Episode 48: Backstage with Prof Jason Leitch, former National Clinical Director of the Scottish Government

Jason Leitch on Leadership, Public Trust & Fixing the Hoover

In this powerful and personal episode, Professor Jason Leitch – former National Clinical Director of the Scottish Government – joins Dr. Nish Manek for an honest, insightful conversation on what it truly means to lead through crisis.

From storytelling and the imposter syndrome to the pressure of daily COVID briefings, Jason reflects on his remarkable career and the lessons that still resonate today.

Whether you're a healthcare leader, or simply curious about the human side of leadership – this one’s for you.

🕰️ Timestamps & Highlights

04:30 – Growing up in a working-class household: family, faith & humble roots 08:00 – The early influences that shaped Jason’s values and work ethic 09:30 – Being headhunted into government – and why he left surgery 10:30 – The fellowship at Harvard & IHI that changed everything 13:45 – Systems thinking, safety, and why fixing one jaw wasn’t enough 17:00 – Creating the Scottish Patient Safety Programme – and saving lives 20:00 – “Where are the clever people?” – the moment Jason realised he was in the room 23:00 – What most people misunderstand about civil servants and politicians 27:30 – Imposter syndrome in senior roles — and how to work with it 30:00 – From dentist to national spokesperson: leading communication during COVID 32:00 – Behind the scenes of daily press briefings with Nicola Sturgeon 36:00 – The Grinch moment: “I cancelled Christmas in October” 38:00 – Social media abuse, threats — and how he stayed grounded 42:00 – Running, audiobooks, and the daily 5K: mental health strategies 46:00 – Why being wrong publicly was part of the job 48:00 – The monkey and the golf ball: Jason’s dad and the story that stuck 51:00 – Full circle: why “fixing the Hoover” might be all the leadership advice you need 53:00 – Biggest career mistake? Waiting too long to step beyond dentistry 54:00 – Final reflections: don’t over-design your career. Build relationships. Fix the Hoover.

🔗 Links and resources

Catch up with Episode 25 with Don Berwick, Jason's role model and mentor Sign up to our monthly bulletin to hear about more programmes, podcasts, events and opportunities Follow Nish on Twitter/X and LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.