HTM On The Line with BRYANT HAWKINS SR.
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HTM On The Line with BRYANT HAWKINS SR.
From Burnout to Breakthrough: Eric Massey on Redefining HTM Leadership
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In this episode of HTM On The Line, host Bryant Hawkins Sr. sits down with Eric Massey, Regional Director of Operations, to uncover his powerful journey from being a high-performing technician to a transformative leader in Healthcare Technology Management.
Eric opens up about the wake-up call that forced him to rethink leadership, the routines that keep him sharp, and his passion for developing people through his new coaching venture, The Massey Method. From learning to “own your mornings” to empowering teams instead of burning out, Eric shares actionable lessons for every HTM professional, whether you’re just starting out or leading a multi-hospital system.
Tune in for insights on leadership, personal growth, mentorship, and why HTM professionals must be seen as more than just repair techs.
Big thanks to our partners: College of Biomedical Equipment Technology, A.M. BICKFORD, INC., UptimeServices, MD Publishing, Innovative Radiology AND GMC Healthcare Solutions. Your support keeps the HTM mission alive!
HTM On The Line is produced by the B-Hawk Network.
Introduction to Eric Massey
Speaker 1Welcome back to another episode of HTM on the Line. I'm your host, bryant Hawkins Sr. And you know, in this HTM industry, titles and roles might change be med manager, director, regional leader but what doesn't change is the weight we carry Keeping hospitals safe, reliable and ready for every patient who walks through those doors. Today's guest is living proof of what happens when you stop trying to do everything alone and start learning to lead people. Eric Massey went from factory floors to becoming a regional director, overseeing half the country. But more than that, he discovered that leadership isn't about grinding yourself into the ground. It's about developing people, managing your time and leaving a legacy. This conversation will challenge you to stop surviving and start leading. Let's get into it. All right, we're live here with another episode of HTM On the Line. I have a very special guest this week. I have Mr Eric Massey. How you doing, eric?
Speaker 2I'm doing good, how you doing, brian.
Speaker 1Doing great man. Great for you to come on here Now, eric. A lot of people know you in the industry, but for a few who don't, let's just give them a little background of how you came into the HTM industry. Just give us a little background on you.
Speaker 2All right. Well, how I came in? I didn't know anything about the HTM industry. I was actually working in a factory and going to school at night for electronic engineering and a gentleman walked in to my school one night, dave Harrington, and said you know, hey, kid, you want to come fix medical equipment? And I said, sure, why not? And that's how I got into the HTM field.
Speaker 2I entered the field in the year 2000 with a company called Technology and Medicine, based out of Holliston, massachusetts, and you know I was an entry level BMET when I entered the field and I quickly worked my way up to a manager's role by the year 2007. I had a hybrid role at a small community hospital in Putnam, connecticut, and you know. After that, you know I managed a few other hospitals and then I got my first, you know multi-hospital system role in the year 2014. And I managed those up until 2021. I built out about three or four programs at some large hospital systems in the Northeast and in the Southeast and that led to my role that I currently have now, which is regional director of operations over field service. I moved into that role in 2021, and I currently oversee the Western US and Florida.
Speaker 1Oh man, that's great. Congratulations on a great career so far.
Speaker 2Thank you, I love this industry.
HTM Career Path & Leadership Challenges
Speaker 1You're in a leadership role, as you just mentioned. What would you say is one of your biggest leadership challenges you have to face?
Speaker 2I'd say my biggest leadership challenge getting everyone to understand their roles. Managing large hospital systems like I do right now, I manage a large region. You know half the country, you know rolls up under me. You know you have to have standardized processes in place and you really got to get everyone to know their, their roles and you know everyone has to you know, function and do their role for that to be a successful program. But when you get everyone trained, everyone understanding your processes, you know you're going to have a very successful system. But yeah, that's probably the most difficult thing is getting everyone in line and getting standardization with the processes.
