1. ILRSM518: The Coaching Process
School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Cornell University
© 2015 eCornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners.
1
The Coaching Process for Engaging and Developing Others
Action Plan
Complete the grid below.
Key Business Problem(s) Physician A want to start an Investigator Initiated Trial. He has
a great idea, but it is still vague and he doesn’t know how to
go about it. He approaches the MSL from Company B who
manufactures drug C, which Physician A want to conduct
research on.
In this situation, the MSL can coach the Physician to clarify the
goal, set long term and short term goals, determine obstacles
(both internal and external), determine the needed skills and
how to acquire them and come up with an action plan.
The MSL is in the unique position to assure that both
Physician A’s and the company’s goals are aligned.
Strategies 1. Clarify the goals with the Physician.
2. Determine internal and external obstacles with
physician.
3. Determine needed skills, whether present or need to
be acquired with physician.
4. Make action plan with short-term and long-term
goals/actions with physician.
Steps 1. Clarify goals with physician;
a. Ask open-ended questions to define both short and
long term (end-) goals as desired by Physician A.
b. Use visualization to narrow down the goal, whether
too broad, or multiple goals.
2. Define internal and external obstacles with physician;
a. External;
i. Determine work process blocks; skills?

2. ILRSM518: The Coaching Process
School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Cornell University
© 2015 eCornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners.
2
ii. Determine political blocks; physician research
background? Other players?
iii. Determine material resource blocks; equipment?
Facility?
iv. Determine human resource blocks; staff?
b. Internal;
i. Assess/overcome by exploratory questions,
curiosity, patience, positive regard.
ii. Assess whether and where the stumbles are; i.e.
short term focused vs long term focused?
3. Assess whether required skills are there or need to be
acquired. Certifications? Licensing?
4. Make action plan that aligns both the long term and
short term goals of the physician and company;
Timeline Week 1: Meet w/ Physician A; clarify goals of physician
(assess whether physician is short/long term focused,
neither or both to see how this will move along). Set
date/time to go over written draft proposal.
Week 3: Meet w/ Physician A; go over draft proposal to
brainstorm the external and if needed internal blocks and
how to overcome them. Determine which skills need to be
acquired and set action plan to when/how. Set time/date
to go over advanced draft proposal.
Week 6: Meet w/ Physician A; go over final draft proposal,
go over skill development and progress external/internal
blocks.
Week 10: Meet w/ Physician A; go over final proposal,
finalize skill development & external/internal blocks
(process).
Measurement/Results Ultimate success is company approval of the Investigator
Initiated Trial, which means we aligned both the company and
physician goals.
Intermediate measurements are;
 Getting a structured goal
 Overcoming or working with external/internal
obstacles

3. ILRSM518: The Coaching Process
School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Cornell University
© 2015 eCornell. All rights reserved. All other copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and logos are the sole property of their respective owners.
3
 Skill development
To submit this assignment, please refer to the instructions in the course.