Author: Kevin Nourse, PhD

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Retirement

8 Hot Retirement Trends: A Coach’s Guide to Designing Your Third Act

Retirement trends

Forget the rocking chair—this isn’t your parents’ retirement. If you’re staring down the next chapter, retirement looks less like slowing down and more like finally living on your own terms. Think: part-time gigs with purpose, slow travel with Wi-Fi, house swaps over timeshares, and community over isolation. Whether you’re planning your escape from the 9-to-5 or just daydreaming about your third act, here are 8 retirement trends I share with my coaching clients are shaking up what it means to retire today.

Trend 1: Retirement as a “Third Act,” Not an Ending

Many see retirement as a time to launch a new career, start a business, or pursue a long-delayed passion. Seniors frequently embrace a new retirement trend called unretirement — reentering the workforce on their terms. Chip Conley, founder of the Modern Elder Academy (MEA), is at the forefront of redefining retirement—not as an end, but as a transformative phase of life. He challenges the traditional notion of retirement as a complete cessation of work, proposing that it can be a period of reinvention, purpose, and continued contribution. In his work, Ken Dychtwald, a psychologist, gerontologist, and founder of Age Wave, discusses the concept of “Life’s Third Age,” a period where individuals can pursue new passions, careers, and educational opportunities. Modern retirement, he argues, is about purpose and engagement rather than withdrawal from active life. By fostering environments that support lifelong learning, society can empower older adults to continue contributing meaningfully. 

Trend 2: Purpose-Driven Planning

Beyond financial security, many retirees want meaning, impact, and connection. As a result, volunteerism, mentorship, or advocacy roles are rising in popularity. Conley emphasizes the importance of retiring “to” something meaningful rather than merely retiring “from” work. He advocates for planning this life phase, focusing on:

  • Purposeful activity
  • Connection and relationships
  • Identity beyond work
  • Lifelong learning and curiosity
  • Autonomy and self-direction
  • Legacy and reflection

Trend 3: Lifelong Learning and Growth

The third retirement trend addresses address our need to learn and grow. Dychtwald emphasizes that lifelong learning and personal growth are essential components of a fulfilling life, especially as we age. He advocates for a shift from traditional views of aging as a period of decline to one of opportunity and reinvention. Retirees are increasingly enrolling in online courses, attending workshops, or returning to school. Among the learning platforms they are leveraging are Coursera, Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (UCLA OLLI) and local colleges.

Trend 4: Flexible Living and “Slow Travel”

Retirees today increasingly embrace flexible living and slow travel as alternatives to traditional, static retirement lifestyles. This shift reflects a desire for freedom, exploration, and purpose, often without the burdens of full-time homeownership or rushed tourism. Flexible living refers to nontraditional housing arrangements that allow retirees to move seasonally, live in multiple places, or adapt their living style over time – renting instead of owning, living abroad for periods, house-sitting or home-swapping, and extended stays. Slow travel is about immersive, extended stays in one place, allowing retirees to experience daily life like a local—rather than rushing through a packed itinerary. Its attributes include staying put for weeks or months, cooking and living like a resident, and focusing on local culture and presence beyond superficial sightseeing. 

Trend 5: Remote or Freelance Work in Retirement

The impact of the pandemic with the establishment of remote and hybrid work helped redefine traditional retirement. Some retirees are becoming consultants, creators, or coaches. Technology enables location independence and part-time professional involvement. According to the Fidelity Investments 2024 State of Retirement Planning study, most people still pursue traditional retirement without wanting to work. However, others plan to work part-time or pursue work for pleasure. Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, ProBlogger, Udemy, Etsy, RedBubble, LiveOps, Shopify, and ToursByLocals are among the platforms for freelancing retirees.

I launched my Etsy store – MidModTees – in 2024 as a way to earn income in retirement and tap my lifelong desire to work in a creative field by designing Mid-Century Modern inspired t-shirts and mugs.

Trend 6: Wellbeing-Centered Lifestyle

A well-being-centered lifestyle in retirement is an approach to retirement that prioritizes overall health, purpose, and fulfillment—not just leisure or financial security. Well-being-centered retirement emphasizes flourishing over merely escaping work. It recognizes that retirees thrive when they have a sense of:

  • Autonomy (freedom to choose)
  • Belonging (connection to others)
  • Competence (continuing to grow and contribute)

It reflects a shift from seeing retirement as “the end of work” to a new chapter of intentional living focused on thriving physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. This trend is embodied in many ways, including retreats, group fitness, mindfulness, and hobby communities, which are being prioritized. For example, one workshop offered by Chip Conley at his beautiful Santa Fe center is Emerging Elders: Wisdom, Growth, and Transformation. 

A 2024 Mass Mutual study of 2000 people found that 66% of pre-retirees (those who had 15 years or fewer before retirement) were preparing for retirement by taking better care of their health, such as exercising and eating healthier. 