Speaker 1Okay, great. Now you mentioned you've been in this leadership role since 2014. What would you think would be, I guess you would say is one of your most defining moments? That kind of created the leadership style you have today. Is there a defining moment that happened to you that you could think of?
Leadership Burnout: A Wake-up Call
Speaker 2Yeah, I, I, you know I used to always think that I had to do everything. You know myself, and you know I never really got any real leadership training when I was younger, I was just a high performing tech, you know myself. You know I never really got any real leadership training when I was younger, I was just a high performing tech. You know that got thrown into leadership position and you know I always thought working more, you know, was what I had to do. You know that kind of broke me down and in 2020, I ended up having, you know, some panic attacks, which at the time I thought were heart attacks that actually put me into the hospital. And actually the funny story when this actually wasn't funny but a little funny when the doctor came in and said I thought I was having a heart attack and I'm sitting in the ER and he walks in and he goes. We figured out what's wrong. I'm like what? And he's like this. And he looks over at me and I'm sitting there in the ER and I have my computer open with an HDMI cable into the monitor in the ER, double screens going. He's sitting there and he's like this is your issue. You know it's work, you're overdoing it and you know it was stress related issues. And he's like if you don't make life changes now, you know this is eventually, you know, going to kill you.
Speaker 2And at that time I was. I was working nonstop, I was running two large hospital systems, one in South Carolina, one in Florida, you know at the time and I was running myself into the ground. You know that that's when I started studying. You know personal development. You know learning to manage myself. You know manage my time and then also, you know learning to develop others. So I would have to say that was the defining moment on. You know where I get my leadership. You know style today was from that instance in 2020. That was a real wake up call for me. You know I don't want to die at a young age and you know I've learned a lot since then on how to manage myself and other people and I no longer have any stress related issues like that. I'm in really, really good shape. I manage my time well and you know I empower my people and you know I run some really good programs now.
Speaker 1Great. Now, since you've shared a personal story, let's just stay personal for a minute. I know you're a very passionate guy. Well, what keeps you motivated? After all these years you've been in the ATM industry, especially since you had the situation with the panic attacks, what is it that keeps you motivated and passionate?
Speaker 2I mean this industry. I love it. You never know what you're going to do. You know it's different every day. You know that's one of the things that keeps me motivated the constant change you know in this industry. But the real thing I'd say you know that keeps me motivated is you know developing people. You know I love coaching people. I love developing my directors. I love developing techs, imaging engineers. That's what really made it is building out these programs, developing people and then you know watching them. You know succeed in this amazing industry that we work in.
Owning Your Mornings: Time Management
Speaker 1Yes, exactly Now. Do you have any habits or routines that help you stay sharp as a leader or motivator, innovator? Do you have any habits or routines you follow?
Speaker 2Yes, absolutely. I own my mornings. You know, if you talk to any one of my directors, you know I preach this all the time is own your mornings. So you know my typical day. I wake up at four o'clock in the morning. I immediately take a cold shower, you know, to wake up, energize my body, I get a little bit of movement and then for the first hour of that day you know I do personal development. You know I journal, I read. You know I look into my day about how I want to come into that day, you know, with attention.
Speaker 2And then the first thing that I do is I blocked the first three hours of my morning and I shut off my phone. I have my work, focus on there. No phone calls, you know, no emails and my top task of the day get completed in that workbook workbook in the morning and then right after that workbook I have time scheduled. Then you know to answer my emails, phone calls. You know text messages at that time I don't let them distract me and you know what that does. You know that's a big win going into your day, getting your most important tasks completed in the morning.
Speaker 2You know, and a lot of people in this industry industry say well, I can't just shut my phone off or block this. I'm like it's no different than being in a QBR or some type of meeting. You're not going to answer your call in that. That's what you're getting paid to do is to do these tasks in the morning. You need to get that completed and then when you answer your phone calls in that block, you're more prepared once you get to look at it and you're really not wasting the other person's time either when you're just answering the phone reactively. So you know, that's one habit that I teach and that I do. That's very sacred to me let's cold shower.
