Dr. Carolyn M Rubin believes that healthcare can always do better for providers and patients. She is a business consultant who has worked across healthcare operations, mentoring teams, guiding integration projects, and improving performance at scale. Her consulting business, Carolyn M Rubin Consulting, helps organizations and people grow and build “sustainable resilience.”
Beyond her executive work, she is also a voice of inspiration. Through EMPOWERFUSE, her talk show on Pod Unity Network, she speaks with leaders and thinkers about health, growth, and life. As part of the Maxwell Leadership Executive Program, she trains, mentors, and guides others to become stronger leaders in their own right. This interview explores her story, her insights, and her vision for healthcare and leadership in today’s world.
Dr. Carolyn, the term “burnout” is often used casually, but in healthcare, it has very real and serious consequences. From your perspective, what does burnout truly look like for healthcare professionals today?
Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin: Burnout in healthcare isn’t just “feeling tired” or “stressed.” It’s deeper — it’s the slow erosion of purpose and passion. I’ve seen incredible clinicians, nurses, and staff who once entered this field with fire in their hearts become emotionally depleted, physically exhausted, and spiritually drained.
For healthcare professionals today, burnout shows up in compassion fatigue, in disengagement, and in mistakes that stem from sheer exhaustion. It looks like showing up to work but feeling numb inside. And it carries consequences — not only for the providers themselves, but for patients and entire organizations. Burnout impacts safety, quality, and culture.
The heartbreaking part is that many professionals feel isolated in it, as though admitting burnout equals weakness. But it’s not weakness — it’s a warning light that something in the system and in the culture needs to change.
Many leaders in healthcare focus on short-term fixes for burnout. What are some common mistakes organizations make when trying to address it, and how can they shift toward sustainable solutions?
Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin: One of the most common mistakes I see is treating burnout like an individual problem to be solved with quick workshops or wellness perks. Don’t get me wrong — mindfulness classes or pizza Fridays can be nice — but they don’t solve systemic issues.
Burnout is often rooted in chronic understaffing, unrealistic workloads, and a culture that values output over well-being. Short-term fixes may boost morale for a day, but they don’t change the environment that’s draining people.
The shift has to be intentional. Organizations need to address staffing ratios, give clinicians a voice in decision-making, invest in leadership development, and create safe spaces where people can speak up without fear of reprisal. Sustainable solutions mean embedding resilience into the culture — not as an event, but as a way of leading.
You talk about “building sustainable resilience.” Can you share a real-world example of how this approach has transformed a team or organization you have worked with?
Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin: Yes, one that stands out is a hospital team I worked with during a period of extreme turnover. The initial response from leadership was to push harder — more hours, more overtime. But that only made things worse.
We shifted the approach by focusing on three pillars: restoring purpose, creating connection, and giving staff a voice. We started with listening sessions where people could be heard without judgment. We reintroduced small rituals of celebration — recognizing birthdays, milestones, or even just “wins of the week.” We also trained leaders to check in on people as humans, not just as employees.
The change was remarkable. Within months, staff retention improved, engagement scores rose, and patient satisfaction followed. What shifted wasn’t the workload — it was the culture. Resilience was built not by demanding more, but by restoring meaning and connection.
In your work, how do you balance the need for operational efficiency with the equally important need for emotional and mental well-being among healthcare staff?
Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin: I believe efficiency and well-being aren’t opposites — they’re partners. When people are emotionally supported, they perform more effectively. Burnout creates inefficiency: mistakes, absenteeism, turnover.
The balance comes from leading with both head and heart. Yes, we need processes, data, and measurable outcomes. But we also need to create space for humanity. Sometimes that means adjusting schedules to allow recovery, training leaders to recognize emotional strain, or embedding resilience practices into daily huddles.
Operational efficiency without humanity leads to burnout. Humanity without structure leads to chaos. The sweet spot is where systems are strong and people feel valued within them.
The healthcare landscape is changing rapidly with technology and policy shifts. How can leaders proactively prepare their teams to remain resilient in such a fast-evolving environment?
Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin: Change is constant in healthcare, but the speed of it today can feel overwhelming. Leaders must normalize change as part of the culture — not something to fear, but something to adapt to together.
Practically, that means preparing teams by investing in continuous learning, communicating transparently, and involving staff in problem-solving rather than handing down decisions. It also means acknowledging the stress of change and providing support during transitions.
Resilient teams are built when leaders model adaptability. When a leader says, “This is new, it’s hard, and we’ll figure it out together,” it sets the tone. Technology and policy will keep evolving — resilience is what allows people to bend without breaking.
If you could give one piece of advice to a new healthcare leader on preventing burnout from day one, what would it be?
Dr. Carolyn M. Rubin: Lead with listening. From day one, create a culture where people feel seen and heard. Don’t assume you have to fix everything yourself — you won’t. But you can build trust by asking, “How are you really doing?” and meaning it.
Also, model the balance you want your team to live. If you send emails at midnight, your team will think they need to do the same. If you never take time to recharge, they won’t either.
Burnout prevention starts with leaders who embody sustainable resilience — who show that excellence and well-being can co-exist. My advice is simple: lead with head, heart, and humanity. Do that, and you won’t just prevent burnout — you’ll ignite lasting impact.
Conclusion
Dr. Carolyn M Rubin shows that leadership is about action, consistency, and vision. She improves systems and empowers people to think differently, to embrace growth, and to believe in what they can achieve.
Her work in healthcare and burnout highlights the need for leadership to change and adapt with clarity. Through mentoring, teaching, and speaking, she shares knowledge in a way that feels practical and personal. She reminds us that leadership is not just a role. It is a daily choice to inspire, to act, and to keep moving forward.