Trend 7: Community & Co-Living Models

The Golden Girls were the fictional characters in a beloved American TV sitcom of the same name that aired from 1985 to 1992. The show centered on four older women living together in a house in Miami, Florida, navigating friendship, aging, and life’s challenges with humor and heart. The show was ahead of its time regarding ways to live in retirement. Other examples include:

  • Choosing communities where residents have private homes but share communal space
  • Pocket neighborhoods with small clusters of homes arranged around a shared courtyard
  • Villages consist of member-based organizations offering services to help people stay in their homes as they age while staying socially connected.
  • Co-living spaces consisting of professionally managed homes with shared kitchens or lounges and curated social programs
  • Intentional retirement communities with shared values such as creativity, spirituality, or LGBTQ+ inclusivity.

Trend 8: Blending Work and Leisure Earlier (Phased Retirement)

Blended work and phased retirement are modern approaches to transitioning into retirement that offer greater flexibility, autonomy, and engagement—especially popular among professionals who want to stay active without committing to full-time work. Blended work is a mix of work and leisure that retirees choose based on their interests, energy, and financial needs. It’s not tied to a rigid schedule or a single employer. Phased retirement is a gradual reduction of work hours or responsibilities over time—usually in partnership with an employer—as a person transitions into full retirement.

Three large employers offering phased retirement programs include:

  • IBM has pioneered flexible work arrangements, offering options like part-time work, job sharing, and telecommuting for over 25 years. These arrangements help employees gradually reduce their work commitments as they approach retirement.
  • Best Buy’s “Results Only Work Environment” (ROWE) program enables employees to work whenever and wherever they choose, provided they meet performance goals. This approach offers flexibility beneficial for those transitioning into retirement.
  • Deloitte’s “Alternative Work Arrangements” program offers employees options such as working from home, job sharing, or part-time schedules. This flexibility aids in retaining experienced professionals nearing retirement.

People aren’t retiring the old way—and that’s the point. These eight trends aren’t just predictions but invitations to rethink what’s possible. Whether you’re dreaming of flexible work, global adventures, or finally launching that passion project, now’s the time to start shaping your future. Don’t wait for someone else’s idea of retirement to define yours. Talk to a coach, map out a plan, and try something new. This next chapter? It’s not the end—it’s the remix. Make it yours.

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Click here for a Retirement checklist to identify concerns or issues you have about your retirement.

Dr. Kevin Nourse is retirement coach helping people intentionally create a retirement by design not default. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Southern California. He can be reached at 442.420.5578 or kevin@nourseleadership.co

Categories
Executive Coaching Executive Transition Coaching Leadership Transition

Imposter Syndrome in Leadership Transitions: Insights from Executive Coaching

Leadership transitions are complex. They often bring feelings of imposter syndrome. This is when leaders doubt their abilities when stepping into new roles or promotions. Left unchecked, imposter syndrome can cause new leaders to derail. Executive coaching can play a critical role in a leadership transition or onboarding program. In this blog, I will help you understand and manage such feelings based on 25 years of experience as an executive coach. 

Decoding Imposter Syndrome During Leadership Transitions

What is it?

Imposter Syndrome refers to feeling less competent than others believe you are. Even successful people can fear being exposed as a “fraud.” This fear is common during leadership transitions. People may believe their success is due to luck, not skill. This can intensify when taking on greater responsibilities. As an executive coach, I’ve seen imposter syndrome in both men and women. The good news? It can be managed with a few specific steps we’ll discuss below.

How does it show up during leadership transitions?

Imposter syndrome takes many forms. Leaders may hesitate to act decisively, fearing judgment. They may try to be perfect, working long hours. They may avoid new challenges fearing failure. These feelings may increase as their responsibilities grow. Here, executive coaching can aid. It helps leaders understand imposter syndrome, and cultivate confidence and assertiveness.

The Root Causes

Facing new challenges 

Imposter syndrome often surfaces during leadership transitions due to new challenges. A senior role brings broader and complex tasks. More stakeholders expect prompt results. Feeling unprepared for these duties can trigger self-doubt. Uncertain about task prioritization also increases imposter feelings. Executive coaching comes to the rescue here. It helps leaders break down their tasks, prioritize suitably, and instill confidence.

Handling high expectations

High expectations contribute to imposter syndrome stigmatization. When stepping up to a senior role, leaders feel the need to prove their worth. Pleasing colleagues, superiors, and subordinates who have their success vision is overwhelming. This can intensify failure fears. Leaders may then question their competencies. That’s where executive coaching assists. It helps leaders understand these stresses, set realistic goals, and establish their success criteria.

Unclear roles and authority

Ambiguity regarding one’s new role and its authority contributes to imposter syndrome. New leaders may feel uncertain about their decision-making limits. This can reduce confidence and feed into the imposter phenomenon. Executive coaching helps define clear roles and negotiation strategies as part of a leadership transition plan. 

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: An Executive Coaching Approach

Changing mindsets

To defeat imposter syndrome, leaders need to change their mindset. Executive coaching aids in recognizing and reframing self-doubting thoughts. Executive coaches often help leaders learn how to challenge the validity of these thoughts and identify self-empowering language to neutralize the negative self-talk. Leaders learn to see occasional doubt as part of growth. This cognitive restructuring transforms impostor feelings into motivation and passion.