Speaker 1Why, why? Why a cold shower, man? It resets your nervous system.
Speaker 2It resets your nervous system. Uh, you know it's the same thing as a cold plunge, you know, sit under there for about five minutes and you come out. You're awake in the morning after that.
Speaker 1Yeah, I guess that's true with athletes. They put the they jump in those cold baths to. Yeah, I guess that's true with athletes. They put they jump in those cold baths to recover quickly. So I can see where to shock you, to wake you up, I'm more than sure do yeah.
Speaker 2If I had a rough night of sleep, I'll do a cold shower in the middle of the day. If I feel myself getting tired and I'm working from home, you know I'll take 10, 15 minutes and do that and it wakes you back up for a couple hours.
HTM's Unique Value in Healthcare
Speaker 1It works. Oh man, you mentioned how you love to develop your leaders and by just looking at this HTM industry that we both love so dearly, how do you feel that? What area? I guess I should say what's one area maybe you can share that you think HTM professionals are undervalued in healthcare. If you had to pick one area, Are undervalued. Yeah, not appreciated like they should, I'd say you know we're sort of the invisible people.
Speaker 2I think we kind of do get unnoticed. You know in the hospitals noticed. You know in the hospitals but you know our technicians are keeping these hospitals running. You know whether it's IV pumps or you know keeping that OR up and running. But we're also more than just repair technicians. You know we provide a lot of data you know to these hospitals. You know to make informed decisions. You know for capital replacement and you know to run their programs. You know we're a lot more than you know break fix and I do. I think that that goes unnoticed is you know the amount of data that we can provide to these hospitals to help. You know drive decisions on getting them the appropriate you know equipment to use in their facilities and to save money. You know. I think a lot of that goes unnoticed.
Speaker 1Yeah, exactly, that's a good answer. Now let's dabble a little bit into this new initiative you're doing. What is this new initiative that has you extremely excited? That's outside your day-to-day work.
Speaker 2Yeah, so I'm starting the Massey Method. You know this is leadership development and coaching business that I'm starting on the side here and the passion for this comes back to what we talked about earlier in, you know, 2020, where, you know, I was never given that leadership development when I was never given that leadership development when I was younger. And then I'm lucky to have a great boss in Lisa Fry who ended up getting me a life coach through our company and I had that life coach for six months and that got me. I was getting coached on time management, empowering people. I just fell in love with that and I'm like this is what this industry is missing. You know we teach people. You know policies, procedures, how to run a database and it's, you know, just go.
Speaker 2No one ever looks at the mental health aspect of what it takes to be an actual leader for this industry and any industry. So, you know, I really started developing a passion for that and after my six months was up with that program that my company offered, I went and bought myself my own coach. You know I uh, through Brendan Bouchard's growth day. I have a coach every Wednesday which I met with earlier today at two o'clock I do an hour session every single week and, yeah, just what I've taught, it's been taught, it's developed a passion and I want to take everything that I learned through this coaching and you know I want to teach that to our industry. You know I teach it to my directors, you know, and some of my technicians that are looking to move into leadership roles. But I want to start, you know, teaching our industry about time management, managing themselves and all these personal development tools that I've learned through coaching.
Speaker 1That's amazing. There's definitely a gap in our industry, like I've heard. People have leadership programs and so yours is not just strictly about htm work, it's coaching them to do what else? I mean, I don't want to put words- in your mind.
Speaker 2This is coaching them, it's teaching, teaching you how to manage yourself.
Speaker 2You know I I have four modules that are created and three of them are for the hM side building service, delivery plans, looking at finances, capital planning, all those things that you know are very important to a director's role.
