In this episode, Matt Reiners is joined by Dr. Malinda Shultice, Founder and CEO of MS Healthcare Consulting and an educator at Iowa State University, to explore how curiosity can be a transformative tool in senior living leadership. From her unexpected entry into the field to the creation of her own company, Dr. Shultice shares actionable advice on how leaders can reduce burnout, foster empowerment, and reignite passion for their work through simple, curiosity-driven practices.
With over a decade of experience in senior living, Malinda now helps current and future leaders reignite curiosity and build healthier, more empowered teams. She is also a faculty member at a business school in Spain, where she teaches leadership and entrepreneurship.
Timestamps :
2:00 – How a part-time job led Malinda to a decade-long career in senior living
4:00 – The pivotal moment that shifted her career goals
6:30 – Teaching and consulting: a new way to support the next generation of leaders
8:00 – Defining “leadership curiosity” in a fast-paced, regulated environment
11:00 – Why curiosity and creativity fade—and how to bring them back
13:30 – A simple 5-minute exercise to reconnect and listen better
17:30 – Empowering vs. solving: the leadership shift that reduces burnout
21:00 – Soft skills, hard impact: balancing curiosity with accountability
25:00 – What’s next: embedding curiosity into leadership development
28:00 – Final thoughts and takeaways from Dr. Shultice