Building leadership capacity through peer career coaching: a case study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology
• Nursing Professional Development

Background:

• The contemporary healthcare landscape necessitates resilience, innovation, and a focus on knowledge workers.
• Hospitals face challenges in supporting staff professional growth and development.
• University Health Network (UHN) initiated a partnership to address these needs for its nursing staff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of the Coach Mastery peer coaching program.
• To evaluate the successes, challenges, and outcomes of the program.
• To assess the program's impact on internal leadership capacity and staff development.

Main Methods:

• A case study approach was employed.
• The program involved 2,700 registered nurses at UHN.
• The intervention was a peer coaching program developed in partnership with career consultants.

Main Results:

• The Coach Mastery program facilitated the development of internal leadership.
• It provided a structured approach to career planning and professional development for nurses.
• The case study outlines specific successes and challenges encountered during implementation.

Conclusions:

• Peer coaching programs can effectively build leadership capacity in healthcare settings.
• Supporting staff development through career planning is crucial for nursing retention and excellence.
• The UHN initiative demonstrates a viable model for enhancing professional growth in hospitals.