

The Minor Consult
Stanford Medicine
The Minor Consult explores leadership with innovators, changemakers, and risk-takers.
Hosted by Stanford School of Medicine Dean Lloyd Minor, MD, the podcast convenes top minds from across fields to share their perspectives, impart lessons from their careers, and discuss the complex challenges leaders face today. Through their conversations, Dr. Minor unearths the qualities and skills that leaders need to succeed in turbulent times.
Dr. Minor has served as Dean since 2012 and is also a professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the Stanford School of Medicine. Under his leadership, Stanford Medicine has emerged as a leader in the Precision Health revolution, which emphasizes preventive, personalized health care and leverages advances in biomedicine to treat and cure complex diseases. With more than 160 published articles and chapters, Dr. Minor is an expert in balance and inner ear disorders. In 2012, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
Disclaimer: Lloyd Minor has no financial interests in or formal relationships with the organizations of his guests.
Hosted by Stanford School of Medicine Dean Lloyd Minor, MD, the podcast convenes top minds from across fields to share their perspectives, impart lessons from their careers, and discuss the complex challenges leaders face today. Through their conversations, Dr. Minor unearths the qualities and skills that leaders need to succeed in turbulent times.
Dr. Minor has served as Dean since 2012 and is also a professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the Stanford School of Medicine. Under his leadership, Stanford Medicine has emerged as a leader in the Precision Health revolution, which emphasizes preventive, personalized health care and leverages advances in biomedicine to treat and cure complex diseases. With more than 160 published articles and chapters, Dr. Minor is an expert in balance and inner ear disorders. In 2012, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
Disclaimer: Lloyd Minor has no financial interests in or formal relationships with the organizations of his guests.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 8, 2024 • 26min
S6 Ep4: ‘Fresh Air’ Co-Host Tonya Mosley on the Power of Storytelling and the Importance of News Literacy
Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes veteran journalist Tonya Mosley, co-host of the National Public Radio program “Fresh Air,” for a conversation about the power of stories to connect people across communities. They discuss her experiences reporting around the country, the importance of addressing implicit bias in journalism, and her approach to conducting meaningful long-form interviews. They also explore why news literacy is essential for the youngest generation, and how her family and roots in Detroit inspired her latest podcast, “She Has a Name,” along with other personally significant works.

Apr 22, 2024 • 35min
S6 Ep3: World Health Organization Special Envoy Dr. Vanessa Kerry on Climate Change as a Global Health Crisis
Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes physician Vanessa Kerry, World Health Organization Director-General Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health and CEO of Seed Global Health, for a conversation about the broad-reaching impact of climate change on human health. They discuss global priorities for addressing the climate crisis, strategies for supporting health care workers in developing countries, and why a historic moment at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference presents an opportunity for international momentum. They also explore the origins of Seed Global Health, lessons to be gleaned from its model of training and investment, and the importance of leading by example.

Apr 10, 2024 • 34min
S6 Ep2: Pfizer Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Sally Susman on Communicating in Crisis & the Value of Joy
Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Sally Susman, chief corporate affairs officer at Pfizer, for a conversation about the vital role of communication in executive leadership. They explore lessons from the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the difference between misinformation and disinformation, and tips for communicating proactively. They also discuss the power of personal stories, the importance of mustering the courage to be candid, and the unexpected value of joy in corporate culture.

Mar 27, 2024 • 38min
S6 Ep1: Chelsea Clinton on Global Health, Storytelling in Science & Optimism as a Moral Choice
In a special episode recorded in front of a live audience, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Chelsea Clinton, a bestselling author and an advocate for public health and early childhood education. They discuss the importance of accountability for scaling global health initiatives, and the power of storytelling to counter misinformation in science and health. They also talk about finding motivation through conscious optimism and rebuilding public trust through support of individuals, families, and communities. Along the way, they share memories of Chelsea’s time as a Stanford undergraduate and their overlapping memories of their home state of Arkansas.

Dec 6, 2023 • 34min
S5 Ep4: Trauma expert Katharine Manning on Responding to Distress & Creating an Empathetic Workplace
Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Katharine Manning, author, victim rights attorney, and expert on empathy in the workplace, for a conversation about how to support people in distress. They discuss the universal needs of people who have experienced traumatic situations, from being victims of a crime to losing a loved one. They also explore effective ways to respond to people who have confided problems, strategies for coping in professions that are emotionally trying, and how leaders can cultivate a culture of empathy and mental wellbeing at work.

Nov 15, 2023 • 33min
S5 Ep3: Executive Coach Matt Abrahams on How to Connect & Engage in a Time-Starved World
Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Matt Abrahams, executive communications coach and Stanford Graduate School of Business lecturer, for a conversation about how to connect and engage different audiences in a wide range of settings. They explore key principles for effective communications, the importance of focusing on audience needs, and how to prepare for spontaneous speaking opportunities. They also discuss how to build trust through collaboration, the pitfalls of going negative, and balancing the efficiency gains of generative AI with the loss of authenticity and human connection.

Oct 9, 2023 • 38min
S5 Ep2: Author & Physician Abraham Verghese on Family, Medicine, and Writing “The Covenant of Water”
Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Abraham Verghese, MD, physician, educator, and bestselling author, for a conversation about literature, medicine, and his latest book “The Covenant of Water.” They explore the family history and medical mystery at the heart of the critically acclaimed novel, along with the synergies of writing and medicine. They also discuss the books that inspired Verghese’s career, how he found his artistic voice, and what it’s like when your creation receives enthusiastic support from Oprah Winfrey.

Sep 19, 2023 • 36min
S5 Ep1: Fmr. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer on the Future of AI and Pioneering Transformative Technology
Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Marissa Mayer, former Yahoo CEO, early Google employee and co-founder of Sunshine, for a conversation about the past, present, and future of AI and lessons learned from the evolution of search engine technology. They explore her experience pioneering iconic Google applications, what to expect as AI technology matures, and what it will take for a company to distinguish itself in the competitive world of AI. They also discuss the importance of building AI systems around the human experience, how to best regulate emerging technologies, and how to earn the public’s trust when developing transformative innovations.

Jun 12, 2023 • 35min
S4 Ep6: Philanthropist Alice Walton on Building Bridges to Art & Medicine in Underserved Regions
In a special episode recorded from his home state of Arkansas, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Alice Walton, philanthropist and fellow Arkansan, for a lively conversation about the importance of creating opportunities and access to art and health care, particularly in underserved regions. They explore the intersections of medicine and the humanities, and discuss how Walton’s newly established Whole Health Institute and Alice L. Walton School of Medicine will support human health with a holistic, integrated approach. Walton also shares leadership lessons from her father, Sam Walton, and her insights about building institutions to benefit rural communities.

May 31, 2023 • 39min
S4 Ep5: Rite Aid CEO Busy Burr on Practicing Ruthless Vulnerability in Corporate America
Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Busy Burr, interim CEO of the drug store chain Rite Aid, for a wide-ranging discussion on driving transformational change in the tech and health care sectors and fostering an organizational culture of honesty and vulnerability.
Burr also provides insights on designing products that people truly want, the evolving role of pharmacists in patient care, and why she feels optimistic about the future of digital health and behavior change technologies. Plus: Find out how lessons from the art of improv translate to the business world in surprising ways.


