Mark Tewksbury and Debbie Muir set the tone for an exciting and positive Family Medicine Forum on Wednesday morning with their Keynote Address, titled “Great Traits, Winning Ways: Coaching and mentoring others for success.”
Speaking before a packed ballroom at the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Olympic champion swimmer and his coach talked about how their partnership contributed to their gold-medal success at the 1992 Games in Barcelona in men’s backstroke. They linked their experiences to how any leader can help others reach their goals, including family physicians.
Their three take-home messages were:
- Build on success: When providing feedback, focus on what’s working. The more you do this, the more people are willing to listen to healthy criticism and make progress.
- Master the question: Instead of telling people what to do, ask the person you are mentoring key questions. It opens people’s minds and helps them find solutions. They take ownership and learn to raise the bar for themselves.
- Find growth moments: Find out when people need to be pushed or heard, and create space for growth to happen. Mr Tewksbury explained that one key that led to his success in Barcelona was his ability to confide in someone for the first time that he was gay; his coach’s support not only allowed him to come out but also helped him reach the top of the podium.
Visit Mr Tewskbury and Ms Muir in the Exhibit Hall at booth 811.