S5 E15 - Redefining Public Health Leadership: The Evolving Leader

In this episode, Dr. Joyee Washington sits down with the Region 4 Public Health Training Center's Leading Public Health podcast to unpack what leadership actually looks like in public health right now. Not the old top-down, credentials-first version, but something rooted in self-awareness, vulnerability, and community as our compass.She gets honest about what it means to lead in environments that feel less "high stakes" and more just plain hostile: shrinking departments, disappearing funding, jobs that don't feel stable anymore. And she names the thing most of us won't say out loud: that we've been taught to martyr ourselves for "the greater good," and that's not noble. That's extraction. That's why we're burned out.Dr. Joyee shares what effective leadership actually requires now: clarity in chaos, strategic rest, distributing leadership instead of hoarding it, and doing the internal work first; because you cannot give what you do not have. She reminds us that how you treat yourself is a mirror for how you'll treat your team, and that healthy leaders are the ones who build teams that can actually sustain the work.This conversation is part of a special series, and we're so glad to bring it to you here on The Public Health Joy Podcast. Whether you're leading a team, holding a department together, or just trying to figure out how to lead yourself well first, this episode meets you there.One thing is clear: leadership isn't about who's at the top. It's about who's willing to change, share power, and create space for everyone to do their best work.Redefining leadership in public health [01:53 – 09:58] The importance of vulnerability and self-awareness [16:29 – 25:07] Strategies for effective leadership in high-stakes environments [10:41 – 16:29] Leadership habits that unintentionally shut people down (perfectionism, scarcity mindset, emotional unavailability) [25:53 – 38:05]If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review! For more transcripts, show notes, and more visit: Click Here