Could you be a coach?

We have all seen it. A colleague in our practice or dental workplace isn’t performing very effectively, or not doing their job particularly well. Perhaps they lack confidence in what they are doing, are uncertain about the ‘right’ way to do something, or have simply lost focus. It could involve anything from a clinical procedure to dealing with a difficult patient face-to-face. The point is that individual could be doing things better.

On observing these things, many managers react with a prescription for some training. This is of course one possibility. But sending the individual on a course may not be the best way for them to learn what they need to learn or develop the confidence that they need. What might be a far more effective choice is to provide some coaching.