What makes people feel valued at work? Why do some teams thrive even under pressure, while others struggle with burnout, disengagement, and turnover?

In Part 1 of this episode of the Coleman Associates Innovation Podcast, Amanda sits down with author, researcher, and speaker Zach Mercurio to explore one of the most important — and often overlooked — drivers of workplace performance and wellbeing: mattering.

Zach Mercurio, author of The Power of Mattering, shares the research behind why people need to feel seen, valued, and essential to do their best work. Together, Amanda and Zach unpack how leaders shape culture through everyday interactions — especially in fast-paced healthcare environments where stress, overwhelm, and constant demands can easily crowd out meaningful connection.

This conversation dives into:

• What “mattering” actually means in the workplace
• Why feeling valued impacts engagement, retention, and performance
• How leaders unintentionally create disconnection
• The difference between recognition and truly helping people feel seen
• How healthcare leaders can lead with greater intention during difficult seasons

Whether you’re leading a clinic, managing a frontline team, or simply trying to create a healthier work culture, this episode offers practical insights and powerful reminders about the human side of leadership.

Zach Mercurio, PhD, is an author, researcher, and speaker specializing in purposeful leadership, meaningful work, and mattering. His work focuses on helping organizations create cultures where people feel valued and connected so they can thrive personally and professionally.

And don’t miss Part 2 of this conversation up next, where Zach shares practical ways leaders can apply the principles of mattering in everyday interactions with their teams.

Guest: Amanda Laramie

Host: Zach Mecurio

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What’s possible in the first few weeks of true transformation work? This episode answers that question with clarity—and proof.

In this episode of the Coleman Associates Innovation Podcast, Amanda sits down with a powerhouse frontline team from a rural clinic in North Carolina that is already seeing remarkable results through the DPI™ (Dramatic Performance Improvement) Collaborative. In just two months, this small but mighty team has:

• Reduced No-Show rates consistently for 7 straight weeks
• Increased productivity by 27% at the time this was recorded. Since then, the average increase is 33% from baseline.
• Decreased cycle times overall by over 25%

And they’re just getting started.

You’ll hear directly from the people doing the work every day—provider Ashley, nurse Maddie (Madison), PSR Vanessa, and Peer Support Specialist Hannah, alongside Coleman coach Gabriel DelMuro. Together, they share what it really takes to turn intention into action, and action into measurable results.

This episode pulls back the curtain on:

• What the early days of DPI™ actually look like on the ground
• The specific challenges this team faced—and how they pushed through them
• How aligning roles across the care team unlocks rapid improvement
• The unexpected wins that come from doing this work the right way

Most importantly, this conversation highlights a powerful truth: you don’t have to wait months—or years—to see meaningful change.

Whether you’re a frontline team member actively in DPI™ or a leader wondering what’s possible in your own organization—especially in rural settings—this episode offers both inspiration and practical takeaways you can act on immediately.

Host: Amanda Laramie

Guests: Ashley, Maddie, Vanessa, Hannah, and Coleman Coach, Gabriel DelMuro

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What does it really take to turn empty appointment slots into a high-performing, fully utilized schedule—and keep it that way?

In this episode, Amanda sits down with three leaders from MLK Community Healthcare, a hospital-based primary care system in South Los Angeles. Five months after they graduated from the DPI™ Collaborative, they share how they didn’t just improve access—they fundamentally transformed how their system meets the demand of their patient community.

The results speak for themselves: cycle times reduced by 31% (from 73 to 50 minutes), productivity increased by 16%, No-Shows dropped from 22% to 15%, and chart completion soared from 53% to 88%. But the real story? Capacity utilization—starting at 66% and climbing as high as 96%—unlocking access without adding more resources.

Now, five months post-graduation, they’re sustaining those gains and continuing to build.

If you’re still struggling with access issues despite having open appointments, this episode will challenge how you think about capacity—and what’s truly possible.

Host: Amanda Laramie

Guests: Chad Vargas, Nyree Ramos, & Julie Castillo

Book shoutouts in this episode: Mastering Leadership, the Coleman Way High Impact Management Program™ by Melissa Stratman.

