Are you ready for some football? In healthcare, it is always gametime and leaders must balance constantly playing both quarterback and coach. Simply tracking productivity metrics or ensuring staffing levels meet patient needs is no longer enough. True leadership lies in guiding teams toward performance excellence while inspiring them to find meaning in their work. Coaching for the win is about more than numbers—it is about driving efficiency, alignment, and sustainability. Now more than ever, healthcare leaders need to embrace productivity as a path to purpose. Here are some strategies to strengthen your approach and effectively support your team:
- Productivity is not a Penalty – It is the Playbook
In football, the playbook is what keeps the team moving forward. Productivity in healthcare is no different. It provides clarity and direction through reliable data for continuous improvement.- Coaching to Win: Leaders need to re-enforce that productivity is not a punishment, but an opportunity for staff to identify where their work matters most and how to amplify the impact.
- Alignment is Built in the Locker Room, not the Press Box
Workforce alignment is not achieved through mandates. Leaders who simply “call plays” expecting instant results rarely see long-term success. Instead, alignment is built in the huddle through coaching that inspires ownership. When staff are part of the plan, they execute with confidence, not hesitation.
- Coaching to Win: When employees understand the “why” behind the work, they engage differently. They are no longer just “running routes;” they are contributing to something bigger.
The Real Staffing Gap is in Feedback
The best teams know that talent without impactful coaching can lead to chaos. Similarly, in healthcare, staffing issues are often symptoms of a larger challenge: lack of feedback. Resources are not always effectively utilized without the proper guidance from leadership. While staffing shortages are real, better coaching can often improve the gap.
- Coaching to Win: Open communication and constructive feedback builds trust, reduces turnover, and ensures every team member understands their value.
- Call the Right Plays with Precision
Productivity benchmarks are powerful tools – data scorecards to help leaders celebrate progress towards goals and course-correct when necessary. Like game stats, they indicate if strategies are working and allow leaders to call the right plays with clarity, purpose, and consistency.- Coaching to Win: Meaningful productivity benchmarks drive the development of realistic plans to achieve goals with pride and high engagement. It is never about doing more with less, but empowering staff to do the right things with what is available.
- Building Capable, Courageous Teams
Great coaches push players beyond their comfort zones – encouraging them to break tackles, make bold moves, and stay focused until the final whistle. In healthcare, leaders should push staff past complacency – to be capable, courageous, and committed to delivering a positive impact.- Coaching to Win: Leaders need to see what is possible, say what matters, and provide support until the breakthrough happens. It is coaching with urgency, empathy, and facts—an approach that creates wins far beyond short-term gains, building sustainable improvements.
For healthcare leaders, coaching for the win is not an optional skill. It is the game-changer! It transforms metrics into meaning, pressure into purpose, and teams into champions. By being both the analyst and the coach, leaders create workplaces that not only meet targets but create opportunity.
Altius provides healthcare organizations with the stats, plays, and coaching to keep teams driving toward the end zone. Partner with our team today for the performance improvement and workforce optimization solutions needed to ensure continued success. To learn more, visit our website, or contact us today!