How Often Should You Meet with Your Coach?
The Question Everyone Asks First
When physicians start exploring coaching, one of the earliest practical questions is about coaching session frequency: how often should you actually meet with your coach? The answer, like most things worth knowing, is that it depends. Your goals, your career stage, and even the rhythm of your academic calendar all play a role.
Biweekly: The Sweet Spot for Most Physicians
For most faculty I work with, meeting every two weeks is the cadence that sticks. It gives you enough time between sessions to try new approaches, reflect on what happened, and come back with something real to discuss. You build momentum without feeling like coaching becomes another obligation on an already packed schedule.
Biweekly sessions work especially well during transitions -- a new leadership role, a promotion push, or navigating a difficult team dynamic. The consistency keeps you accountable while the spacing respects how busy your life actually is.
Monthly: Maintenance Mode
Once you've made significant progress on your initial goals, shifting to monthly sessions can make a lot of sense. Think of it like a physician coaching cadence for the long game. You've built the skills and self-awareness; now you need a sounding board to stay on track and catch blind spots before they become problems.
Monthly also works well for senior faculty who have been through an intensive coaching engagement and want ongoing support without the heavier commitment. Marshall Goldsmith, in What Got You Here Won't Get You There, makes the point that the habits that built your early success can quietly become liabilities -- monthly check-ins are a great way to keep that from happening.
Intensive Sprints: When the Clock Is Ticking
Sometimes the situation calls for weekly sessions over a short period -- four to eight weeks. If you're preparing for a critical presentation, working through a conflict with a department chair, or facing a make-or-break tenure decision, a sprint gives you concentrated support right when you need it. It's like a preseason training camp: focused, time-limited, and designed to get you ready for a specific challenge.
Match the Cadence to Where You Are
There's no single right answer for how often to meet with your coach. A good coach will help you figure out the right rhythm together, and that rhythm will likely shift as your needs evolve. The best approach is to start with a frequency that feels sustainable, evaluate after a few sessions, and adjust from there.
If you're weighing your options and wondering what cadence might fit your situation, that's a great conversation to have early in the process. Check out our individual coaching options.