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In this special redux episode, we’re revisiting one of the most impactful episodes of the Coleman Associates Innovation Podcast: Change is a Game Changer #7.

Featuring Dr. Tim Spurrell, this conversation has surpassed 1,000 downloads—and continues to be the episode we recommend when health centers, especially providers, want a clear picture of how this work comes to life day-to-day.

In a time when burnout remains a defining challenge in healthcare, Dr. Spurrell offers more than perspective—he shares his own personal path forward. By focusing on what was within his control and rethinking how he engaged his team, he found a more sustainable way to practice.

This episode also introduces the core of our “sheep and shepherd” approach: clinicians remain the medical decision-makers, but the responsibility for care is shared across a well-designed, trusted team. The result is care that feels more connected, more manageable, and ultimately more human.

If you’re exploring what meaningful, practical change can look like in your setting, this episode offers a place to begin.

Because when the conditions are right, change doesn’t just happen—it transforms everything.

Hosts: Amanda Laramie & Ryan Jury

Guest: Dr. Timothy Spurrell

Book shoutouts in this episode: Mastering Leadership, the Coleman Way High Impact Management Program™ by Melissa Stratman.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Sarah Smith—family physician, charting coach, and host of the Sustainable Clinician Podcast—for a crossover conversation on how clinicians can get their charting and in-basket work done today, not tonight.

After years of taking work home and feeling the strain of burnout, Sarah rethought how clinical work gets done. Now, she helps clinicians break free from after-hours documentation and build more sustainable habits.

We explore what keeps clinicians stuck, what sustainable clinicians do differently, and how to take back control—one note at a time.

Guest: Sarah Smith, MD

Host: Amanda Laramie

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What happens when an organization decides to be bold — not just in vision, but in execution?

In this episode, we sit down with a Chicago-based healthcare organization that completed the DPI™ journey and came out stronger, sharper, and more aligned than ever. They share candid lessons learned, the challenges they faced, and the mindset shifts that made the biggest difference.

Most importantly, we explore how they stayed relentlessly focused on quality while upskilling their team — proving that operational excellence and people development aren’t competing priorities, but powerful partners. From building capability at every level to creating sustainable improvements in access, flow, and outcomes, their story is both practical and inspiring.

If you’ve ever wondered what it really looks like to commit to transformation — and sustain it — this conversation will leave you ready to Be Bold: DPI™ Now and Forever in Chicago.

Guests: Nicole Kazee & Robin Varnado

Host: Amanda Laramie

This episode is sponsored by Stat. With Stat, you can finally move from guessing to knowing, ensuring your operations are as precise as your clinical care. Schedule a demo at stat.io/coleman

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America’s population is aging rapidly — and in rural communities, the challenges of caring for older adults are even more complex. Workforce shortages, transportation barriers, chronic disease management, and limited access to specialty services all converge at a time when demand for coordinated, high-quality care has never been higher.

In this episode, host Kristi Wick, an NP, helps us explore what interprofessional, team-based care truly looks like for seniors — especially in rural settings. Together, they discuss how healthcare providers can work in smarter, more integrated ways to meet the needs of aging populations.

The conversation also highlights the growing importance of mobile health units — an innovative and practical solution for bringing care directly to rural and underserved communities. From preventative services to chronic disease management, mobile models are helping bridge access gaps, reduce barriers, and create more consistent touchpoints for older adults.

With new funding streams and rural health investments emerging, this episode offers both insight and inspiration for healthcare leaders looking to build sustainable, community-centered models of care that honor both the complexity and dignity of aging.

Guest: Kristi Wick, DNP, FNP-BC, GS-P

Host: Amanda Laramie

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Part Two is here.
Dr. Tim Spurrell is back—and this time, we’re talking more about what it really takes to lead change in healthcare without losing your people in the process.

In this episode, Tim breaks down how great clinical leaders communicate through uncertainty, build alignment across teams, and keep standards high even when everything is shifting. If you’ve ever felt like you’re pushing change uphill—while staff are exhausted, systems are strained, and expectations keep rising—this conversation will give you some practical strategies you can use.

Guest: Dr. Timothy Spurrell

Host: Amanda Laramie

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