Associate Faculty and Executive Coach
Jennifer Robin has been coaching physicians for more than 20 years. A certified Life Design coach, Robin says she enjoys the engagement and practicality physicians bring to their career development.“Continuous improvement is part of the job for people who are attracted to the field of medicine because they are lifelong learners. I really enjoy coaching physicians,” says Robin. “They’re very practical. Concepts are important, but at the end of the day, they want to get down to applying the information to create positive outcomes.”
An expert in industrial and organizational psychology, Robin has coauthored three books about building culture and creating great workplaces: “No Excuses: How You Can Turn Any Workplace into a Great One (2013),” “The Great Workplace: How to Build It, How to Keep It, and Why It Matters (2011)” and “A Life in Balance: Finding Meaning in a Chaotic World (2006).” Drawing upon her expertise in these areas, Robin instructs physicians in the Conflict Resolution and Negotiation course in the Physician MBA Program. While most physicians have some working knowledge of negotiating contracts throughout their careers, the takeaways from this course delve deeper into executive skills.
“Physicians tell me they are increasingly responsible for negotiating their titles as healthcare evolves and leadership trajectories are changing But, as they move into leadership roles, physicians also begin negotiating on behalf of their teams and resources.,” says Robin. “Even though they may have experienced negotiation, negotiating on behalf of a team or project may involve different techniques.”