Defining your role & authority

Executive coaching offers practical strategies for handling imposter syndrome. One such strategy is to clarify the leader’s role and their authority. By understanding their scope of responsibility, leaders can act decisively and confidently. This not only combats imposter feelings but also enhances effectiveness.

Establishing a support network

A sturdy support network is vital in overcoming imposter syndrome during a leadership transition. Coaches stress building relationships with mentors and peers – inside and outside the organization . A strong network can offer performance insights, celebrate successes, and recommend improvements. It validates a leader’s place and authority, creating trust and confidence.

Conclusion

Imposter syndrome is common in leadership transitions. But it’s not insurmountable. With the right guidance and support, leaders can manage self-doubt and thrive. As they say, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Executive coaching can help you beat imposter syndrome and excel in your roles.

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Dr. Kevin Nourse is an executive coach helping newly hired or promoted executives successfully navigate a transition and thrive. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Palm Springs, CA. Kevin works with leaders and teams throughout California including Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Irvine, Orange County, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Sacramento.  Contact him at 442.420.5578 (call or text) or kevin@nourseleadership.com

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Executive Coaching Leadership Development Negotiation Videos

Executive Coaching Toolkit: Negotiation

Negotiation Skills

As an executive coach helping managers advance in their careers, I have found that negotiation is one of the most critical competencies. Negotiation skills are an essential leadership development topic because they enable leaders to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, resolve conflicts, make informed decisions, build relationships, and achieve their organizational goals effectively. Strong negotiation skills can enhance a leader’s ability to lead, influence, and succeed in various leadership roles and contexts.

A number of my executive coaching clients often ask me for resources on different leadership competencies. Therefore, I have identified eight YouTube videos by notable negotiation experts addressing various aspects of improving your negotiation skills.

  • The Art & Brain Science of Negotiation by Laurel Bellows and Donna Marino
  • Secrets of Power Negotiating by Roger Dawson (Animated Book Review)
  • Getting More by Stuart Diamond (Five Minute Mastermind)
  • The Art of Negotiation: Six must-have strategies by Gillian Ku
  • Getting What You Want by Margaret Neale
  • The Art of Negotiation by Maria Ploumaki
  • Negotiation Skills Top 10 Tips by Antony Staff
  • Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

The Art & Brain Science of Negotiation by Laurel Bellows and Donna Marino

This audio recording from the CAP STRAT Women’s Forum explores the psychological aspects of negotiation, providing insights on human behavior and decision-making during negotiations. Dr. Marino addresses the psychological brain response to each step and solutions for overcoming fear, self-sabotage, and other physiological responses that interfere with effective negotiation.

Secrets of Power Negotiating by Roger Dawson (Animated Book Review)

This animated book review of Roger Dawson’s work, Secrets of Power Negotiating, explores flinching on proposals (asking for more than you want), bracketing (exploring the settlement range of what you want and what your negotiation partner wants to pay), and splitting the difference (never!). 

Getting More by Stuart Diamond (Five Minute Mastermind)

Stuart Diamond, a negotiation expert, explains in this video the strategies and principles behind successful negotiations in both professional and personal life including: essential strategies, including embracing diverse perspectives, cultivating trustworthiness, mastering the art of preparation, harnessing emotional intelligence, adopting a flexible mindset, conquering with incremental success, communicating with impact, and pursuing mutual wins.

The Art of Negotiation: Six must-have strategies by Gillian Ku

A short and informative video that provides a quick overview of key negotiation principles and strategies including six interpersonal principles of how we interact with people that affect one’s ability to influence and persuade others including reciprocity, commitment and consistency, and authority. A number of my executive coaching clients often seek to develop both influence and negotiation skills to advance their goals.

Getting What You Want by Margaret Neale

In this video, Neale explores negotiation through the lens of problem solving. The goal is not to get a deal; the goal is to get a good deal. Three questions to prepare women to enter a negotiation: Why are you asking? How are you asking? For whom are you asking?

The Art of Negotiation by Maria Ploumaki

Ploumaki describes negotiation through three frames: logic, emotion and reputation. She emphasizes three practical tips on how to think and interact during a negotiation including resilience, kindness, and managing our reactions during negotiations. Many of my executive coaching clients have transformed their leadership effectiveness by developing their emotional intelligence – an essential skill for managing ones’ reactions during stressful negotiations.

Negotiation Skills Top 10 Tips by Antony Staff

This video offers practical advice on negotiation techniques and how to achieve better outcomes using 10 key strategies:

  1. Don’t negotiate unless you need to
  2. Don’t negotiate with yourself
  3. Never accept the first offer
  4. Never make the first offer
  5. Listen more and talk less
  6. No free gifts
  7. Watch out for the salami effect
  8. Avoid the rookies regret
  9. Never make a quick deal
  10. Never disclose your bottom line

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

How do FBI hostage negotiators never split the difference? Can you use the same techniques? Chris Voss draws upon his 24-year career with the FBI to show you in this video how to use tactical empathy with the “bad, the mad and the sad” in your daily life to never split the difference and still have great relationships.

