Chief Change Officer Podcast Episode #320: Dr. Reza Lewis MD – Micro Skills for Moments That Actually Matter – Part Two

Release Date: April 24, 2025

Introduction

In Episode #320 of the Chief Change Officer podcast, host Vince Chan engages in a profound conversation with Dr. Reza Lewis, an esteemed emergency medicine physician, educator, and co-author of the book Micro Skills. This two-part series delves into Dr. Lewis's extensive experience in emergency medicine, her insights on effective communication, networking, and the pivotal role of self-care in professional and personal growth.

Guest Background

Dr. Reza Lewis brings over 25 years of experience in emergency medicine, excelling in trauma care, ultrasound education, and training professionals to maintain composure in high-pressure environments. Her commitment to defying traditional gender roles led her to a specialty that demands quick thinking, physical mobility, and real-time leadership. Dr. Lewis's first foray into medicine as a guest on the podcast sets the stage for an in-depth exploration of the micro skills that facilitate meaningful change and personal development.

Overview of Micro Skills

Dr. Lewis introduces her book, Micro Skills, as a comprehensive "workplace playbook" designed to equip individuals with essential skills across various professional scenarios. Unlike typical business or self-help books that often fail to resonate with diverse audiences, Micro Skills offers actionable, step-by-step guidance without making assumptions about the reader's background, resources, or starting point.

Key Motivations Behind the Book:

• Accessibility: To provide practical tools that can be easily referenced and applied, akin to a sports team's playbook.
• Comprehensiveness: Covering a broad spectrum of topics—from communication to networking and managing upwards—to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace.
• Inclusivity: Ensuring the content is relevant to everyone, regardless of their career stage, gender, or industry.

Key Topics Discussed

1. Time as Currency

Dr. Lewis emphasizes the concept of time as a finite resource that must be judiciously managed. Drawing from her experiences in the emergency department, she illustrates how every second counts and how intentionality in time allocation can significantly impact both personal productivity and patient outcomes.

“Time is currency. It can only be spent. You can't put it in a savings account for later and you cannot get a refund.” (03:01)

2. Polished Communication

The conversation delves into the nuances of effective communication, particularly in the digital age where brevity often trumps depth. Dr. Lewis offers practical advice on crafting emails that command attention and foster positive interactions.

Key Insights:

• Email Etiquette: Crafting clear and concise subject lines, utilizing CC and BCC appropriately to manage information flow without overwhelming recipients.

  “If you want to introduce or create and grow the network of someone in your network... you can just use BCC to manage the conversation flow effectively.” (07:58)

• Respect and Relationship Management: Viewing communication as a form of respect, understanding the underlying dynamics of workplace interactions, and managing reputations through thoughtful correspondence.

  “It's not just about the email; it's about how we treat people. ... thoughtful communication is relationship management.” (12:08)

3. Networking

Networking is portrayed not merely as a means to expand professional circles but as an integral skill that fosters expertise, team cohesion, and career opportunities. Dr. Lewis addresses common apprehensions, especially among introverts, and provides strategies to network effectively without depleting one’s energy.

Strategies for Introverts:

• Set Tangible Goals: Aim to connect with a specific number of new individuals at events to make interactions purposeful.

• Optimize Environment: Choose quieter venues or schedule meetings outside of overwhelming settings to maintain comfort and energy levels.

  “You can arrive late, you can leave early, you can actually specifically go there, decide that you are going to meet three new people...” (15:23)

4. Self-Care

Positioned as the foundation of all professional and personal endeavors, self-care is discussed extensively. Dr. Lewis underscores the importance of physical, mental, emotional, social, financial, and civic health as critical components that enable individuals to perform optimally and sustain their ambitions.

Key Practices:

• Deliberate Rest: Intentional relaxation activities such as adequate sleep, naps, exercise, and leisure reading that rejuvenate the mind and body.

  “Deliberate rest is literally deliberately resting. So that can mean making sure you get your intentional sleep...” (20:38)

• Managing Burnout: Addressing the pervasive issue of burnout, especially in high-stress fields like medicine, and advocating for individual agency in mitigating its effects.

  “We strongly feel that we can have individual agency... prioritizing taking care of ourselves is essential.” (20:38)

Notable Quotes

• Dr. Reza Lewis:

  “Time is currency. It can only be spent. You can't put it in a savings account for later and you cannot get a refund.” (03:01)

  “It's not just about the email; it's about how we treat people. ... thoughtful communication is relationship management.” (12:08)

  “Deliberate rest is literally deliberately resting. So that can mean making sure you get your intentional sleep...” (20:38)

• Vince Chan:

  “This isn't just about email etiquette. ... thoughtful communication is relationship management.” (12:08)

  “Most business books dive trick into strategy. You start with self care and I think that's the foundation of everything.” (19:28)

Conclusions and Takeaways

Dr. Reza Lewis imparts a powerful message about intentional growth and self-management. She advocates for breaking down overwhelming goals into manageable micro skills, emphasizing that consistent, small steps can lead to substantial personal and professional transformations. Her holistic approach to self-care, communication, and networking serves as a blueprint for listeners aiming to outgrow themselves and achieve outcomes beyond their current imagination.

Final Thoughts from Dr. Lewis:

“Everything can be broken down into small, intentional step by steps that are additive... we can do these big things by just breaking them down into small digestible steps.” (28:00)

Vince Chan wraps up the episode by highlighting the enduring impact of Dr. Lewis's insights:

“What stays with you isn't just knowledge, it's what you have practiced, reflected on and done with intention... what matters is showing up on your own terms.” (28:00)

Final Takeaway

This episode of Chief Change Officer underscores the transformative power of micro skills in fostering meaningful change. Dr. Reza Lewis’s expertise offers listeners invaluable tools to enhance their communication, networking, and self-care practices, ultimately empowering them to become the Chief Change Officers of their own lives.

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