Emotional intelligence and its concomitant skills are the most essential competencies for leaders to succeed in academic institutions. The ten chairs emphatically stated that this ability was fundamental to their success and its absence was the cause of their failures. They suggested that the absence of emotional intelligence often resulted in the demise of chairs and contributed to the high turnover among colleagues.

Need for Support to Change

Physician leaders cite emotional and psychological support as the most valued type of leadership training, with a “series of ‘strategic’ interactions . . . about specific professional issues rather than longitudinal mentoring.”  Looking for targeted mentoring was more likely to be found in established physician leaders. Aspiring physician leaders often look for a single mentor.

Coaching Interventions Particularly Useful with and for Physicians

The good news is that, just like there are some common troubles in the Republic of Medicine, there are some commonly effective interventions as a coach. My physician coaching practice focuses on the human side of leadership and management – e.g., conflict management, motivating others, team building, understanding and maneuvering through organizational politics, realizing and appreciating value and personality differences, negotiation techniques, and getting and giving feedback. These are all crucial leadership skills that are deeply affected by the traits I’ve observed above.

In common with other industries, medical organizations are often interested in goal-directed coaching, with measurable milestones along the way to meeting each goal. Goals were included in the Community of Champions, the leadership development and coaching program I envisioned and developed for the Veterans Health Administration. I encouraged participants to partner in organizational goals, justifying the time and money spent by their facilities on the program. In sum, they focused on the question: what is the measurable value you offer to your clients and their organizations?  Here are some of the tools that help them achieve that value: