Clay LinkousCo-founder, Linkous Solutions · International Speaker, Executive Coach, and Facilitator / Champion of Physicians, Leadership, the Human Experience, SDOH, Vulnerable Populations, & Neurodiversity.

Build a “challenge network” of disagreeable givers who will pressure-test your assumptions.

2 Apr 2026 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:38

In this brief leadership coaching video, the speaker draws on Adam Grant’s recent ACH Congress talk to propose that healthcare leaders accelerate change by creating a “challenge network” of trusted, disagreeable givers—people who deliver uncomfortable truths. The speaker differentiates advice (forward‑looking, actionable) from feedback (backward‑looking) and stresses the importance of modeling psychological safety by openly naming one’s own blind spots. A concrete action step is offered: invite three respected, critical individuals (the “Roy Kents” in one’s life) to become founding members of the challenge network, framing honesty as the highest form of loyalty. The speaker credits Adam Grant, the ACH Congress, and Amy Edmondson’s work on psychological safety, and invites leaders of health systems, hospitals, or medical groups to reach out for coaching to turn critics into coaches and rethink best practices.

Chapters

Hey leaders, quick thought this morning. It was sparked by Adam Grant's recent ACH Congress talk. He was talking about if you want faster, better change in healthcare, we should build a challenge network, which is like our trusted disagreeable givers in our life who tell us the uncomfortable truths we need to hear. You know, here's the move. So like, don't just ask for feedback, ask for advice. Feedback is looking backwards, but advice is looking forward. And it's actionable. You know, when I coach physician leaders and other leaders, I always start by trying to model psychological safety to them. I name my own blind spots out loud, share other things, and that simple signal really opens the floodgates for ideas and candor. So try this this week. Invite 3 people that you respect, especially those Roy Kents in your life, to be founding members of your challenge network. Say, honesty is the highest form of loyalty. If you see a problem, I want you in the solution with me. So shout out to Adam Grant and A-C-H-E for elevating this conversation in my mind and many others. And also to Amy Edmondson for the foundational work on psychological safety. We need it now more than ever. If you're leading a health system, a hospital, or a medical group and want help turning your critics into coaches and rethinking what best practices look like, Give me a shout.