Why the best healthcare leaders don’t choose—they integrate!
I was recently asked by someone in my leadership course whether it was better to do coaching in real time, or when it’s scheduled. There are benefits to both and times when one is decidedly a better option than the other. The important thing is knowing when to use each—and why.
The Power of Real-Time Coaching in Healthcare
Real-time, or on-the-spot coaching can be transformational in healthcare settings. Think about it. When you provide immediate feedback, you create immediate opportunity for quick adjusts that can positively impact patient care and safety, helping to reduce risk.
Real-time coaching is personal. People feel valued when you take the time to offer immediate feedback. That can be especially motivational and effective in strengthening a culture of service excellence. It fosters continuous improvement and learning, illustrating in a meaningful way that development isn’t a one-time event it’s an ongoing process.
But scheduled coaching also has its place.
The Power of Scheduled Coaching in Healthcare
Scheduled coaching gives people time to prepare and reflect. When coaching is planned, both parties can think about things ahead of time. You can think about the best approach and message for your employee for optimum motivation and development. Your employee can consider areas they want to improve on, goals they want to revisit, progress they want to assess.
When I’m coaching healthcare leaders over a period of time, scheduled sessions give me an opportunity to see where they’ve improved and let me go back to revisit their original goals. We can do a pulse check on improvement because it’s easy to forget just how far we’ve come over time.
Here’s what I’ve learned from years of working with healthcare organizations: both approaches build trust and accountability over time. The most effective leaders don’t choose between them—they integrate both strategically.
Tags: coaching, employee management, employee relations, goal setting, healthcare management practices, human resource management, Leadership, management
