LIMITLESS Leaders Podcast Series Season Five-Episode 18: Leading Teams, Big & Small

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This podcast episode from the Limitless Leaders series, supported by Allergan Aesthetics and surgical societies, highlights women leaders in plastic and general surgery discussing leadership, mentorship, burnout, hiring, feedback, and work-life balance. Host Donna Tepper interviews Dr. Amy Moore, Dr. Andrea Pusek, and Dr. Vedra Augenstein, each of whom shares how they found leadership opportunities unexpectedly by speaking up, joining committees, and taking on responsibility.<br /><br />Key themes include the importance of collaboration, curiosity, authenticity, and creating psychologically safe teams. The guests discuss how to give and receive honest feedback, hire people who are motivated and aligned with the mission, and support trainees and junior faculty. They also reflect on the challenges women face in male-dominated fields, while noting progress in representation and culture.<br /><br />On burnout, they emphasize recognizing early signs, staying connected to trusted colleagues, and ensuring people feel valued. For early-career surgeons, they stress building strong clinical and research foundations, following passion, and not waiting for the “perfect” time to pursue family or leadership.<br /><br />The episode closes with rapid-fire leadership book recommendations and advice on learning leadership through community, mentorship, and shared experience rather than formal training alone.

Keywords

women leaders

plastic surgery

general surgery

mentorship

burnout

hiring

feedback

work-life balance

psychological safety