Physician Coaching Skills Series - Facilitates Client Growth

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) Core Competencies outline skills and approaches used by professional coaches. These principles are explicitly stated in the context of coaching and can be used with colleagues, patients, and ourselves in the hospital and beyond. In this blog series, we look at how the ICF Core Competencies apply to physicians in the areas of personal growth, peer support, and patient care. 

The eighth and final Core Competency area we will address in this blog series is about coaching our clients to fish: Cultivating Learning and Growth

8. Facilitates Client Growth

Definition: Partners with the client to transform learning and insight into action. Promotes client autonomy in the coaching process.

Works With the Client to Integrate New Awareness, Insight, or Learning into their Worldview and Behaviors

Learning something new and integrating it into our lives rarely happens overnight. Sometimes we need time to accept the change. Sometimes we grieve what’s been lost or feel overwhelmed by new possibilities. Each of us processes growth at our own pace and in our own way.

A coach supports this process by helping clients pursue what they want at a pace that works for them. Some clients want to grow, but struggle in the discomfort that often comes with growth. Others may want to slow down, but find it difficult to do so.

The coach’s role is to understand what the client truly wants and support them in achieving it. What a client says they want on the surface isn’t always what they truly seek underneath. As coaches, we don’t challenge or dismiss those initial goals. Instead, we create space for exploration.

Maybe what they say is exactly what they want. Maybe it’s not.

The point is, they decide — and we help them clarify and move toward it.

Partners With the Client to Design Goals, Actions, and Accountability Measures that Integrate and Expand New Learning

In coaching, the design of goals, actions, and accountability measures belongs to the client. The coach facilitates, but does not direct, this process. Ultimately, it’s the client who determines what they want and how they plan to achieve it.

As coaches, we recognize that we don’t share the same motivation, resources, or constraints as our clients. That’s why this work must be client-driven — to ensure the goals are both meaningful and achievable for them.

At the same time, it’s important not to limit the client’s potential or push them too far, too fast. The coach’s role is to guide the process, helping the client find the right balance between stretching and sustaining — always in service of growth that aligns with their pace and purpose.

Acknowledges and Supports Client Autonomy in the Design of Goals, Actions, and Methods of Accountability

The key concepts here are “supports” and “autonomy” — both essential throughout the client’s coaching journey. As coaches, our role is not to provide the destination, outline the steps, or define what success looks like. Instead, we hold space for the client to determine where they want to go, how they want to get there, and how they’ll know when they’ve arrived.

When we tell clients what to do, we risk stunting their growth. But when we empower them to generate their own insights and solutions, we foster deeper learning and long-term self-efficacy. This approach equips clients not just for the current challenge, but for the ones that follow — helping them build the capacity to navigate future decisions with greater clarity and confidence.

Supports the Client in Identifying Potential Results or Learning From Identified Action Steps

Clients come to coaching because they’re seeking something they haven’t been able to achieve on their own. Coaching is a collaborative partnership designed to move the client toward meaningful progress.

Often, what stands in the way are blind spots — the "unknown knowns" that others might see clearly, but we can’t yet recognize in ourselves. Coaches help surface these gaps in awareness through thoughtful, reflective questioning.

By encouraging clients to think more deeply about what might happen if, coaches support exploration of future outcomes, possible reactions, and the broader impact of their choices. Especially when navigating complex or high-stakes situations, this kind of forward-thinking inquiry can illuminate new options and empower more intentional decision-making. 

Invites the Client to Consider How to Move Forward, Including Resources, Support, and Potential Barriers

The word "invites" is key here — it reminds us that coaching is not about telling clients what they need, but about creating space for them to explore possibilities. It’s not the coach’s role to identify the resources, support systems, or roadblocks a client might encounter. Instead, the coach facilitates reflection so the client can uncover these for themselves.

While we can’t predict or prevent every obstacle, we can help clients anticipate potential challenges and consider what tools, resources, or support might help them stay on track. That kind of proactive thinking strengthens resilience and reinforces client autonomy in the face of uncertainty.  

Partners With the Client to Summarize Learning & Insight Within or Between Sessions

“Partners” is an essential element of this competency because it emphasizes that the client — not the coach — should be the one to summarize the learning from a session. If the coach is the one articulating the insight, we have to ask: has the client truly internalized anything sustainable or actionable?

Our goal is to support clients in turning insight into action, and that begins with their own awareness — both during the session and as they apply what they’ve learned in real life. When a client reflects back and summarizes their key takeaways, it not only reinforces the learning but also acknowledges progress. This act of recognition strengthens confidence and solidifies the shift from insight to meaningful growth.

Celebrates the Client’s Progress and Successes

Do we throw a party for our clients? Probably not. But do we offer meaningful, authentic positive reinforcement? Absolutely. Celebration in coaching doesn’t have to be loud or elaborate — it should reflect the coach’s personal style and always be grounded in respect for the client’s values and preferences.

Often, clients don’t recognize their own progress, especially when the outcome isn’t exactly what they hoped for. In those moments, coaches can help highlight the significance of taking a new or courageous step. Even if the immediate result wasn’t ideal, the act of moving forward — of doing something differently — is a success worth acknowledging. Over time, celebrating these process-oriented wins helps build confidence and reinforces growth, making space for even greater outcomes in the future. 

Partners With the Client to Close the Session

Managing time effectively in a coaching session is no small feat. Coaches must collaborate with the client to thoughtfully close the session — tying together the insights and progress they’ve just unwrapped together. This intentional closure helps create forward momentum, sending the client back into their world with clarity, energy, and purpose.

Every client approaches time differently — some are highly aware of the clock, while others may need more structure and support. Striking the right balance is a nuanced skill, but an essential one. A well-closed session honors the client’s experience and reinforces their ability to apply what they’ve learned when it matters most.

Facilitating Client Growth is about creating a partnership that honors the client’s autonomy, supports their insight-to-action journey, and equips them with the tools to create sustainable change. It’s about empowering the client to move forward with clarity, confidence, and resilience — long after the coaching session ends.