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Dr. Kevin Nourse is an executive coach helping newly hired or promoted executives thrive. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Palm Springs, CA. Kevin works with leaders and teams throughout California including Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Irvine, Orange County, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Sacramento.  Contact him at 442.420.5578 (call or text) or kevin@nourseleadership.com

Categories
Executive Coaching Leadership Development Strategic Planning Strategic Thinking Videos

Executive Coaching Toolkit: Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking

Executive coaching is a powerful form of leadership development that focuses on helping leaders learn and develop to advance their leadership careers. As a coach, I have found that strategic thinking is one of the most critical competencies. Strategic thinking is vital for emerging leaders because it enables them to navigate the complexities of their roles, make informed decisions, and lead their organizations toward success in a dynamic and competitive environment. It helps leaders chart a clear course for the future and effectively allocate resources, all while fostering innovation and adaptability within their teams.

A number of my executive coaching clients often ask me for resources on different leadership development competencies. Therefore, I have identified teen YouTube videos by notable negotiation experts addressing various aspects of improving your strategic planning skills:

  • Mastering the Art of Strategy with Richard Rumelt
  • Blue Open Strategy with Harvard Business Review
  • Effective Business Strategy with A.G. Lafley
  • The Biggest Mistake I See: Strategy First, Urgency Second with John Kotter
  • Mintzberg’s 5 P’s Of Strategy in 2 Minutes with European Graduate School of Management
  • Ansoff Matrix Approach to Business Strategy with Igor Ansoff
  • Disruptive Strategy with Clayton Christensen
  • Dynamic Strategy and the End of Competitive Advantage with Rita McGrath
  • Strategic Planning & Strategic Innovation with Gary Hamel
  • Aligning Strategy & Project Management with Michael Porter

Mastering the Art of Strategy with Richard Rumelt

Richard Rumelt, discusses the importance and rarity of true strategy in organizations. Rumelt advocates for a challenge-based approach to strategy, where organizations identify and overcome the most critical and addressable challenges. He emphasizes the need for companies to break free from habitual thinking and engage in honest conversations about their challenges. Rumelt also touches on the difficulties of resource allocation in organizations and the importance of empowering individuals to drive innovation within the company.

Blue Ocean Strategy with Harvard Business Review

In this video, Cirque du Soleil is the focus of the exploration of the Blue Ocean Strategy. The theory suggests that the business world consists of two types of markets: red and blue oceans. Red oceans represent existing industries with fierce competition, while blue oceans are unknown markets where leaders must create demand. Cirque du Soleil created a blue ocean by blurring the lines between circus and theater, attracting a new customer base willing to pay premium prices.

Effective Business Strategy with A.G. Lafley

In this video, A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, discusses the fundamental principles of effective business strategy. He emphasizes that successful strategies focus on winning in a specific market with a particular group of customers or consumers. He suggests that many organizations need a clear plan or have flawed strategies by trying to cater to everyone instead of making focused choices on where to play and how to win. Lafley believes that regardless of the industry or company size, creating and retaining loyal customers is the ultimate measure of success. I have heard numerous stories from my executive coaching clients about their frustrations with the lack of focus in their strategic plan and attempts to be all things to all of their clients.

The Biggest Mistake I See: Strategy First, Urgency Second

In this video, Kotter addresses a common misconception in organizations regarding implementing change. They point out that many believe the first step is data gathering, analysis, and creating a new strategy before getting approval and executing it. While this approach works well for small to medium changes, it must catch up when making significant changes. To achieve substantial progress, a large number of motivated individuals must be involved, and the process should engage both the head and the heart.

Mintzberg’s 5 P’s of Strategy with the European Graduate School

In this short and sweet video, the speaker explores Henry Mintzberg’s 5 P’s of strategy, providing different viewpoints for decision-making in strategy: 

  • Plan refers to the purpose and intended destination of the strategy.
  • Ploy relates to specific tactics used to outsmart competitors. 
  • Pattern encompasses the behaviors and actions taken regularly based on past successes. 
  • Position identifies where a company stands concerning its direct competitors on the playing field. 
  • Perspective focuses on internal culture and collective thinking.

Ansoff Matrix for Business Strategy & Growth with Igor Ansoff

This video introduces the concept of the Ansoff Matrix in a simple and easy-to-understand way. The Ansoff Matrix is a popular business model used for devising growth strategies for a business. It consists of four quadrants plotted across an X and Y axis, with the X-axis representing existing products and new products and the Y-axis representing existing markets and new markets. The four strategies identified in the matrix are market penetration, product development, market development, and diversification, each with varying levels of risk.

Disruptive Strategy with Clayton Christensen

Christensen discusses the disruptive strategy employed in reimagining online education. The aim is to create an immersive and engaging platform that offers an interactive experience. By utilizing the theory of innovation, companies can understand customer needs and develop products that effectively meet those needs. Through real-life case studies and interactive features, learners can apply these concepts and gain a deeper understanding of how they work in a business context.

