A Constructive Solution To What May Be A “Silent” Issue?

Sometimes employers of physicians or other providers feel that one of these employees does not “fit in” with their workplace cultures or with other employees. This is often (harshly) referred to in non-legal terms as a “bad fit.” Employees are often not aware of their employer’s view and, for whatever reason, are the last to know that things are not working as well as they thought.

The “fit” issue often comes as a surprise to the employee, because it is generally not about clinical practice. Instead, it is about intangibles like the employer’s perception of the employee’s ability to manage, lead, and gather consensus among fellow employees. It can be something as simple as using the wrong tone of voice or being overly involved in workplace politics or it can be a combination of things.

Some employers meet with their employees to discuss what can be done differently, but this is not always the case. Other employers jump to a termination “without cause” to avoid confrontation, contract disputes and costs. How this is handled may vary widely depending on the employee’s contract and the employer’s policies and procedures for managing “disruptive behavior.”

When a physician or other provider becomes aware that their behavior has resulted in an employment issue, what can they do to address current problems or even prevent them before they reach the level of termination or to prevent them from happening again in a subsequent job? A solution may be executive coaching.

Executive coaching is an equal partnership where a trained coach provides structure and guidance to help an individual find their own solutions rather than prescribing solutions. While coaches help address specific work issues, their main role is to help their clients realize goals and maximize performance. Executive coaching is not just a reactive solution when issues arise, but it can also help prevent future incidents. Executive coaching is not clinical, and it does not include psychological or psychiatric advice. It is different from “life coaching.” It is related purely to business and the work place.

While the relationship between a coach and a client is confidential, it is not legally privileged the same way as attorney-client privilege. Nevertheless, it offers its own wealth of education and information. It can offer practical advice about how to handle issues that are, for example, stressful (perhaps exacerbated for some now by the pandemic) or just need coping mechanisms to work around a problem. Coaching can definitely be beneficial for physicians and/or practitioners who seek to improve their interactions with others within healthcare organizations and has been used in that environment for many years.

For further information, find out more about our two executive coaches, Maureen McGurl and Paul T. Skiem.