Speaker 2But the very, very first module in my mind is the most important module of all and that's understanding yourself. You know, building out that morning routine. You know that I talked about understanding influence and how to develop your team. So what, what I'm looking to do, you know, over a course of six weeks in a leadership program, is to fully transform someone from a reactive role you know, being a reactive director to being a true leader and understanding how to own your time, manage your time. You know, because ultimately, once you understand how to manage yourself, you're going to be able to manage people so much better and you're going to be so much better to your customer. So you know that first module that I'm going to be offering, that's coming out in January, that's going to be fully transformational for people that take that course that's going to be fully transformational for people that take that course.
Speaker 1And what advice would you give to an HTM professional who's trying to advance in the HTM industry? I mean whether it's a leadership role or an executive role, what type of? How can an HTM professional move into this? Will your coaching help them to want to aspire to those type of? Um? How can a nation professional move into this? Will your coaching help them to want to aspire to those type of roles?
Speaker 2yes, I, I believe it absolutely will. You know, because people that get thrown in these roles right now it's overwhelming sometimes if you don't know how to manage your time and manage yourself, you're going to get overwhelmed really quick. And you know there was an article I read in july that you know 60% of first time managers fail and it's because they don't get the appropriate leadership training, where you need to learn how to manage yourself, manage your time and how to manage people. So, yes, by taking this course, I feel I'm going to make people ready to go and move into, you know, that HTM director's role that they're looking to get into, and this is also for people that are currently in director roles.
Speaker 2And you know, if you're feeling like you're burned out, you're struggling and you know you probably need to take this course or get some coaching. You know you never can get enough training and never enough coaching. You know I never can get enough training and a never, never enough coaching. You know I love having my coach. I know I feel I'm doing very, very well now, but you know I still get a lot of value meeting with her every single week.
Speaker 1That's great. Now, in your experience, what unique challenges do you say HTM professionals face that other industries might not?
Speaker 2if you have to, say that other industries might not. You know might be a lot easier for other industries to sit there and do the block time. You know that I speak of you know, because we do have devices that go down and emergencies that come up and things that you do need to get involved in. So that's where our industry is a little more unique and that I have to work with, and everyone's situation, whatever role they're in, is unique.
Speaker 2I like to block three hours at a time in the morning and that works for me in my current role. But there might be an on-site director that has certain meetings I'll work with. Know structure around their schedule. So maybe they block, you know, their first 90 minutes in the morning but then do a second block later in the afternoon for 90 minutes. But you know the ultimate goal is to teach them how to you know, run their calendar and own that time. And then you know tune out when you do have those blocks. Tune out the text messages and phone calls. You know, as a director, if you have the right processes in place. But when a call comes in, you know you don't need to be involved. You have a team that's able to handle those calls for you, so you can focus on your work okay, man.
Speaker 1Uh, I want you to give out one nugget. I know this is going to be one of eric's free, free gifts to everyone listening. If someone feels stuck in their htm row, what's the first step you recommend they take?
Speaker 2if they're stuck in their htm role, what's the first step that they take?
Speaker 1you recommend right. What would you recommend they do?
Speaker 2I mean you got to find something you like. If you don't like your current role, you know each person that you know that's different. I mean I recommend, you know, going to the MD expos and all these events and having a large group of people that you can talk to, because you know then when you're stuck in your role you can reach out, see what other opportunities are out there and you know the right people to reach out and talk to. So you know, if you feel stuck in your role, you know I would start going to your local biomed shows, like I got cab cabinet here in Colorado that I go to MD expo. Amy, you know you have to build a network of people and that way when you get stuck, you know it gives you options and you have people to reach out to, to talk to and get advice.
Speaker 1Absolutely. I know you mentioned Lisa Fry is a great mentor to you. Yes, and in your opinion, what does a healthy mentor mentee relationship look like?
