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PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE

coaches learn to be coaches in athletics. The concept of “team play” is essential in medicine, as doctors work
Many Executive Coaches learn to be a coach by participating in one in matrixed teams throughout the day and night. The importance of the
or more programs that provide training and certification. There are sev- physician working effectively with hospital leaders, practice leaders, physi-
eral programs at major universities (e.g., Columbia University) and Ex- cian peers, nurses, specialists and committee members cannot be under-
ecutive Coaching industry organizations (e.g., International Coaching estimated. The physician’s role as leader of practitioner teams is essential
Federation or the Center for Executive Coaching) in which to learn to successful outcomes. Physicians have an opportunity to lead better. In
to be an Executive Coach. today’s world, physicians are not sole practitioners; they are team leaders.
Mistakes tend to happen at hand-offs or shift changes, and clear com-
4. When should I consider seeking out a coach? munication at all levels is needed. The physician plays a pivotal leadership
Ideally, the client has a specific objective or set of objectives, in a role in the effectiveness of the teams with whom he or she works.
planned timeframe, toward which the client commits to working with I believe the onus is on the coach to learn about their client’s indus-
the Executive Coach. try. When a coach has worked with multiple clients in the same indus-
Often people reach out to me when they are experiencing frustra- try or has worked in that industry, there is benefit of understanding
tion at work, either not being heard by leaders and peers or taking the context, vocabulary and nuance of the conversation and objectives.
on committee work and needing to influence others (like herding
cats!). When someone is frustrated by experiences at work, they may 6. What is the difference between a coach and a mentor?
benefit from working with someone who has a more objective eye. A coach takes the client through a deliberate process over a specific
Coaching can help to "up our game,” but that can mean different timeframe to achieve a desired result. A mentor can be supportive,
things to different people. make suggestions and offer advice, however, the deliberate nature of
My approach to Executive Coaching is through the lens of the man- the coaching process may or may not be present. Coaches generally are
agement consultant. I start with the questions, “What problem are we compensated by the client or the client’s employer. Mentors are not.
trying to solve?” and “If you woke up tomorrow and everything were Once the physician has decided to engage a coach, what kind of
fine, what would it look like?” The next step is to formulate a working coach does it make sense to choose? Working with a coach provides
hypothesis and test that hypothesis using a Socratic style of coaching. you with an opportunity to work on yourself professionally and per-
sonally. Envision a Venn diagram with two interlocking circles. Label
5. What should I expect from a coach? one circle “Physician Coaching” and label the other “Executive Coach-
Expect that a coach will be a coach. Picture a swim coach: the coach ing.” Both types of coaches share common attributes in their work of
is on the side of the pool. The swimmer is in the pool swimming his or guiding clients on a path toward self-improvement. Coaches take
her race. Expect that a coach will take the client through a process. clients through a process and help the client establish trust, build rela-
Time is a key element of coaching. The person being coached needs tionships, manage stress and embrace self-care. Physician Coaches pro-
time between coaching sessions, over a reasonable period of time, to vide the added benefit of addressing physician trauma and preventing
try out the concepts being discussed in the coaching sessions and to in- (or relieving) physician burnout. Executive Coaches focus on the physi-
tegrate these concepts into their everyday work. cian’s leadership skills, such as effective communication, leading teams,
A coach is not a therapist, and coaches must understand and respect prioritizing, planning, delegating and strategic thinking. Both types of
this boundary. If a client needs a therapist, it is the coach’s responsibility coaches offer value to the physician. When engaging a coach, start by
to tell the client and recommend they seek help elsewhere. asking, “What problem am I trying to solve?” The answer will help
One question to consider: Does the coach’s knowledge need to in- guide you to the most appropriate coach for you.
clude the industry or profession of the client, in this case, medicine? I I would like to thank Randi Brosterman Hutchens (https://www.ac-
believe the Executive Coach has a responsibility to be well-informed tionabletransitions.com) for her role as a contributing author, and more
about the domain or industry in which he or she is working. An Exec- importantly, for her time helping me, and hopefully you, in the appre-
utive Coach does not need to be a physician in order to coach physi- ciation and value a coach has to offer.
cians, however, the coach must learn about the work the physicians do
and how they do it. I am not a physician. I am realistic that I will never Rodolfo “Rudy” Molina MD, MACR, FACP is the 2021
know as much as my clients do about medicine. I am, however, an or- President of the Bexar County Medical Society. Randi Broster-
ganizational and process consultant and a teacher (and student) of man Hutchens is an Executive Coach, a Fellow in the Institute
leadership. My focus is on how people work together in teams to of Coaching affiliated with Harvard Medical School and the President
achieve successful outcomes. and CEO of Actionable Transitions LLC.

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