Dynamic Strategy and the End of Competitive Advantage with Rita McGrath

McGrath discusses the concept of the end of competitive advantage in this video and how it is shifting the way we think about strategy. She explains that in today’s transient advantage economy, sustainable competitive advantage is rare and that organizations are now dealing with temporary benefits. McGrath tells a story about Fujifilm and Kodak to illustrate this point, highlighting how Fujifilm could adapt to the changing market and thrive while Kodak struggled and eventually went bankrupt. She introduces the idea of competing in arenas, where organizations contest a pot of addressable resources, and emphasizes the importance of continuous reconfiguration, healthy disengagement, deft resource allocation, and innovation in this dynamic environment.

Strategic Planning & Innovation with Gary Hamel

Gary Hamel, an expert on strategy and innovation, argues in this video that traditional strategic planning is becoming obsolete. He suggests that most organizations focus too heavily on planning rather than creating new strategic options, resulting in a need for more exciting ideas. Hamel suggests that leaders should act as strategy editors, selecting the most promising ideas from a bottom-up approach. He highlights the importance of thinking about the business holistically, considering advantages, leverage, increasing returns, network effects, and capabilities. Hamel discusses a case study with Adidas and how thousands of employees were trained to think like innovators and created numerous strategic opportunities. Hamel’s bottom line: discovering strategy needs to be open and bottom-up while making selective choices based on advantages and potential returns. His conclusion is shared by many of my executive coaching clients who discover the power of empowering their teams with skills in strategic thinking and innovation.

Aligning Strategy & Project Management with Michael E. Porter

Harvard Professor and former aerospace engineer, Michael Porter, discusses in this video the importance of aligning strategy and project management within an organization. Porter argues that projects are embedded in a strategy and if strategies aren’t clearly considered, how can the necessary project specifications be determined? 

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Dr. Kevin Nourse is an executive coach helping newly hired or promoted executives thrive. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Palm Springs, CA. Kevin works with leaders and teams throughout California including Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Irvine, Orange County, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Sacramento.  Contact him at 442.420.5578 (call or text) or kevin@nourseleadership.com

Categories
Healthcare Team Coaching Team Effectiveness

Executive Team Coaching: 4 Ways to Build Alignment

Building alignment on a team is essential for helping improve leadership team effectiveness. As a result of my work doing executive team coaching in a variety of sectors including healthcare, I have observed how teams that lack alignment can suffer in many ways:

  • Missed goals due to the lack of alignment on critical outcomes and accountability for team outcomes.
  • Reduced productivity and inefficiency since team members are not on the same page and may duplicate efforts.
  • Unnecessary conflict and confusion about who is doing what.
  • Decreased morale with team members feeling uncertain about their roles, encountering unproductive conflict, and feeling frustrated with the inability to meet goals.

Here are four executive team coaching strategies to help you improve the effectiveness of your leadership teams.

1: Clearly Defined Goals

Goals should be clearly defined so that team members understand specific outcomes, including actionable tasks and milestones. Just because you as the team leader are clear on goals does not mean your team shares this perspective. A powerful way to test for this is by asking all team members to anonymously write down their understanding of the team goal or vision on a slip of paper. Invite them to pass the goal statement to the person they sit next to multiple times, giving each team member a chance to read everyone’s definition of the goal or vision. Finally, as the team leader, ask the members if there is alignment on the team goal.

2: Two-Way Communication

Two-way communication among team members and the team leader should employ several channels such as emails, regular meetings, and project management tools such as project plans that are easily accessible. Two-way communication allows team members to ask questions and clarify misunderstandings before they fester and damage trust. One great way to ensure alignment in a team meeting is to ask a team member to act as a scribe and record the minutes of the session while they project their computer screen for others to see. As the recorder captures key ideas and accountabilities, team members can validate the commitments before the meeting is over and make course corrections as needed.

3: Establish Roles, Responsibilities and Team Processes

Established roles, responsibilities, and critical team processes so team members understand their focus as well as the focus of their colleagues. Decision-making processes need to be clearly defined so team members understand who owns a decision and who is providing input to a decision. For example, Steve, the team leader, communicates to his team that he is the final decision-maker but invites feedback to help him make the final decision.

4: Ensure Meetings are Effective

Finally, as a team leader you should consider strategies for improving meeting effectiveness by defining agendas in advance, appointing roles, and managing time effectively. Define agendas in advance and distribute them before the meeting to help participants prepare. The agenda should include the desired outcomes, accountabilities for meeting topics, and an estimate of the time allocation. Grant the meeting facilitator the power to interrupt tangent discussions if they occur. Hang some flipchart paper on the wall to capture tangent topics to stay focused. Finally, plan on ending the meeting five minutes early to review the outcomes and accountabilities.

Building alignment on a team is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and attention. It’s essential to create an environment where team members feel heard, valued, and motivated to work together towards shared objectives. As a leader, your commitment to these strategies can help ensure an effective leadership team.

