Get Your Seat At The Table: Leadership Strategies & Beyond
Dr. Renee Rodriguez Paro knows what it means to lead from the inside out.
As a pediatric cardiologist, department chair, and co-founder of the nonprofit Dr. Vegetable, she shares a leadership journey that’s equal parts personal, practical, and deeply human.
This talk is about showing up as your whole self, trusting your voice, and creating change without losing who you are.
You can listen to this entire session, “Get Your Seat at the Table: Leadership Strategies and Beyond”, and earn free CE/CME credits on the Learn at Pinnacle app. Explore the full library of content from voices you trust and topics you care about:
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In the full session, you'll also hear discussions on:
How burnout shaped Dr. Paro’s career decisions
Navigating the gender dynamics of leadership in medicine
The importance of modeling self-care
The difference between traditional and non-traditional leadership strengths
How storytelling can help you shift from fear to empowerment
Now let’s dive into some of the core takeaways that every healthcare leader—especially women in medicine—needs to hear.
Transformational Leadership Begins with Owning Your Story
Leadership isn’t a list of titles on a resume—it’s the way you show up for yourself and others. For Dr. Renee Rodriguez Paro, true leadership began not with a position, but with a deep understanding and ownership of her story.
Raised in southeastern Arizona as a fourth-generation Mexican American, Dr. Paro grew up watching her parents, both from difficult and humble backgrounds, build a life through sacrifice, determination, and values-rooted decisions.
“They looked at their life,” she shares, “and made the most incredible decisions that two such young people had… They wanted something better for their girls.”
That generational legacy of grit, love, and service shaped her worldview. She became the eternal optimist, the team captain, the student body president—not because she chased titles, but because she believed in people and created space for others to succeed.
“Owning your story unlocks your strengths,” she reminds the audience, quoting Brené Brown: “You either walk inside your story and own it, or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.”
Her leadership journey didn’t start with a department chair title. It started with building trust within her clinic team, showing up fully as herself, and cultivating a culture where people felt seen and valued.
“Be choosy with where you’re planted, so that you can authentically grow to begin with.”
Takeaways:
Start with self-awareness. Your background, values, and life experiences are leadership assets—not liabilities.
Use your voice. Dr. Paro reminds us that your presence in a room matters: “When you are true to yourself, you inspire others to be true to themselves too.”
Redefine leadership traits. Optimism, empathy, and vulnerability are not “soft skills”—they are strategic tools in cultivating strong teams.
Lessons for Women in Medicine:
Women, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, are often told to assimilate into a predefined model of leadership. Dr. Paro challenges this, reminding us that our lived experiences—not just our CVs—are what make us powerful, transformational leaders.
Choosing to Lead Before the Title
Many women in medicine are trained to follow a certain path—residency, fellowship, practice, leadership title. But should leadership always be the next step?
Dr. Paro urges healthcare professionals to pause and reflect before pursuing leadership roles just because they’re available or expected.
“Chasing a title like department chair has to come with more thought. You have to ask: Do I enjoy building culture? Am I willing to put my ego aside for others?”
She compares leadership to a relay race: You don’t hold the baton forever, but you run your leg with integrity, growth, and a vision for the future. That means saying “no” when something isn’t aligned, and “yes” only when your heart is in it.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself:
Is this leadership role aligned with my values and strengths?
Am I in it for impact, or just to pad my resume?
Am I prepared to learn and grow, not just command and manage?
Dr. Paro is candid about turning down multiple leadership offers until the right one came. She notes that saying no is a powerful way to find your “hell yes”—the role that brings you alive and allows you to lead with authenticity.
Reframing the Leadership Journey:
You don’t need a title to lead. Influence starts with how you show up in your daily work.
Leadership is a skillset—not a personality trait. Like surgery or diagnosis, it takes practice.
Be mindful of ego. The best leaders are others-focused and mission-driven.
For women in medicine often juggling professional ambition with personal fulfillment, Dr Paro’s insights are a reminder that we have the right to choose our leadership path with intention, not obligation.
Crucial Conversations as a Core Leadership Skill
If you take away one practical leadership lesson from this talk, let it be this: Daring leadership requires crucial conversations. And most of us were never taught how to have them.
Whether you're managing conflict, addressing inequities, or coaching your team, communication defines your leadership impact. Dr. Paro highlights the book Crucial Conversations as a foundational tool, calling it, “the single most effective tool I have ever developed as a leader.”
“When we avoid difficult conversations, we trade short-term discomfort for long-term dysfunction”
What Is a Crucial Conversation?
A high-stakes discussion where:
Emotions run strong
Opinions differ
The outcome significantly affects relationships or outcomes
Dr. Paro encourages leaders to prepare deeply before these conversations:
Identify the true topic. Don’t settle for an easy conversation when a hard one is needed.
Start with heart. Focus on what you really want from the conversation—long-term trust, collaboration, or resolution.
Master your stories. Recognize the internal narratives (often exaggerated or biased) that shape how you enter the discussion.
A Real-World Application:
Dr. Paro recounts a particularly explosive meeting where a senior male physician berated her for raising quality concerns. “I had to hold so much composure in that moment,” she says. “But mastering my story helped me regulate my emotions. I stayed in dialog.”
She later requested a follow-up conversation—with HR present. The result? A respectful, constructive exchange that left HR saying they’d “never seen a physician conversation handled so well.”
Leadership Tools from Crucial Conversations:
Refuse the fool’s choice. It’s not “win or lose”—seek shared understanding.
Separate fact from story. Avoid assuming motive.
Name emotions. Emotional clarity leads to professional integrity.
These aren’t just communication tactics—they are transformational leadership practices, especially for women who’ve often been socialized to avoid conflict or downplay their authority.
Paying It Forward
Dr. Paro’s closing message is as clear as it is empowering: “A good leader makes other leaders.”
In a system where traditional leadership often overlooks the quiet, the unconventional, and the underrepresented, we must do better. It’s not enough to succeed—we must bring others with us.
“Be vocal in your support of future leaders,” she urges. “Say out loud the qualities you see in people. Especially in nontraditional leaders—they need it the most.”
She shares this quote, which encapsulates the essence of her message:
“When you are true to yourself, you inspire others to be true to themselves too. The leaders of today look like, speak like, and think like you.”
Leadership isn’t about being at the top of the ladder—it’s about making sure others can climb too.
Conclusion: Leading from Within Is the Path Forward
Dr. Renee Rodriguez Paro’s leadership journey is a powerful example of what transformational leadership can look like in healthcare. It’s not about perfection or position—it’s about presence, intention, and courage.
Three Key Takeaways:
Own your story—your identity, values, and personal path are your greatest leadership assets.
Be intentional with leadership titles—say “no” until your “yes” is aligned with purpose, not pressure.
Learn the skill of courageous conversations—they will transform not only your leadership, but your life.
As a healthcare professional, especially a woman in medicine, you already have what it takes to be a leader. The work is not becoming someone else—it’s becoming more of yourself.
Now that you’ve read this article:
Reflect on your leadership path—what’s your “why”?
Practice a crucial conversation using Dr. Paro’s prep steps.
And watch or listen to Dr. Paro’s full talk on the Learn at Pinnacle app to claim your free CE/CME credits and dive deeper into the strategies that can shape your leadership legacy.
Your seat at the table isn’t given. It’s created. And the table is better because you’re at it.
