– Growing up in a working-class household: family, faith & humble roots08:00 – The early influences that shaped Jason’s values and work ethic09:30 – Being headhunted into government – and why he left surgery10:30 – The fellowship at Harvard & IHI that changed everything13:45 – Systems thinking, safety, and why fixing one jaw wasn’t enough17:00 – Creating the Scottish Patient Safety Programme – and saving lives20:00 – “Where are the clever people?” – the moment Jason realised he was in the room23:00 – What most people misunderstand about civil servants and politicians27:30 – Imposter syndrome in senior roles — and how to work with it30:00 – From dentist to national spokesperson: leading communication during COVID32:00 – Behind the scenes of daily press briefings with Nicola Sturgeon36:00 – The Grinch moment: “I cancelled Christmas in October”38:00 – Social media abuse, threats — and how he stayed grounded42:00 – Running, audiobooks, and the daily 5K: mental health strategies46:00 – Why being wrong publicly was part of the job48:00 – The monkey and the golf ball: Jason’s dad and the story that stuck51:00 – Full circle: why “fixing the Hoover” might be all the leadership advice you need53:00 – Biggest career mistake? Waiting too long to step beyond dentistry54:00 – Final reflections: don’t over-design your career. Build relationships. Fix the Hoover.🔗 Links and resourcesCatch up with Episode 25 with Don Berwick, Jason's role model and mentorSign up to our monthly bulletin to hear about more programmes, podcasts, events and opportunitiesFollow Nish on Twitter/X and LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.