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Dr. Kevin Nourse is an executive team coach helping teams create amazing results. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Palm Springs, CA. Kevin works with leaders and teams throughout California including Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Irvine, Orange County, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Sacramento.  Contact him at 442.420.5578 (call or text) or kevin@nourseleadership.com

 

Categories
Healthcare Leadership Teams Team Coaching Team Effectiveness

Team Coaching in Healthcare: Floundering Clinical Team

Leadership team alignment is critical to achieve results

Some newly hired leaders need help navigating challenges that make it tough to be effective in their roles. One issue that some new leaders need help with is creating and sustaining a high-performing leadership team. Team coaching in healthcare plays a critical role in helping clinical teams thrive.

In this case, a newly hired director assumed the leadership of a for-profit healthcare organization comprised of five managers. His facilitative, extroverted approach clashed with the style of the former director, an introverted, traditional top-down manager. This director contacted me to help him address resistance from his management team toward his efforts to enhance team functioning.

What is team coaching?

Team coaching is helpful because it promotes effective communication, resolves conflicts, aligns teams with organizational goals, enhances collaboration, and improves team performance and success. It provides a structured and supportive framework for teams to grow, adapt, and excel in a dynamic environment. There are specific skills needed by team coaches to ensure success. While the primary focus of team coaching is the group, an essential factor to consider is the leader’s teaming skills. We have found that many team coaching in healthcare engagements need to start with assessing the skills of the team leader.

Presenting Team Issues

The newly hired director needed help to help his team become high-performing. Team meetings with his managers were often quiet despite his attempts to facilitate dialogue. Managers on the team came to him with issues about their colleagues instead of engaging the peer with whom there was conflict. Collaboration and communication among the managers were limited, leading to unproductive strife and a lack of alignment on essential priorities.

Team Coaching Engagement Approach

The engagement I introduced to this manager and his team consisted of three phases: Initial executive coaching for the director, team coaching with the director and his five managers, and follow-up executive coaching for the director.

Phase 1: Executive Coaching

In a team coaching engagement, it is essential to begin with one-on-one work with the team leader to build a trusting partnership and help the leader understand how their behavior may impact the team. In this phase, I administered the Hogan Personality Assessment to the director to help him understand his strengths and weaknesses that may impact team dynamics. Key findings included:

  • He was perceptive about others’ needs and skilled at managing relationships but was reluctant to confront poor performers.
  • Lack of confidence in leading.
  • Tendency to doubt his abilities, become overly self-critical and take criticism personally.

We explored ways to help the director feel more legitimate and confident in his role, including building greater alignment with his boss and developing supportive relationships with peers. Since the former director in his role embraced a more directive style, his attempts to be facilitative and engaging came across to his managers as tentative. With this awareness, he began experimenting with balancing facilitative and directive styles, becoming more mindful of how he was overusing a strength.

Phase 2: Team Coaching

In Phase 2, I began the team coaching in healthcare project by administering a team assessment instrument for the whole team, including the director, to help identify strengths and weaknesses in the team dynamic. The assessment helped pinpoint critical challenges:

  • A sense of exhaustion and overwhelm among the team.
  • Fuzzy decision-making and other essential processes.
  • Lack of alignment in the team on critical priorities.
  • Inability of the team to be forthright and honest with each other.

Once we formulated a vision for the team and specific team development goals, we conducted a series of team coaching sessions with the director and his five managers. Each session included a participant-led icebreaker, a team issue or challenge raised by the director, facilitated discussion of an article by a participant, and a final reflection of the session identifying essential discoveries. 

Phase 2 concluded with a post-assessment to measure any changes in team functioning and a wrap-up session to consolidate and integrate participants’ learning. Based on the post-assessment, the team achieved several improvements:

  • Enhanced team renewal through recognition and celebration of achievements.
  • Clearer processes, including decision-making authority.
  • Greater alignment on key team processes and direction.
  • Reduced tension and more spontaneous and fluid interactions
  • Enhanced communication, including a greater willingness to surface and resolve conflict.

Beyond the post-assessment results, participants exchanged genuine validations of team member’s talents and contributions.

Phase 3: Follow-Up Executive Coaching

Finally, in phase 3, I resumed executive coaching sessions with the team leader for three months to help him deepen his awareness and team leadership skills. Faced with a new manager joining the team, the leader used our coaching sessions to explore how best to integrate him with minimal impact on the solid trust established through the coaching process.

Lessons Learned and Key Insights

Several factors contributed to the success of this team coaching engagement, including:

  • Preparing the team leader for the experience of team coaching through one-on-one executive coaching.
  • Actively engaging the team in facilitating parts of the team coaching sessions.
  • Intervening throughout team sessions to highlight progress, key insights, and robust teaming behavior.
  • Coaching the director before the team sessions began to help him develop greater self-awareness of the impact of his behavior on team functioning.
  • Using a team assessment instrument to pinpoint areas of strength and weakness, then focusing on these in the coaching sessions.
  • Supporting the leader after the team coaching phase with additional executive coaching sessions to help her tap her newly developed insights and skills in managing her team.

