Clinical Center Office of Organizational Development Recognized for Coaching Program

Episode # 37
Uploaded: February 19, 2010
Running Time: 4:55

SCHMALFELDT: From the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, this is CLINICAL CENTER RADIO.

From the library to the fitness center, the Clinical Center goes above and beyond to make sure that patients and their families have everything they need in order to enjoy a pleasant experience while at the NIH. But patients aren't the only members of the Clinical Center community armed with resources aimed at helping them grow and succeed. One of those resources is an executive coaching program hosted by the Clinical Center Office of Organizational Development and offered to the Clinical Center's mid-to-senior level managers. The program was honored by the International Coaching Federation with the 2009 PRISIM Award for the Washington DC Metro Area. The Prism award recognizes public and private organizations that have enhanced their business excellence through commitment to coaching as a leadership strategy and demonstrated commitment to advancing the art and science of professional coaching. Deborah Gardner, chief of the Clinical Center Office of Organizational Development sees the program as an incentive to develop emerging leaders and help senior leaders get better at what they already do.

GARDNER: And then if they can really learn some of those skills or hone the skills they have, they are really much better leaders. So just like there is a science of discovery, there is a science of self discovery of yourself as a leader and manager, and a coach gives you that unique person based, individual based design that you need.

SCHMALFELDT: The program is designed to address key workforce issues such as succession planning, retention of high performers and development of a leadership culture where the practice of the science of management is just as important as scientific knowledge when it comes to leadership success. According to Gardner, coaching has enabled Clinical Center leaders to appreciate that in a culture of science, there is an art and science to management.

GARDNER: People are smart, they want to be respected and we need to see people on learning curves not that it isn't safe to make mistakes but how do you learn from those mistakes and a coach really handles people differently.

SCHMALFELDT: Overall, the coaching program can be viewed as a reward for those demonstrating consistent commitment, effective productivity, and capability for greater responsibilities. Gardner uses only coaches with an advanced degree, experience in an executive position, and knowledge of the federal government. It is also used as a recruitment tool to attract new talent and ease the transition to the unique CC environment.

GARDNER: You have to get some skin in the game, you have to peel the onion, "Oh yeah I guess I really am defensive about that," "Oh yeah maybe that is my bias," we live in such a "do it" society and not enough reflection is allowed and good leadership requires reflection, and you don't get that without opportunities like coaching to enhance it.

SCHMALFELDT: Once staff members participating in the program find a good fit with a coach, the coach conducts a 360 where he or she interviews two subordinates, two peers, and one or two superiors. This 360 can not only provide for safe feedback but also depict areas that the coach and client could concentrate on. A manager or sponsor also gets to weigh in on goals and expected outcomes, and from there the coach meets with the client over six months for at least four hours a month to explore thinking and behavior patterns, create strategies, and practice new behaviors.

GARDNER: A coach can listen to you, ask you the good questions, you know it is someone you can bounce off of and say, "Gosh I have no idea how I am doing here," or "I am really loving it, I wonder if I am reading this correctly," You get safe feedback.

SCHMALFELDT: The Clinical Center was nominated for the International Coaching Federation's PRISIM award by the coaches themselves yet the program has received positive feedback internally as well. About 40% of the members of the CC's executive committee have participated in the program.

GARDNER: If Dr. Gallin were to ask you, what did the Clinical Center get out of you having a coach? Some of them said "I am more confident," I feel more self aware, I feel really valued by the organization and it makes me work harder. One woman said it is the nicest thing that they have ever done for me here.

SCHMALFELDT: For more information about the NIH Clinical Center, including news about the medical research going on here every day, log on to http://clinicalcenter.nih.gov. From America's Clinical Research Hospital, this has been CLINICAL CENTER RADIO. In Bethesda, Maryland, I'm Bill Schmalfeldt at the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

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