Leading with Heart: Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland on Transforming Healthcare Teams
What does it take to lead change in healthcare’s most challenging environments? In this episode, Dr. Andrea Austin connects with Stephen Berkeley, a healthcare administrator turned change facilitator, and Anne Boland, a coaching psychologist, to explore how leadership, self-awareness, and curiosity can reshape healthcare systems.
Stephen shares his 35-year journey in healthcare administration, from Australia to India, and how a shift from self-focused to service-oriented leadership transformed his approach. Anne reflects on her privilege of coaching leaders who turn dysfunctional teams into thriving ones, emphasizing the power of listening and collaboration.
Together, they discuss overcoming biases against administrators, the value of triads in leadership, and the importance of mindful exits when it’s time to move on.
You’ll hear how they:
• Reframe healthcare administration as a service-driven role, not the “dark side”
• Use 360 evaluations and coaching to foster self-awareness and growth
• Support leaders through mindful entry and exit strategies
• Inspire hope through their Forks in the Road podcast and retreats for healthcare professionals
If you’re navigating leadership challenges or seeking ways to create meaningful change, this episode offers practical wisdom and inspiration.
About the Guests
“Clarity and harmony within me and around me. My body is a temple.” – Stephen Berkeley
“I never know what’s really going on in the other person or the system.” – Anne Boland
Stephen Berkeley is a change facilitator and coach with over 35 years of leadership experience in healthcare across Australia, England, and India. A former healthcare administrator, he now helps leaders build capacity for change through curiosity and service-oriented leadership.
📍 Connect with Stephen
Website: flyntrok.com (http://www.flyntrok.com/)
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stephenberkeley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenberkeley?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3B1Xg7l%2FAmR5SZgSP8pGqPiw%3D%3D)
Anne Boland is a coaching psychologist working with healthcare, education, and professional services leaders. A former national director at EY Australia, she co-hosts the Forks in the Road podcast, sharing stories of leadership and transformation.
📍Connect with Anne
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anne-boland-a9130312 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-boland-a9130312?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BmE2AE8XHTvqe%2FhFDhdRXNw%3D%3D)
📚 Resources + Mentions
• 🔗 Forks in the Road Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/forks-in-the-road-a-podcast-exploring-dilemmas/id1759480342)
• 🔗 The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge (https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Discipline-Practice-Learning-Organization/dp/0385517254)
• 🔗 Clear Leadership by Gervase Bushe (https://clearleadership.com/)
• 🔗 The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge (https://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100)
• 🔗 The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown (https://www.amazon.com/Gifts-Imperfection-Think-Supposed-Embrace/dp/159285849X)
• 🔗 Recalibrate: Group Coaching for Physicians (https://learn.coachingfordoctors.net.au/recalibrate-application)
🔑 Top 3 Key Takeaways
• Leadership is a specialty: Whether clinician or administrator, effective leadership requires curiosity, listening, and aligning values to serve others.
• Self-awareness drives change: Tools like 360 evaluations, when paired with coaching and trust, help leaders grow and transform teams.
• Mindful exits matter: Move toward opportunities that align with your purpose and values, not away from dysfunction.🩺 About the Host
Dr. Andrea Austin is a board-certified emergency physician, educator, and passionate advocate for system-level change in healthcare. As the creator and host of Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare, Dr. Austin brings curiosity, compassion, and bold honesty to conversations with leaders who are challenging the norms and reshaping medicine from the inside out.
With decades of experience in high-pressure clinical environments, Andrea has seen firsthand the cracks in the system—and the people working to repair them. Whether she’s mentoring residents, speaking on national stages, or recording with a fellow disruptor, she centers one theme: change doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens heart to heart.
💫 About the Show
Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare isn’t just a podcast—it’s a pulse check on what’s possible.
Hosted by emergency physician and educator Dr. Andrea Austin, Heartline features conversations with healthcare leaders, innovators, and quiet disruptors who are challenging the way things have always been done.
Each episode explores real stories of change—from redefining leadership and communication, to reimagining systems built on burnout and hierarchy. This is a space for truth-telling, for asking better qu…
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