Coaching is not just for athletes. Thousands of professionals in many industries, such as business development, career advancement, or health care communications, receive coaching every day to improve their work, relationships, and self-development. We often need coaching in various moments: when we’re used to doing that’s now muscle memory and could use a new perspective; needing a recommended way to interact with others in our work environment; or needing a reminder about what our mission and vision is in life.
Unlike traditional teaching or mentoring, coaching enables the learner to refine and develop skills as they learn them, then quickly implement those skills in real-life scenarios. This makes it easy to apply coaching content in the moment, allowing you to simultaneously test your knowledge, practice what you’ve learned, and get feedback. For example, coaching content can come in the form of audio (such as podcasts), video (such as microlearning), written communication (such as emails or supportive posters), and face-to-face.
To apply coaching content in the moment, think about a topic or skill you’ve learned, and look out for the multiple opportunities available to practice that new skill. Here are 10 ways you can do that:
- In collaborative spaces. Meetings, team projects, or any task involving another person utilize skills acquired through coaching: leadership, inclusive communication, knowing when to ask for help, recognizing and showing appreciation, and more.
- When meeting new people or in new situations. No day is ever the same in healthcare—you’re meeting new patients, adjusting to new regulations, and confronting new challenges all the time. Coaching equips you with the skills needed to navigate these scenarios and conversations effectively, confidently, and empathetically.
- When problems or challenges arise. Being confronted with a change or conflict gives you the opportunity to apply skills such as mediation, collaborating, challenging ineffective processes, and presenting solutions.
- While onboarding or training. New hires have technical knowledge about the job, but may be clueless about the interpersonal or procedural aspects. Apply your coaching to teach, mentor, and empower your new teammates.
- Before and after a new project. Coaching helps you understand how to set goals, prioritize tasks, put them in action, and evaluate yourself. These can be immediately practiced while doing new projects like creating a mentorship program or implementing new policies.
- When asking for feedback. This is a great moment to apply coaching in the form of self-reflection, vulnerability, gratitude, and rediscovering your passion and purpose in this field. It’s also a chance to have productive conversations with your team.
- As a listener and observer. Recognizing body language and nonverbal cues is a skill that can reveal a lot of information you may otherwise overlook. You can also practice what you learn about empathy, cultural sensitivity, and how to be a supportive care giver.
- While doing daily duties. Doing rounds, analyzing lab reports, designing schedules—you do these every day. These moments are perfect for applying coaching knowledge because it’s easier to see where to insert changes and be more innovative.
- When helping others. Coaching generates a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas. This includes sharing knowledge as well as values like respect, kindness, and loyalty.
- Self-care. Coaching can help you realize you may be neglecting yourself; luckily, coaching also makes it easy to immediately treat yourself better. Noticing how tired or hungry you are, or that you need more time with loved ones, makes room for you to practice what you’ve been coached on—managing time, reaching out, and being kind to yourself and others.
These 10 examples illustrate how quick and easy it is to implement the knowledge you learn from coaching in the moment.
Have you ever enrolled in a coaching program or session? How did you apply what you learned? Let us know down below!
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Atembe is a writer and international educator in Atlanta, GA. Her love of words and education led her to her current position as a Content Specialist with Practicing Excellence. She has written for digital publications, ad agencies, nonprofits, brands, social media, and education systems. She has also coordinated learning programs and taught students of all ages in three different countries. Atembe enjoys learning more about the human side of healthcare each day, and spreading that knowledge to others.
