I recently had the opportunity to work with healthcare professionals in supervisory roles. Our focus was on the use of coaching skills in the workplace. As I prepared for the program, I had some concerns about my own ability to fully understand their day to day issues. Working in a hospital, nurses and other healthcare providers face life and death decisions on a daily basis. How was I, a mere coach and human resources professional, going to connect with these supervisors and relate to their concerns?
In coaching, one of the big moments we strive for is when our clients have a realization, reach a conclusion, or experience a shift in thinking. We call it an “aha” moment. Well, little did I know that I would have an “aha” moment training these nurses on coaching skills!
One of the activities in the workshop was to write down real- life coachable moments they had experienced in the workplace with an employee or a situation when they could have used some coaching for themselves. Well, to my surprise, their issues resembled those of managers from every other industry I’ve worked with. Approaching employees on difficult topics, dealing with conflict, resistance to change and performance issues and accountability were a few of the common threads.
I came to understand that no matter what the industry is, people are just people. We all have the same basic needs: to be listened to, respected and supported when necessary. Industry specific background and knowledge can be helpful in building rapport and confidence, but ultimately it’s our human experience that counts.
