“If you read this book on a Friday, we promise you will be better at your job on Monday.”

In the high-stakes environment of the Emergency Department, we often focus on the “big saves,” but what if the secret to a thriving career lies in the tiny details? In part one of this special two-part series, we sit down with Dr. Resa Lewiss, an emergency and lifestyle medicine physician, TEDMED speaker, and co-author of the hit book Micro Skills: Small Actions, Big Impact.

We dive into why the “workplace playbook” isn’t always handed to us and how breaking down overwhelming professional goals into small, actionable behaviors can transform your trajectory.

What Exactly Are “Micro Skills”?

Dr. Lewiss defines Micro Skills as the small, actionable behaviors and steps that serve as the building blocks for achieving massive goals. Whether it’s tackling an overwhelming project or building a habit you thought was “just for other people,” almost everything can be broken down into these manageable units. For Dr. Lewiss and her co-author, Dr. Adaira Landry, these skills are the “missing playbook” they wish they’d had earlier in their careers.

Early Career: The Micro Skills of Self-Care

For those just entering the workforce—from residents to new attendings—the focus must be on sustainability.

• Become an “Award-Winning Sleeper”: Stop wearing exhaustion as a badge of honor. Dr. Lewiss highlights why sleep is a professional necessity, not a luxury.
• The Personal Board of Directors: Create a “round table” of go-to people—mentors, peers, and sponsors—who can help you navigate professional and personal hurdles.

Mid-Career: Navigating Conflict & Team Dynamics

As physicians gain competence and move into leadership, the challenges become more interpersonal.

• The “Paper Tiger” Colleague: Learn how to identify coworkers who project authority they don’t actually have by trusting your “Spidey sense”, checking organizational charts, asking established leadership.
• Inquiring Carefully: When navigating workplace tension, focus on avoiding gossip and seeking clarity from trusted supervisors.

Late Career: Modeling Culture & Professionalism

Seasoned physicians have the greatest power to shift the culture of a department.

• The Scheduled Send: Protect your team’s “deliberate rest” by scheduling emails to arrive during standard business hours.
• From Bystander to Upstander: Use your seniority to shut down unprofessional behavior with simple scripts like, “I don’t understand the joke, can you explain it to me?”

Coming Up in Part 2…

The conversation continues! In the next episode, we explore the “Power of the Pause,” why Dr. Lewiss advocates for the “Joy of Missing Out” (JOMO), and a simple three-question framework (Start, Stop, Continue) to get the meaningful feedback you actually need to grow.

We want to hear from you! Which of these micro skills resonated with you? Have you been able to apply these to your daily life and medical practice? Connect with us on social media @empulsepodcast or on our website ucdavisem.com.

Hosts:

Dr. Julia Magaña, Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Dr. Sarah Medeiros, Professor of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Guest:

Dr. Resa E. Lewiss, Emergency Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine Physician, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, TEDMED speaker, educator and mentor.

Resources:

Micro Skills: Small Actions, Big Impact, by Adaira Landry, MD and Resa E. Lewiss, MD

The Visible Voices Podcast, hosted by Dr. Resa Lewiss

Lewiss on Lifestyle Medicine, column on Healio by Dr. Resa Lewiss

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Thank you to the UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine for supporting this podcast and to Orlando Magaña at OM Productions for audio production services.