Culture Change RX

Hosted by Capstone Leadership Solutions

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Episodes

123

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Embark on a journey to the heart of healthcare, where we dissect the driving force behind every thriving organization: its culture. Drawing on her executive background and extensive work as a strategic coach, Capstone’s co-founder Sue Tetzlaff and guests will share actionable insights and practical steps for successfully navigating the people side of the business of healthcare. Join weekly to be equipped and inspired to uplevel the culture and unlock the next level of potential in your healthcare organization.

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June 10, 2026Episode 12225 min

Culture Bytes: Improvement Is Not the Same as Sustainability

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores one of the most common - and costly - mistakes organizations make during change efforts: declaring victory too soon.Drawing from John Kotter’s work on organizational change, Sue explains why early improvement is not the same as long-term transformation and why organizations often regress when new behaviors and systems are not fully embedded into the culture.Using a powerful analogy about her own orthodontic experience with braces, Sue illustrates how visible progress can happen relatively quickly - but permanent, sustainable change requires more time, consistency, and structure.We’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

June 3, 2026Episode 12145 min

Retention Starts with Recruitment (Julie Coneset)

Send us a MessageMost healthcare leaders think about retention as something that happens after someone is hired. But what if your hiring process itself is either building or quietly eroding your culture?In this episode, Sue Tetzlaff sits down with Capstone Transformational Expert Julie Coneset to talk about one of the most consequential — and often most stressful — responsibilities healthcare leaders carry: hiring the right people.Julie brings decades of experience in rural healthcare human resources and organizational transformation to a candid conversation about what separates strategic hiring from desperation hiring, and why that distinction matters more than most leaders realize.You'll hear practical wisdom on:Why lowering your hiring bar during a staffing shortage almost always costs more than it savesHow behavioral-based interview techniques help you predict fit and performance before day oneWhy peer panel interviews can transform how your team shows up for onboarding — and beyondWhat employer-of-choice organizations do differently when it comes to attracting and selecting candidatesHow your hiring decisions today directly shape your overtime costs, burnout levels, and traveler reliance tomorrowInterested in strengthening retention, culture, leadership, and hiring practices in your organization? Schedule a complimentary discovery call series with the Capstone team at CapstoneLeadership.net/Contact-UsWe’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

May 27, 2026Episode 12023 min

Culture Bytes: From "I Have To" to "I Get To": The Shift That Changes Leadership

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores a simple but powerful truth: leadership is hard — but the experience of that “hard” can look very different depending on how leaders connect to their work.Inspired by watching the intensity and passion of NHL playoff hockey, Sue draws a compelling parallel between athletes who embrace the difficulty of the game because they love it — and leaders who either thrive or burn out based on their connection to purpose and meaning.Sue contrasts transactional leadership (“I have to”) with transformational leadership (“I get to”), highlighting how the same responsibilities can feel either draining or energizing depending on mindset and connection to purpose.This episode is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t just about what you do — it’s about how you experience the work and the energy you bring to it.If leadership in your organization feels heavy instead of meaningful, Capstone can help. Start with a conversation about how to re-energize your leadership team and strengthen your culture: CapstoneLeadership.net/Contact-UsWe’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

May 20, 2026Episode 11937 min

Practical Lessons From A Rural Hospital’s Patient Experience Journey (Chelsea Hoffrichter)

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff sits down with Chelsea Hoffrichter, registered nurse, nurse manager, and service excellence team leader at MyMichigan-Sault, to discuss how employee-driven teams are helping improve the patient experience in their rural healthcare organization.Chelsea shares the journey of transforming their service excellence work from a leader-driven approach to an employee-driven team structure - and the powerful impact it has had on engagement, creativity, ownership, and patient satisfaction scores.Is your healthcare organization needing a well-tested, proven and practical approach to strengthening employee engagement and improving the patient experience? Capstone has a couple options that might be just right for where you are and what you need. Connect with us to explore more: CapstoneLeadership.net/Contact-UsWe’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

May 13, 2026Episode 11830 min

Culture Bytes: Rural Health Transformation: Strategic Opportunity or Distraction?

Send us a MessagePursuing RHT opportunities that are not in strategic alignment can create “strategy creep” or “strategy swap” scenarios that likely won’t play out well in the short or long termIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores a critical strategy challenge facing rural healthcare organizations today: how to navigate the massive Rural Health Transformation (RHT) opportunity without losing strategic focus.With $50 billion in funding, multi-organization collaboratives, and increasing pressure to participate, healthcare leaders are being presented with more opportunities than ever before. But as Sue shares from her decades of experience as a healthcare strategist, not every opportunity is strategic.This episode introduces two key risks organizations must guard against:Strategy Creep — layering new initiatives on top of existing priorities, stretching teams thin and reducing execution qualityStrategy Swap — replacing carefully developed strategic priorities with externally funded initiatives that may not align with the organization’s true needsSue emphasizes that while funding can accelerate strategy, it should never define it. Instead, organizations must stay grounded in their mission, their community’s needs, and their clearly defined strategic priorities.She also shares practical decision filters to help leaders evaluate which opportunities to pursue — and which to pass on — so they can maintain focus, protect their teams, and achieve meaningful, lasting results:Does this directly advance one of our top strategic priorities on our plan?What are we going to need to stop or de-prioritize to make room for this?Do we have the execution systems and capacity to do all of this well?Are we leading our strategy or letting available funding lead us? Navigating RHT decisions and want a strategic sounding board? Reach out to schedule a call with Sue or Doug at Capstone Leadership Solutions - info@capstoneleadership.netWe’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

