Helping you become a better leader before someone invents the next acronym.
Welcome to The Healthcare Leader.
I’m glad you’re here.
A little context on why this exists.
After grad school, I spent a few years ghostwriting for startup executives. I loved it — not because of the writing, but because I got a front-row seat to how thoughtful leaders actually think.
Around the same time, I ran a personal finance blog with tens of thousands of readers. The most rewarding part wasn’t the growth — it was learning alongside people who were curious, honest, and willing to share what was working (and what wasn’t).
Both experiences taught me the same thing:
Learning is more enjoyable, and even exciting, when it’s shared.
So this year, I’m experimenting with bringing that same approach to healthcare leadership.
Not buttoned up concepts.
Not performative leadership.
Just real ideas, stories, and lessons from people doing the work — including some of my own from nearly 20 years (which somehow still surprises me) studying business and 12+ years working in healthcare.
What You’ll Get Each Week (in ~5 minutes)
Every issue covers three topics:
Leadership — how trust is built, lost, and repaired
Operations — how systems actually behave under pressure
Career — how to grow without burning out or selling your soul
Plus discussion questions you can use with your team, mentor, or peers — because leadership is a team sport.
A Quick Promise
Every edition has to pass one test:
“Would this meaningfully help a healthcare leader today?”
If not, it doesn’t go in.
And because the best insights usually come from the field, not the inbox…
I Want to Learn From You, Too
If you’re willing, there are a few easy ways to contribute:
Reply directly to this email 📩 (or any of my newsletter emails)
Share insights or stories through the Share Your Stories form
Connect with me on LinkedIn (@RobErich)
Jump into the questions and polls posted inside the newsletter
I won’t be able to share everything — or always right away — but my goal is to make this a two-way street where we learn from each other on this journey to becoming better healthcare leader.
One Useful Idea to Start
Here’s something research (and experience) consistently show:
People don’t resist change. They resist uncertainty.
When people understand why something is happening, how it will work, and what success looks like, resistance drops — even when the change is hard.
A simple tool I’ve seen work repeatedly:
Three Questions That Reduce Resistance
Ask your team anytime you introduce a new change:
What part of this feels unclear?
What’s the hardest part for you personally?
What would help make this feel doable?
You’ll learn more from those three questions than from a 60-minute presentation — and you’ll build trust while doing it.
Thanks for being here.
Issue #1 drops soon — and my goal is to make it worth your five minutes!
Stay inspired,
Rob Erich,
MBA, FACHE (Yes, the ABC soup is mostly for show — I’ll try to keep it out of the writing)