Hardware Podcasts

#442: MedTech Leadership: Vulnerability & The CEC Framework with Dr. Jenny Hoffmann

Global Medical Device Podcast · 19 Jan 2026 · 45m · Episode 442

What this episode covers

Dr. Jenny Hoffmann, CEO of Sure Footing Consulting and Executive Director at New England Medical Innovation Center (NEMICK), discusses her book 'Open Up' and the CEC framework (Curiosity, Empathy, Connection) for MedTech leadership. She argues that traditional 'perfect' leadership is unsustainable and that leaders must embrace vulnerability to build trust, improve team retention, and drive innovation in product development. Hoffmann shares personal stories, including her experience as an early IVF baby and life-threatening health complications, to illustrate how 'SOS moments' can be transformed into strengths through authentic storytelling and emotional intelligence.

Most relevant to

established companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Greenlight Guru, Sure Footing Consulting, New England Medical Innovation Center, NEMICK
Products
Open Up: Step Into the Leader You Are Meant to Be, The Miracle Morning, The Culture Map
Also
FDA, MedTech Innovator

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • How I Built This · 32m

    Live From The HIBT Summit: Brené Brown

    Professor and author Brené Brown, host of the Unlocking Us podcast, discusses how vulnerability is a prerequisite for courage and effective leadership, arguing that it drives innovation and trust rather than weakness. She explains that gratitude is the antidote to 'probmoding' (dreading joy) and helps prevent burnout by celebrating small moments. Brown emphasizes that leaders must create brave spaces where vulnerability is not a privilege but a requirement for psychological safety, especially for marginalized groups. She defines toughness as the ability to admit mistakes, apologize, and learn, contrasting it with 'armored leadership' that prioritizes being right over being a learner.

    Leadership, teams & cultureCareers & education
    9 chapters

  • Being an Engineer · 49m

    Erin Thorp | How to Lead Your Engineering Team with Empathy

    Erin Thorp, a civil engineer turned leadership coach and author of 'Inside Out Empathy', explains how empathy serves as a critical tool for engineering leaders to manage diverse teams and navigate post-pandemic workplace dynamics. She details her transition from a 25-year career in construction project management to full-time coaching, driven by a desire to scale her impact on team engagement and inclusion. Thorp argues that empathy is a learnable skill, not an innate trait, and provides practical strategies for engineers to practice active listening and vulnerability without falling into the trap of trying to 'fix' their colleagues' problems.

    Leadership, teams & cultureCareers & education
    11 chapters

  • How I Built This · 34m

    Live From The HIBT Summit: Cynt Marshall, Chieh Huang, and Sadie Lincoln on Leadership

    Cynt Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, Chieh Huang, CEO and co-founder of Boxed, and Sadie Lincoln, CEO and co-founder of Barre3, discuss leadership strategies, emphasizing vulnerability, trust, and empathy. Marshall details her 100-day plan to transform the Mavericks' culture through diversity and one-on-one employee meetings, while Huang explains the difficult transition from packing boxes to strategic leadership at Boxed. Lincoln describes using 'leadership circles' and taking a sabbatical to prioritize mental health, arguing that vulnerability builds stronger team connections and innovation.

    Leadership, teams & cultureFounder wellbeing
    16 chapters

  • EMS@C-LEVEL · 25m

    EMS@C-LEVEL Season #1 Episode #4 with Audrey McGuckin, Leadership Guru

    Audrey McGuckin, founder of Audrey McGuckin Leadership Solutions and former executive at Jabil, discusses leadership development within the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry. She explains how strong leadership impacts investor confidence and OEM relationships, citing specific metrics like diversity increases and revenue growth. McGuckin identifies empathy, agility, and innovation as critical leadership qualities that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, contrasting them with traditional engineering-focused traits. She outlines her methodology for scaling leadership transformation from the CEO down to shop-floor managers, emphasizing the need for top-down cultural change and data-driven feedback loops.

    Leadership, teams & culture
    6 chapters

  • Let's Combinate · 22m

    133 - A Year of Saying No, Advice & Good MedTech Consulting, Humility in Leadership, andToxicity in Teams with Devon C. Campbell

    Devon Campbell, Founder of Prodct LLC and CPO of myBiometry, explains his transition from exiting MedTech ventures to founding a consulting firm focused on medical devices and diagnostics. He details his 'year of saying no' strategy, which allowed him to curate high-impact startup engagements while avoiding the toxic consultant culture he previously experienced. Campbell emphasizes humility in leadership, arguing that arrogance is a primary source of team dysfunction and that effective consulting requires authentic, humble facilitation rather than just technical oversight. He also discusses the specific operational challenges early-stage startups face, such as underestimating regulatory and quality system needs.

    Starting a product companyLeadership, teams & culture
    8 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Global Medical Device Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.