May 6, 2026Episode 11737 min

Are you using your data - or just reporting it? (Courtney Kloehn)

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff is joined by Capstone’s Chief Transformation Officer, Courtney Kloehn, to explore what it really means to build a data-driven culture in healthcare organizations. While many organizations collect and report data, far fewer use it effectively to guide decisions, align teams, and drive meaningful improvement. Sue and Courtney discuss how organizations can move beyond simply reviewing data to using it as a tool for action, ownership, and continuous advancement.Courtney also shares a practical data-driven initiatives worksheet designed to help teams identify opportunities, align with organizational priorities, and create more impactful action plans.Here is the link to the “Data Driven Initiatives Worksheet” referenced in this episode.Past episodes with Capstone’s Chief Transformation Officer, Courtney Kloehn:Better Behaviors, Better WorkplacesTime Well Spent: The Power of the 5P ModelFeedback: Fuel for Further GrowthFrom Event to Execution: Making Leadership Learning CountCommon Senior Team DysfunctionsWe’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

April 29, 2026Episode 11630 min

Culture Bytes: Small Hospitals Winning in Workforce & Marketshare

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of foundational strength in rural healthcare organizations. She emphasizes how strengthening people, service, and quality creates organizational vitality, magnetism for talent and patients, and sustainable growth.Ready to strengthen your organization’s foundation and become a magnet for talent and growth?Schedule a complimentary discovery call series with the Capstone team:CapstoneLeadership.net/Contact-UsWe’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

April 22, 2026Episode 11538 min

IQ, EQ… and the Leadership Quotient You Haven’t Considered (Christy Pretzinger)

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, host Sue Tetzlaff and guest Christy Pretzinger delve into the concept of BETTER Quotient™ (BQ) and its significance in leadership. Christy shares her journey of understanding the importance of continuous improvement and vulnerability in leadership roles. They discuss the relationship between BQ and growth mindset, the necessity of self-awareness, and the value of soft skills in the workplace. Christy introduces a three-step process for applying BQ in daily interactions, emphasizing the importance of pausing, anchoring, and choosing better actions. The conversation highlights the privilege and responsibility of leadership, encouraging listeners to embrace personal development as a pathway to organizational growth.Soft skills are predictors of success in the workplace.The pause is a gift to avoid regrettable actions.Self-awareness is crucial for effective leadership.Leadership voice carries weight and responsibility.Connect with Christy Pretzinger and WG ContentChristy@WGCongent.comThe Better Leader Projectchristypretzinger.comWGContent.comWe’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

April 15, 2026Episode 11433 min

Rethinking Hospital Week and Other Celebrations (Julie Coneset)

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff and Julie Coneset discuss the importance of meaningful celebrations, focusing on the 'why' behind recognition efforts, and share practical ideas and a comprehensive celebration guide to foster a culture of celebration in healthcare settings.How to get your guide to creating meaningful Hospital Week and other celebrations: Email info@capstoneleadership.net and request CELEBRATION GUIDEWe’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

April 8, 2026Episode 11331 min

Culture Bytes: Why Customer Service Training Isn’t Working

Send us a MessageIn this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores the nine essential 'ITs' of customer service excellence in healthcare. She emphasizes that building a multi-faceted systematic approach, rather than just providing training, is key to achieving sustainable service quality and patient satisfaction.Quotes from the episode: “Exceptional service is not created by training alone — it is created by systems.”“Organizations that excel in service don’t just focus on patients — they invest equally in their people.”“Service excellence is not the end goal — it is part of something bigger: organizational vitality.”“Leadership behavior sets the ceiling for the organization.”“We have to move from training for service… to building systems for service excellence.”“A strong employee experience enables a strong patient experience.”“Data should drive improvement — not overwhelm, punish, or confuse.”“Service excellence is not a service initiative — it is a people-plus-systems outcome.”We’re stepping forward in a bigger way—growing our team of rural healthcare experts, growing our capabilities by adding a strategic planning division … all of this so we can expand our ability to help even more rural hospitals and other small healthcare organizations in 2026. … We’d love to explore how we can support your organization in being the provider- and employer-of-choice so you can keep care local and margins strong! Learn more at CaptoneLeadership.netHi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:1. Listen to the Culture Change RX PodcastEvery week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy. 2. Subscribe to our Email NewsletterGet practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast. 📩 Subscribe here3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.You can email me at info@capstoneleadership.net and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.