Many CEOs have coaches, as well as all professional athletes, so why isn't it common for medical professionals to be coached as well? Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Bright, USMC (Ret.), a certified professional life coach and founder of On Target Leading, suggests that medical professionals can work with a coach at some point in their career to increase energy levels and self-esteem, which can lead to better results in work, finance and relationships.
"Most people go through life and let things happen to them," says Coach Bright, who is currently coaching ophthalmologists and dentists. "You can't turn a switch when you leave home in the morning, put your life in a box and go to work to be a great administrator or physician. The idea is to keep your personal life in order so all areas in your life are kept together."
Coach Bright discusses the ways medical professionals utilize coaching to start living the lives they desire in both the personal and professional setting.
1. Asking the right questions. According to Coach Bright, coaching is not a niche market. Medical professionals are people and they have lives that consist of more than just practicing medicine. Therefore, Coach Bright focuses on asking the right questions in order to steer his clients in the direction of the lives they want to lead.
"In most cases, they have the answers they need but they don't have the questions," says Coach Bright. "I try to coach them to ask the right questions. For example: how do you want to live the life you desire?"
2. Boosting energy levels. When one approaches life at a positive level of energy, the idea of success is easier to attain; this could mean anything from earning more money to strengthening relationships to practicing responsible time management. Coaches begin by understanding the client's agenda. From there, the client is ultimately coached towards fulfillment in part by increasing energy levels. "We work toward shifting the negative energy northward to more positive energy," says Coach Bright. "There are really few solutions where there is low energy."
3. Finding motivation. For someone who has little motivation, Coach Bright uses a method of locating and understanding what the professional is really passionate about without any consideration of salary. When people are not in their true line of work, they are most likely unhappy. Therefore, Coach Bright assists through coaching by helping to allocate more time towards doing what they are passionate about. "I always try to put some sort of urgency on life," says Coach Bright. "You can choose to do nothing or take advantage of it."
4. Setting goals. Coach Bright considers himself an accountability partner when it comes to his clients reaching their goals, or SMART goals as he calls them. SMART goals are characterized as specific, measurable, actionable, reasonable and time-oriented. "It's real good to have someone you can go to who can help you accomplish the goals in your life, personal and professional," says Coach Bright.
5. Finding personal happiness. Whatever professionals are facing in their personal lives will have an effect on their work if that is what he is thinking about at the time. Through coaching, professionals are able to confront what they really want out of life. "If I can help them relieve that decision and help them take action, their work will become stronger because that decision will be off their plate," says Coach Bright. "They will move forward and do things well at work."
Coach Bright encourages medical professionals to entertain the idea of working with a coach to become a better leader, keeping in mind that the commitment can be short term.
Contact Coach Bruce Bright and On Target Leading
bruce@ontargetleading.com
(205) 538-7326
www.ontargetleading.com
More Advice from Bruce Bright:
Communication Across Generations: How to Optimize Healthcare Employees
A Leader of Leaders: Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Bright, USMC (Ret)
3 Ways to Get the Most Out of Generation Y
"Most people go through life and let things happen to them," says Coach Bright, who is currently coaching ophthalmologists and dentists. "You can't turn a switch when you leave home in the morning, put your life in a box and go to work to be a great administrator or physician. The idea is to keep your personal life in order so all areas in your life are kept together."
Coach Bright discusses the ways medical professionals utilize coaching to start living the lives they desire in both the personal and professional setting.
1. Asking the right questions. According to Coach Bright, coaching is not a niche market. Medical professionals are people and they have lives that consist of more than just practicing medicine. Therefore, Coach Bright focuses on asking the right questions in order to steer his clients in the direction of the lives they want to lead.
"In most cases, they have the answers they need but they don't have the questions," says Coach Bright. "I try to coach them to ask the right questions. For example: how do you want to live the life you desire?"
2. Boosting energy levels. When one approaches life at a positive level of energy, the idea of success is easier to attain; this could mean anything from earning more money to strengthening relationships to practicing responsible time management. Coaches begin by understanding the client's agenda. From there, the client is ultimately coached towards fulfillment in part by increasing energy levels. "We work toward shifting the negative energy northward to more positive energy," says Coach Bright. "There are really few solutions where there is low energy."
3. Finding motivation. For someone who has little motivation, Coach Bright uses a method of locating and understanding what the professional is really passionate about without any consideration of salary. When people are not in their true line of work, they are most likely unhappy. Therefore, Coach Bright assists through coaching by helping to allocate more time towards doing what they are passionate about. "I always try to put some sort of urgency on life," says Coach Bright. "You can choose to do nothing or take advantage of it."
4. Setting goals. Coach Bright considers himself an accountability partner when it comes to his clients reaching their goals, or SMART goals as he calls them. SMART goals are characterized as specific, measurable, actionable, reasonable and time-oriented. "It's real good to have someone you can go to who can help you accomplish the goals in your life, personal and professional," says Coach Bright.
5. Finding personal happiness. Whatever professionals are facing in their personal lives will have an effect on their work if that is what he is thinking about at the time. Through coaching, professionals are able to confront what they really want out of life. "If I can help them relieve that decision and help them take action, their work will become stronger because that decision will be off their plate," says Coach Bright. "They will move forward and do things well at work."
Coach Bright encourages medical professionals to entertain the idea of working with a coach to become a better leader, keeping in mind that the commitment can be short term.
Contact Coach Bruce Bright and On Target Leading
bruce@ontargetleading.com
(205) 538-7326
www.ontargetleading.com
More Advice from Bruce Bright:
Communication Across Generations: How to Optimize Healthcare Employees
A Leader of Leaders: Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Bright, USMC (Ret)
3 Ways to Get the Most Out of Generation Y