Expanding Coaching Opportunities for Faculty

YSM and the Office of Academic & Professional Development (OAPD) are expanding the school's culture of coaching to help faculty navigate key transitions, advance their professional development, and thrive in their academic careers.

Coaching at YSM is both a mindset and a practical skill set. Grounded in curiosity, active listening, and partnership, it fosters meaningful conversations that help individuals and teams clarify priorities, make informed decisions, and adapt to change. Whether leading a team, expanding a research program, taking on new educational responsibilities, or preparing for career advancement, a coaching approach can support growth and success across clinical, research, and educational environments.

“Coaching is an essential part of how we develop faculty and leaders at every stage of their careers within the medical school,” said Andrea Asnes, MD, MSW, deputy dean for professionalism and leadership development. “What excites me most about coaching is that it invests in people—their growth, resilience, and potential. By embedding coaching into our culture and everyday interactions, we help faculty build on their strengths, navigate challenges, and continue developing as educators and leaders. In an environment as complex and fast-changing as academic medicine, coaching provides a shared framework that helps individuals and teams learn, adapt, collaborate effectively, and do their best work together.”

Faculty in academic medicine face increasing demands as they balance clinical care, education, research, leadership, and the needs of colleagues and learners. In this complex and rapidly changing environment, coaching serves as a powerful developmental and leadership approach. For clinicians, educators, mentors, and leaders alike, coaching fosters greater ownership, deepens relationships, and supports effective leadership that enables individuals and teams to perform at their best.

Coaching also plays an important role in advancing well-being. By helping people gain clarity, navigate challenges, and stay connected to what matters most, it builds resilience, reduces the impact of burnout, and contributes to a more engaged and thriving academic community.

“Coaching refers to both a formal relationship as well as a set of conversational approaches that promote coachee agency, tap already-present strengths, and catalyze values-based behaviors,” said Daryn David, PhD, PCC, director of leadership development and coaching initiatives. “Because we are interested in supporting individual, interpersonal, and organizational development, we offer a suite of programs intended to grow a culture of coaching across the ecosystem of our school.”

The following programs are available to support your career and leadership goals throughout the faculty lifecycle. For more details on each program, visit the Culture of Coaching website.

Rooted in positive psychology and interconnectedness, a-LEAP builds faculty capacity to coach and prepares early-career coachees to participate in coaching relationships, fostering engagement, resilience, and professional growth for both parties.

• Designed for faculty interested in building a culture of coaching within their department, unit, or program, and open to trainees and early-career faculty in entities that have chosen to build structured internal coaching programs.

• Strengthens coaching mindsets and practical skills for faculty coaches and teaches early-career coachees how to participate fully in coaching conversations.

• Enhances coach and coachee career agency, generativity, well-being, and the culture of YSM team and learning environments.

• Provides skills immediately applicable across clinical, teaching, research, and leadership settings.

Receive individualized, confidential leadership development coaching with certified external coaches to support focused professional growth. Please note there are costs associated with participation in this program. While the costs are less than most coaching engagements, individual faculty members or department leaders can contact OAPD at oapd.acadprof@yale.edu to learn more about the program fees.

• Ideal for faculty seeking personalized, goal-oriented development.

• Provides six months of unlimited one-on-one coaching.

• Tailored to individual goals (e.g., leading teams, new roles, career advancement)

• Opportunities include assessment tools and coordination with department leadership to align with departmental goals and priorities.

Manage the challenges in academic medicine with this voluntary, confidential, and anonymous online program. BT combines group coaching, one-on-one sessions, and self-guided resources, addressing common challenges, including time management, burnout, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism.

• Designed for faculty in the second year of their first term (assistant and associate professors, associate research scientists, and research scientists).

• Provides opportunities to engage with coaches and peers from leading medical centers across the country.

• Supports confidence, well-being, and long-term career success within a flexible format.

• There are no scheduling requirements. The program works with your personal and professional commitments and timelines.

Developed in collaboration with research-driven leadership experts Zenger Folkman, this program prepares faculty leaders with practical coaching skills and a structured, flexible framework to strengthen critical conversations that drive professional development.

• Designed for faculty leading an organizational unit

• Teaches the FUEL model to guide effective development conversations that can be applied directly to feedback and team leadership:
  • Frame the conversation
  • Understand the current state
  • Explore the desired state
  • Lay out a success plan

• Enhances accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement within your organization

• Fall 2026 sessions are offered on Friday, Oct. 2, and Friday, Nov. 6, from 8:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. If you are interested in participating, contact Jessica Cloud, program manager, at jessica.cloud@yale.edu.

If you have questions about any of the coaching programs, please contact:

• For the Torch Change Coaching, Better Together, or The Extraordinary Coach programs: contact oapd.acadprof@yale.edu.

• For the a-LEAP Coaching Skills Program: contact aleap@yale.edu.