining Culture as a Women Physician Leader
- Lead from your core values.
Culture starts with you. If your values are fairness, collaboration, or lifelong learning, your team should see those values in action every single day. Decisions, boundaries, and priorities should consistently point back to them.
When you’re clear about what drives you, people trust you more — and they know what the culture stands for.
2. Align daily habits with long-term cultural goals.
Culture isn’t built in grand gestures — it’s built in the small, consistent actions that add up.
If you want a culture of transparency, then start each huddle or meeting with open sharing. If you want psychological safety, make it a habit to pause after asking a question and wait for every voice.
Habits are the anchors that keep culture steady when the waters get rough.
3. Hire with culture in mind.
Skills can be trained. Credentials can be earned. But cultural fit is non-negotiable.
A brilliant candidate who doesn’t respect teamwork or who drains the team’s energy will undo more than they contribute. Hiring for values and fit ensures you’re strengthening the culture with every new addition.
4. Reward behaviors that reflect team values.
Don’t wait for the annual review to call out the behavior you want to see. Catch it in real time.
If someone supports a colleague without being asked, celebrate it. If someone steps up with honesty in a tough conversation, acknowledge it.
What you reward gets repeated.
5. Model the culture you want to see.
Your team is watching you more than you realize. If you want respect, show it. If you want compassion, embody it. If you want boundaries to be honored, hold yours firmly.
People replicate what they see in their leaders — and over time, your example sets the tone.
6. Protect the culture with boundaries.
Even a strong culture can erode if you allow toxic behaviors to slip through unchecked.
Protect the team’s values by addressing breaches early and consistently. Boundaries aren’t about punishment — they’re about preserving the integrity of the environment you’ve worked so hard to build.
7. Revisit and refresh culture regularly.
Culture isn’t “set it and forget it.” Teams evolve, new members arrive, challenges shift. Make space to revisit your cultural goals with your team, check for drift, and realign.
A culture that breathes and adapts is a culture that lasts.
Reflect on Your Team Culture As a Woman Physician Leader
As women physician leaders, we hold a unique and powerful place in shaping culture.
We know what it feels like to navigate spaces where voices go unheard, and we also know the strength it takes to create room for every perspective.
That combination of empathy, resilience, and endurance positions us as true culture builders.
Leaders who can transform medicine into a place where collaboration replaces resentment, where integrity replaces burnout, and where people actually want to come to work each day.
Our leadership is more than managing tasks; it’s about cultivating an environment that sustains and uplifts everyone within it.
As women physician leaders, we aren’t just managing teams — we are building the cultures that make medicine worth coming back to, every single day.
Thank you so much for listening today. Your support means the world to me. You can find the transcript for this episode at WomenMDLeaders.com/13. If you are enjoying this show, please share it with a friend.
If you know someone who may benefit from working with me, please direct them to my website at womenmdleaders.com/work-with-stephanie. I would be happy to meet with them personally.
That’s all for now. See you next week. Take care.