In summary, for team coaching to have the most significant impact, it needs to include an upfront coaching opportunity for the leader to gain awareness of the effects of their behavior, a role for team members to play in the sessions, and opportunities for reflection at the end of each session to deepen and integrate insights.

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Dr. Kevin Nourse is an executive team coach helping teams create amazing results. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Palm Springs, CA. Kevin works with leaders and teams throughout California including Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Irvine, Orange County, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Sacramento.  Contact him at 442.420.5578 (call or text) or kevin@nourseleadership.com

Categories
Retirement

How a Retirement Coach Can Help You

Retirement can be a daunting prospect for many people. While financial planning is an integral part of planning for retirement, many people neglect other elements such as social support, wellness, learning, and legacy building. A retirement coach can help you consciously design your retirement instead of winging it. In this article, we’ll explore five ways a retirement coach can help you plan for your future and maximize your retirement.

Setting Achievable Goals

Retirement coaches are skilled at helping people identify what they want to achieve in their retirement and setting realistic goals to help them get there. By working with a retirement coach, you can gain clarity about your values – what matters most to you – and create a plan that will help you achieve them.

Financial Planning

One of the biggest worries for many people regarding retirement is money. A retirement coach can help you understand your financial situation and develop a plan to ensure that you have enough money to live the life you want. They can also help you find financial experts to help you navigate the thorny challenges you might face.

Maintain Your Support Network

Retirement can be a lonely time for some people, mainly if they’ve been used to working and spending time with colleagues. A retirement coach can help you identify new social opportunities, whether that’s by joining a club or organization, volunteering, or simply staying connected with friends and family members.

Navigate Life Changes

Life changes are inevitable, and retirement presents a lot of them. A retirement coach can provide support and guidance through these changes by helping you adjust to the new routine, change your lifestyle and priorities, and manage any stress or anxiety that might arise.

Create a Satisfying Retirement

Ultimately, a retirement coach can help you make the most of your retirement by helping you create a roadmap for success. With their expert guidance, you can achieve what matters most to you, enjoy good health and well-being, and experience a fulfilling and purposeful life in your later years.

Retirement can be a time of enormous change and uncertainty, but with the proper guidance, it can also be enriching and fulfilling. Retirement coaching can help you can identify your goals, make a solid financial plan, maintain social connections, navigate life changes, and ultimately create a successful retirement.

Click here for a Retirement checklist to identify concerns or issues you have about your retirement.

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Dr. Kevin Nourse is an executive transition coach helping people thrive in retirement. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Southern California. He can be reached at 442.420.5578 or kevin@nourseleadership.com

 

Categories
Executive Coaching Leadership

Executive Coaching: 5 Issues to Consider

Negotiation Skills

In today’s fast-paced and constantly evolving business world, executive coaching is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for individual and team development. It is an opportunity to tap into the expertise of an experienced professional to help leaders at all levels improve their performance and drive business results. However, not all executive coaches are created equal, and finding the right coach can be challenging. This blog post offers five critical issues to consider when engaging an executive coach.

Define your coaching goals

Before engaging an executive coach, it’s essential to define your coaching goals. What do you want to accomplish? It could be anything from developing leadership skills to improving communication, enhancing decision-making abilities, or managing a difficult team member. Having clear goals will help you select an executive coach with the right background and experience to meet your specific needs.

Check the coach’s credentials and experience

When selecting an executive coach, it’s crucial to check the coach’s credentials and background thoroughly. Look for coaches who have certifications from reputable organizations such as the International Coach Federation and who have worked with clients in a similar industry or organizational setting to yours. Experienced coaches can provide real-life examples of how they’ve helped others overcome challenges like what you’re facing.

Get references

Feel free to ask for references from the executive coach. Talking to previous clients can give you first-hand insight into the coach’s style, effectiveness, and success. A reputable coach will have no problem sharing references or posting client testimonials on their website.

Consider the coach’s coaching style

Executive coaches have different coaching styles, and it’s essential to find a coach whose style resonates with you. Some coaches are directive, while others are more facilitative or collaborative. You want a coach who can challenge you and is supportive and encouraging. You also want a coach who can adapt their style to meet your needs.

Set expectations upfront

Finally, it’s essential to set expectations upfront with your chosen executive coach. Discuss what you hope to achieve through coaching, how you will measure success, and how often you will meet. Both you and the coach must be clear on what you hope to accomplish and how you will work together throughout the process.

In conclusion, engaging an executive coach can be a powerful tool for driving personal and organizational performance. By choosing the right coach and establishing clear goals and expectations upfront, you can maximize the impact of the coaching engagement. Remember to check the coach’s credentials, get references, consider the coaching style, and set expectations upfront. By taking these steps, you can ensure a successful and rewarding coaching experience for yourself or your team members.

