We often treat surgical culture as an immovable force of nature, something we simply have to survive. But what if the norms we pride ourselves on, the "win-at-all-costs" mentality and the "show no weakness" rule, are actually holding us back from our true potential?
In this episode, Dr. Sharon L. Stein welcomes Dr. Katrina Monton, an organizational psychologist and former professional athlete. Katrina bridges the worlds of high-performance sport and medicine to unpack Masculinity Contest Culture and the deep structures that shape how surgeons work, lead, and suffer.
We Discuss:
High Performance vs. High Stakes: Defining the environments where visibility is high, margins for error are low, and the pressure is constant.
The Four Norms of Masculinity Contest Culture: Katrina breaks down the framework that defines many high-stakes workplaces:
Show No Weakness: The psychological demand to suppress vulnerability or mental health struggles.
Strength and Stamina: Valorizing the 80-hour work week and physical endurance as a measure of worth.
Put Work First: The prioritization of the profession over self, family, and personal identity.
Dog-Eat-Dog: A culture of constant comparison and hyper-competitiveness.
The "Olympic Shelf Life": Why high-pressure cultures work for short-term gains (like a 4-year Olympic cycle) but lead to attrition and burnout in a 30-year surgical career.
Invisible Architecture: Why we are still following rules and norms created for a workforce that no longer exists, and how to navigate the "clash" between tradition and a diverse, modern society.
Brave Space vs. Safe Space: Why growth requires discomfort. Katrina explains how to lean into "controversy with civility" and the courage to act even when you're scared.
Micro-Interactions for Macro-Change: How leadership isn't about grand mandates, but about small, daily choices—like soliciting feedback, using first names, or simply saying hello.
The "F-Word" in High Performance: Why the most successful teams in high-stakes environments (like Speed Skating Canada) actually prioritize fun and joy as fuel for excellence.
Featured Guest:
Katrina Monton, PhD is an organizational psychologist and a former member of the Canadian Women's National Water Polo team. Her research focuses on the impact of culture on physician outcomes and how to build human capacity in high-stakes environments.
Key Takeaway:
"I’m not in the business of removing challenge. I’m in the business of building up human capacity so that the human being can withstand more. If we can build people up instead of breaking them down, they can achieve more than we ever imagined." — Dr. Katrina Monton
Join the Conversation:
Do you recognize the "Dog-Eat-Dog" norm in your department? What is one "micro-behavior" you can change today to build a braver space for your team?
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