The Doctors’ Coaching Blog
Here we share our thoughts on how doctors can utilise coaching to support those around them, from clients to patients, from mentees to trainees; from patients to colleagues; and from colleagues to family and friends. Well executed coaching skills have the ability to transform any conversation into an opportunity to generate new ideas and, from there, to transform relationships into more balanced and empowering thinking partnerships.
We’ll also share more insights in to our Doctors’ Transformational Coaching Diploma.
If you have something specific you are looking for, you can search for the keyword here:
Or Simply Browse our Articles About Coaching:
Conference Meltdown I had a bit of a moment last week. I was co-hosting the 4th annual, ‘Your...
Strengths Coaching
When coachees are facing difficulties in their work or home lives it’s easy for them to spend their time in the coaching room in problem-talk. They often speak from a place of helplessness and a lack of resources. Using a strengths based approach can allow a coachee to connect with their own inner resources, and some external resources too, to allow them to think through their situation, find their own solution and move forward.
In this article we explore what a strengths approach looks like, what tools are useful in drawing out someone’s strengths and when it might be useful to engage with this approach.
The Four Discourses of Coaching
When it comes to the way that coaching is approached and then discussed, there have traditionally been four different discourses that have become embedded in the coaching world. Simon Western, a leadership and coaching academic, identified the four discourses back in 2016 as being: –
The Managerial approach
The Psychological approach
The Soul Guide approach
The Network approach
In this article we explore the advantages and disadvantages of each approach and consider what other discourses have arisen in the last decade since Simon Western identified these four ways of seeing coaching.
Coaching Topic: Time Management
It is said that you can’t manage time, you can only manage yourself, but we know that some topics brought to the coaching room, like overwhelm, making difficult decisions, unrealistic expectations, and boundaries, can often look like a time management issue.
In this episode we take you through how we might help someone in the coaching space, and explore two activities that might be useful to undertake with our coachees.
An Introduction to Understanding Neurodiversity
In this week’s episode we begin what will be a much wider exploration of neurodiversity in the coaching arena and will start with some basics.
Join us as we explore some of the history of the concepts of neurodiversity and neurodivergence and the evolution of the nuanced terminology that can lead to some confusion around the topic. We also start to think about what neurodiversity means to us as coaches.
Egan’s Skilled Helper Model
A model from the 1970s Egan’s Skilled Helper Model is often taught on mentoring training courses, and many of our coaching doctors have come across it from such training. Having evolved from the therapeutic space it does lend itself well to the coaching environment.
In this article we explore the model and its limitations.
Art In Coaching
Coaching can take many forms and, for the most part, it will involve a conversation where the coach is focused on the coachee. However, sometimes it’s helpful for the coachee to draw their thoughts out on paper and for the focus in the coaching room to switch to what has been created.
Focusing on the coachee’s artistic endeavours can reveal new insights and draw out aspects of a scenario that might never have surfaced in a normal coaching conversation. We’re strong advocates of using art in coaching. In this article we discuss different ways in which we might support our coachees in getting in touch with their creative talents and expanding their thinking in the process.
Emotional Intelligence
Turning to the granddaddy of modern Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman, we’re exploring the different domains of his model and giving thought to how Emotional Intelligence shows up in the coaching room.
The Positive Psychology Concept of Flow
“Flow,” often described as being “in the zone,” is a psychological state of deep and effortless immersion in an activity, where you lose any sense of yourself, time and possible distractions.
It’s a concept that was introduced by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, in the 1970s and provides an important aspect of the Engagement element of Martin Seligman’s PERMAH model within the world of positive psychology.
Having an understanding of Flow might help you to support your coachees in improving their own wellbeing.
In this article we explore Flow, what it is and what it isn’t, and how it might be useful in the coaching room.