SUCCESS

STORIES

A New Way
of Engaging
Others

Rhonda Brandon
Senior Vice President and
Chief Human Resources Officer
Duke University Health System

Reason for Attending
I knew the fundamentals of coaching but wanted to continue to learn more to take my coaching skills to the next level. I was also familiar with Rob Kramer’s and Kara Penfield’s expertise so I knew it would be a quality program.

Why Core Skills for Coaching: Academic Medical Centers
I’ve been to other coaching programs, and they are generic. Academic Medical Centers are unique environments – fast-paced and filled with experts who are quick to question anything that isn’t proven through research. I really appreciated that Core Skills for Coaching has a solid research-based foundation, which makes my ability to coach faculty and staff more credible and relevant.

The approach to learning was appealing. The Friday-Saturday schedule wasn’t a burden because I was able to dedicate focused time to the work and not cram it in between meetings. Everything was well organized.

Impact
The program teaches a different way of engaging with others. It provided me with a framework that made coaching conversations simple. I now listen with greater intention. I remain curious longer than I might naturally. I also probe more deeply with questions instead of providing answers. I find that members of my team are now approaching aspects of their work with greater confidence because they’ve been empowered to take ownership of certain issues and find solutions rather than me giving them all the answers.

Strong relationships were built in our cohort. I enjoyed these connections and found it valuable to be able to learn with people who have like interests in the same field.

As an HR leader, I would recommend this program because it allows participants to get out of their head. This will help them to engage their hearts as well while relating better to their colleagues and to their patients.

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