COACHES CORNER

I had a friend in college who would jokingly say, "Don't tell me what to do!" — even over the most mundane things. If they were zoned out at a red light that just turned green and you said, "Light's green," they'd shoot back, “Don't tell me what to do!"

It wasn't really about the traffic light. It'...

Coaching and peer support are both valuable resources in healthcare and share some common skills, but it is important to understand the difference between them. Both involve supporting colleagues through listening, empathy, and meaningful conversation, and both seek to help physicians navigate chall...

Coaching skills are practical tools that can help physicians improve everyday interactions with patients, colleagues, trainees, and team members. While often associated with professional coaching, these skills can be applied in clinical practice, leadership, and virtually any meaningful conversation...

 Physician coaching skills expand our impact across the full scope of our work—whether we’re leading teams, mentoring trainees, or collaborating across disciplines. When we intentionally develop these skills, we don’t just communicate more effectively; we lead with greater clarity, build stronger re...

Sometimes, there's confusion in healthcare about the difference between peer support and coaching, as both serve valuable purposes. There is overlap in the skillsets, and both involve supporting colleagues, but the outcomes we aim for are different. It’s important to distinguish between the two beca...

 Physicians are highly trained in clinical care, yet many eventually find themselves leading teams without formal leadership training. Managing people is not easy. One way to access new skills is with coach training.

For physicians in leadership roles, coaching skills can strengthen team engagement...

Physicians practice in environments defined by complexity — administrative burden, productivity expectations, leadership demands, and burnout rates over 50%. Clinical expertise remains foundational to patient care, but it is no longer sufficient on its own to support sustainable, fulfilling careers....

In today’s leadership-driven world, the word coaching gets thrown around a lot. But there’s an important distinction that often gets overlooked: the difference between using coaching skills and engaging in professional coaching. In this article, we are going to talk about the similarities and differ...

Physicians are already highly skilled problem-solvers, leaders, and decision-makers. Yet the modern healthcare environment—marked by time pressure, moral distress, complex teams, and increasingly empowered patients—demands additional skills alongside clinical expertise.

The International Coaching F...

Physicians are well-trained in providing exceptional patient care, yet many discover that essential leadership skills—such as effective communication and people management—are not emphasized enough in their formal education. Coaching skills fill this gap, offering adaptable tools that enhance how we...

Many physicians are curious about coaching—not because they want to start a coaching business or become full-time coaches, but because they are attracted to the coaching model itself. They seek better tools to communicate, lead, support colleagues, and handle the complex demands of medicine.

If tha...

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) recently released the updated ICF Core Competencies. These competencies define the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviors that professional coaches need to develop to deliver meaningful, results-driven coaching experiences.

An Evidence-Based Update...