Speaker 2They listen and you know they let you be who you are. You know that's how Lisa has always been to me. She's never tried to change me. She let me. She let me be the person that I am and she listens to the things that I have to say and then she gives me guidance. She's not trying to change me, but you know she'll. She gives advice. So you know that's the same thing with the coach. You're not there to direct people and say, hey, you got to change this, you got to do this. You know you let them make the decisions for themselves. You ask the right questions, you listen to their unique situation. You know you push them in the right direction. That's that healthy relationship that you get from a coach and a mentor and you know that's what I had, you know, from Lisa and still have Great, Awesome man.
Speaker 1I can hear the passion in you when you talk about this coaching venture. So what have you learned about yourself in starting something new like this?
Speaker 2I've learned that I actually learned I think I'm pretty good at developing people. You know, since I've started this you know I've been, since I've been getting coaching everything I've learned I've taken back to my team and I started developing them and, yeah, I realized I really have a passion for teaching. You know I didn't really know that before. I love building out programs. Building out the program was one of my favorite thing. Doing startups, you know I love startups. But you know, since I started the coaching and then taking that and implement it with my teams, you know I've really learned about myself is that I have a true passion, you know, for developing people and you know I've been getting really good feedback, you know, from some of my directors on the coaching and now saying that not only has it changed, you know, their work life, but it's also changed their home life because they're having a better work life balance now too, and you know that that really makes me feel good. You know hearing those stories.
Speaker 1Yeah, man, you took my next question. I was thinking of asking you about this coaching venture you're doing. I wanted to ask you what hope you think this may have on the next generation of HTM professionals, what you hope this venture will do for them.
Speaker 2What's my hope, what this venture will have.
Speaker 2You know, honestly, I'm hoping to change the industry and the way that you know we develop leaders.
Speaker 2You know I'm hoping that people, you know, look at my free webinar and take that, you know, with MD Expo and go to my presentations at MD Expo and Amy and you know Colorado Biomed or California Biomed, wherever I'm presenting, and they see these programs that I'm building and they either, you know, utilize me or they go build their own program and they start, you know, paying more attention to the time management. You know the personal development, you know side of leadership development Because you know, I think if we make Cause, you know I think, if, if we make that, you know, a mandatory field in our development of our directors, you know that's going to be so much better for the industry. You know we're just going to build better directors. They're going to be better for their employees and better for the customers and it's just going to make HTM better. So you know, I really hope people, you know, come to some of my presentations and classes and get something out of this and you know I'm looking to change the industry in a way we develop people.
Speaker 1What advice do you give to young professionals about standing out when applying for their first HTM job? What advice would you give them?
Speaker 2You know me, when I, when I interview people, I look at how they act. I look for hungry people that are willing to learn. I honestly I don't look at their education part of their resume. I like the conversation piece because I know the industry very well. You know I was a technician so I was certified on every device. Like I said, I manage everything from community hospitals to large hospital systems to a large field service division. So I know the right questions to ask that you know to test their knowledge. But you can always train knowledge. But you can't train that motivation and that enthusiasm. You know that drive and especially if you're going to be managing a large hospital system, you know that has you know five to ten facilities, you have to have that drive to take something on. You know that's big like that. So that's the thing when you're coming into that interview be confident. And you know, let that drive stand out, because that's what I look for, because everything else is coachable.
Creating a Leadership Legacy
Speaker 1Yes, that's what I say, man you give me the will and I'll teach you the skill Exactly Now. I know you've managed a lot of individuals in your career. What is one of the most rewarding success stories you've seen from someone you've coached in HTM?
Speaker 2From someone I coached in HTM. I mean, some of the imaging engineers from Florida are my favorites. Steve Sanchez sticks out from Florida. I remember him working on you know, a bed back in was that 2018?. You know he helped out with the Nuke Med camera and ended up fixing it and you know he had a photographic memory. Could, you know, read any manual and immediately threw him into imaging training and just to watch how quickly, you know he picked up on things. And I actually got to see him a couple of weeks ago. Him and Bill Masters were here in Colorado and got to go for a hike and it was good to spend you know, some time with him to see him. You know where he is now in his career and where he's come from and you know just a short amount of time and yeah.