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Dr. Kevin Nourse is an executive coach helping newly hired or promoted executives thrive. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Palm Springs, CA. Kevin works with leaders and teams throughout California including Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Irvine, Orange County, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Sacramento.  Contact him at 442.420.5578 (call or text) or kevin@nourseleadership.com

Categories
Leadership Teams Team Coaching Team Effectiveness

Team Coaching in Orange County

As a senior executive or leader, you likely know that building a high-functioning team is critical to organizational success. Yet, despite assembling strong teams, companies often need to achieve their desired outcomes. A skilled team coach can help your team identify and tackle obstacles, maximize potential, and drive your team toward its goals. In this blog, we explore six ways we deliver team coaching in Orange County: (1) Building trust, (2) Deepening Awareness, (3) Enhancing Accountability, (4) Facilitating communication, (5) Resolving and preventing conflict, and (6) Setting clear goals and objectives.

Building Trust

Trust is essential for effective teamwork and when established, leads to greater alignment and commitment to goals. We work on building trust among team members by creating a safe space for sharing, respecting confidentiality, and promoting mutual respect.

Deepening Awareness

As team coaches, we provide regular feedback and assessments to help teams identify their strengths and areas for improvement. We may use tools like surveys or assessments to gather data on team performance. In addition, we often help the team formulate their model of high performance to use as a basis for tracking progress.

Enhancing Accountability

Accountability is an essential element of high-performance teams – vertical (team members to the team leader) and horizontal (team members to each other). We partner with leaders to design accountability strategies for team members, such as creating ground rules and role expectations.

Facilitating Communication

We help teams improve communication by fostering open and honest dialogue. With improved communication, team members can express their thoughts, ideas, and concerns, creating a more inclusive and collaborative environment. This environment creates deeper trust, enabling team members to express their ideas and concerns.

Resolving and Preventing Conflict

Team coaches are skilled at identifying and addressing conflicts within the team. They can mediate disputes, help team members find common ground and solutions, and engage the team to learn from and prevent future conflict.

Setting Clear Goals and Objectives

We help teams to define clear goals and objectives, an essential element of creating organizational results. With clear and aligned goals, team members understand their roles and responsibilities. Clear and aligned goals have a tremendous impact on reducing unproductive conflict.

Nearly every organization taps team-based environments to accomplish its strategic priorities in today’s business environment. Creating an effective team requires time, effort, and various other resources that will be time-wasting if the team needs the proper guidance and support. Employing the services of an experienced team coach can make all the difference in helping your team perform and thrive. 

If you’re a senior executive or leader are interested in exploring team coaching in Orange County, contact us at 442-420-5578 or kevin@nourseleadership.com, and let’s explore how we can support you.

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Dr. Kevin Nourse is an executive transition coach helping newly hired or promoted executives thrive. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Southern California.

Categories
Leadership Teams Team Coaching Team Effectiveness

Team Coaching in Sacramento

As a senior executive or leader, you likely know that building a high-functioning team is critical to organizational success. Yet, despite assembling strong teams, companies often need to achieve their desired outcomes. A skilled team coach can help your team identify and tackle obstacles, maximize potential, and drive your team toward its goals. In this blog, we explore six ways we deliver team coaching in Sacramento: (1) Building trust, (2) Deepening Awareness, (3) Enhancing Accountability, (4) Facilitating communication, (5) Resolving and preventing conflict, and (6) Setting clear goals and objectives.

Building Trust

Trust is essential for effective teamwork and when established, leads to greater alignment and commitment to goals. We work on building trust among team members by creating a safe space for sharing, respecting confidentiality, and promoting mutual respect.

Deepening Awareness

As team coaches, we provide regular feedback and assessments to help teams identify their strengths and areas for improvement. We may use tools like surveys or assessments to gather data on team performance. In addition, we often help the team formulate their model of high performance to use as a basis for tracking progress.

Enhancing Accountability

Accountability is an essential element of high-performance teams – vertical (team members to the team leader) and horizontal (team members to each other). We partner with leaders to design accountability strategies for team members, such as creating ground rules and role expectations.

Facilitating Communication

We help teams improve communication by fostering open and honest dialogue. With improved communication, team members can express their thoughts, ideas, and concerns, creating a more inclusive and collaborative environment. This environment creates deeper trust, enabling team members to express their ideas and concerns.

Resolving and Preventing Conflict

Team coaches are skilled at identifying and addressing conflicts within the team. They can mediate disputes, help team members find common ground and solutions, and engage the team to learn from and prevent future conflict.

Setting Clear Goals and Objectives

We help teams to define clear goals and objectives, an essential element of creating organizational results. With clear and aligned goals, team members understand their roles and responsibilities. Clear and aligned goals have a tremendous impact on reducing unproductive conflict.

Nearly every organization taps team-based environments to accomplish its strategic priorities in today’s business environment. Creating an effective team requires time, effort, and various other resources that will be time-wasting if the team needs the proper guidance and support. Employing the services of an experienced team coach can make all the difference in helping your team perform and thrive. 

If you’re a senior executive or leader are interested in exploring team coaching in Sacramento, contact us at 442-420-5578 or kevin@nourseleadership.com, and let’s explore how we can support you.

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Dr. Kevin Nourse is an executive transition coach helping newly hired or promoted executives thrive. He founded Nourse Leadership Strategies, an executive and team coaching firm based in Southern California.