Why Even Your Surgeon Needs a Coach

How would you feel if you knew your surgeon had a coach? It’s natural if your first thought is: What’s wrong with him?

But according to Atul Gawande, in his The New Yorker article “Coaching a Surgeon: What Makes Top Performers Better,” you should be thrilled. Atul found that coaching really helped him transcend a plateau in his surgeries.

I agree that coaching can absolutely help you move to the next level. But I’ve also found that coaching can lead to brilliant results as a sort of physical therapy or occupational therapy. Here’s what I mean:

Physical Therapy

Sometimes due to our natural abilities or some major challenge that we’ve faced, our habits are too weak to support us in a healthy way. For instance, many of my clients need strength training to build their planning muscles.

Occupational Therapy

A coach can help you when major life changes or increases in responsibility require developing new ways of thinking and acting. This is when your life went to the next level but no one gave you the instructions on how to operate in this new stratosphere.

In my experience, both with coaching others and receiving coaching myself, it can feel a bit embarrassing at first to admit that you really are not sure how to improve. But once you are working alongside someone who understands how to navigate the territory and will encourage you to not give up when it’s hard, everything comes so much easier.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders, CEO of Real Life E®, a company that provides time coaching and training services that help government leaders feel peaceful and accomplished.

(Image via XiXinXing/Shutterstock.com)