Speaker 2I mean, I mean I've worked with you too, like seeing you where you are in everything that you're doing in your career. I mean I didn't coach you on how to do podcasts. You're coaching me on how to do that, but you know me and you have also, you know, worked together and you know I I love seeing all the success you know that you have in this industry. Jennifer Chester she's another person that you know works for me currently down in Houston, you know, watching all the great things that she's doing in this industry. Yeah, so you know that's a few of them, but I mean I could go on all day talking about people.
Speaker 2There's been a lot over the last 25 years here.
Speaker 1What advice would you give to your younger self when you first stepped into the HTM industry? What could you tell young Eric Massey if you can give him some advice?
Speaker 2You don't have to do everything yourself. Slow down, Take care of yourself, Pay attention to your health, eat right, work out, spend time outdoors and, you know, look into some leadership trainings on how to manage yourself. First, Cause you know, once you understand yourself and know how to manage yourself, you're you're going to be able to manage others a lot better. That that's the number one advice I'd give to myself. You know, I've always been go, go, go a hundred miles an hour, always thought I had to do everything on my own, and that's the one thing, you know, that would change. I'd still obviously want that motivation that I had to jump on every opportunity that came up, like I did. You know, something opens up in Florida. It's like bam, I'm going to go there and take that. You know I don't ever want to change, you know that. But it's the working all night, all weekend, giving up holidays, family time, all that. It's just not needed if you manage your time right and manage yourself, yeah.
Speaker 1Now, if you can give, oh gosh, if you could challenge our listeners to take one action today to level up their careers, what would it be?
Speaker 2To level up their careers. So if you're a director, block your morning, Own your morning. That's what I would give to any director. If you get those first tasks done in the morning with no distractions, it is going to change your life. That's what you got to do for the director's role. If you're a young tech growing in this industry, not quite sure where you're going to be heading in your career MD Expo, go to MD Expo. Go to every trade show that you can go to network with people, understand who's, who understand what's going on, and that will lead you to where you need to be.
Speaker 1So that's the advice I would give Now. When people look back years from now, what do you want the name Eric Massey to stand for in the HTM industry?
Speaker 2the HTM industry For leadership development. You know I think I found a passion here. You know that I have is, you know, developing you know, leaders.
Speaker 2You know I still got a lot of years left in this industry. You know I want to use those years now. You know the first half of my career was developing myself and building myself up, and now I want to pass that knowledge on from the last 25 years and through the coaching I've been getting and that. And now I want to pass that knowledge on from the last 25 years and through the coaching I've been getting and that's what I want to be known for. You know I want to. When I leave this industry, I want to have a bunch of people across the country running, you know, large healthcare systems. Or you know this is for vendors too. You know vendors running great programs. Or even if I'm coaching, you know hospital management that they're they're running. You know effective programs in their facilities. You know I want to be known, you know, for developing people and giving back.
Speaker 1Awesome man. Well, eric man, I really appreciate you coming on here, man, and you're welcome to come back anytime. You got any other ventures coming out you want to come share with this man? I'd be glad to. I'll do anything I can to help you. I appreciate your brother. I wish you much success in your future ventures.
Speaker 2Thank you Now. I always wish you success. I love watching everything that you're doing, Brian. You do amazing things in this industry.
Speaker 1Thank you brother.
Speaker 1What I love about Eric's story is this he didn't just build programs, he built people. He learned the hard way that burning yourself out isn't leadership. Empowering others is. If you take anything away from this episode, it's this Own your mornings, invest in yourself and develop the next generation. That's how we elevate this industry, because, at the end of the day, htm isn't just about equipment uptime, it's about human impact. Thanks for turning in to HTM Online. I'm your host, brian Hawkins Sr, reminding you that the unseen doesn't mean unimportant. It means you're built to make a difference. Y'all be safe out there.
