Editors: Ellen W. McKnight, M.D. | Erica Huffman, Executive Director
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Bulletin SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 VOLUME 45, NO. 5
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE MENTORING AND COACHING IN MEDICINE
As physicians we are called into leadership roles, whether within our own practice or for healthcare teams and organizations. However as a group we have a relative lack of leadership training. That is why it is so important to develop good leadership skills now. One of the best ways of establishing your leadership identity is by finding a mentor or coach who can teach you the ropes. This is true whether you are a medical student or a seasoned physician. Think about the benefits you have received from mentors you have had in your life. My attending physicians mentored me on the wards in medical school, and I learned a lot from my department chair in residency. Now as a (still relatively) young physician, I continue to learn from my colleagues. I never would have achieved all the leadership positions I now hold if it were not for the support and encouragement of these people. I have had been excellent mentors within organized medicine as well. When I first arrived in Pensacola, Dr. Michael Redman encouraged me to get involved with the Florida Medical Association and the county medical society. He was kind enough to show me the ropes when it came to writing a resolution and getting it submitted. That got me started on my journey to holding my current position as president of our county medical society – and writing this article for the newsletter! When it comes to mentorship, we need to be more like a river than a reservoir. There comes a time when we need to pass along what we have learned and mentor those who are coming after us instead of just keeping the information to ourselves. Here locally, we have many great teachers who work regularly with the medical students and residents. Many of these physicians go beyond just teaching and truly mentor the students along their career journey. After mentoring, the next step in career development and leadership growth is professional coaching. Coaching is the best way to develop personally and professionally. Coaching can help you find success, and find it faster and more efficiently than you can on your own. Coaching saves you time and money by helping you avoid costly mistakes. It can also be tailored to the specific areas you need to work on, whether it is career development, managing your practice, finances, staff, or relationships with colleagues. The confidential and professional coaching process can get you over the obstacles that keep you from reaching your goals. As Greg Turner, Associate Dean for Faculty Development at Florida State University College of Medicine points out, “Coaching is a skill set of questioning, effective listening, and giving feedback to promote learning, self-awareness, and action.” Through training and experience, a good coach assembles a ‘tool kit’ of skills and resources that are beneficial for enabling him or her to look at the issues a client presents in an objective manner and take effective action.
CONTENTS Coaching has been big in the business community for years, but is still relatively new in the healthcare industry. The coaching process brings out the best in you, whether you are a professional athlete, entertainer, CEO or a physician. If you want to achieve your full potential and reach the goals you have for your career and your life, then coaching is right for you. Bob Nardelli, CEO of Home Depot stated, “I absolutely believe that people, unless coached, never reach their maximum capabilities.” That holds true for physicians as much as it does for a CEO. We need leadership and business training, just like we needed training to become a doctor. Our current healthcare environment makes these skills a necessity in order to succeed. Coaching has allowed me new experiences that I never would have had without participating in a formal program. When I first started practicing, I would not have believed I would become president of a county medical society or serve at the state level. My goal was just to get started seeing patients and hopefully make enough money to pay off those pesky student loans. But the right mentors and the right coaches made a world of difference for me For instance, in 2013, I was invited by John C. Maxwell to go with him to Guatemala to teach leadership values to people in business, healthcare, government, and other areas of influence. How many people do you know who get invited by the world’s #1 leadership guru to transform leadership in an entire country? I don’t tell you that story to pat myself on the back for being a great leader or teacher. I tell you because, in my experience, even though I may not be the best, by learning from the best, doors were opened to opportunities I never thought possible. I know you are busy. What doctor isn’t? But we should all be intentional about finding time in our schedule on a regular basis to do something that will improve our leadership abilities, just like we do for keeping up with our specialties. Coaching and mentoring are tools that physicians can use to get the most out of their practices and their careers. Healthcare is a business, and it requires leaders. It is time for us as physicians to prepare for those roles. If you are interested in resources on mentoring or coaching, feel free contact me or your other county medical society representatives.
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