16 - What Really Works in Health Leadership Development

Welcome to Season 2 of Transformational Thinking for Health LeadersIn this opening episode, Dr Fiona Day takes a closer look into the latest evidence on what really works in health leadership development. With the NHS England 10-Year Plan (2025–2035) setting bold ambitions for outstanding leadership across healthcare, and a major new umbrella review published in BMJ Leader, Fiona critiques current approaches and shares why evidence-based, psychologically sound methods are essential for developing world-class leaders.She explores:Why competency frameworks alone aren’t enough to shift leadership behavioursThe role of coaching psychology, mentoring, and experiential learning in achieving lasting impactHow evidence-based coaching can enhance self-awareness, decision-making, emotional regulation, and organisational outcomesWhy bespoke, one-to-one coaching is critical to unlocking leaders’ full potential📖 Resources mentioned in this episode:NHS England 10-Year Plan 2025–2035 (see pp. 14–15)Philipson J, Pinto AC, Kingsley-Smith H, et al. Leadership training in healthcare: a systematic umbrella review. BMJ Leader (2025)Positive evidence for coaching with Dr Fiona Day (BMJ Leader coaching evidence for doctors, medical leaders and public health leaders)If you’re committed to improving health outcomes while thriving in your leadership role, you won’t want to miss this.Reflective Questions for Health LeadersWhat has been your experience of leadership development so far?How confident do you feel that your health leadership practice is grounded in theory and evidence?How do you develop leadership skills in those around you?How could you help your organisation to be more evidence-based in its approach to developing health leaders?How will you use the systematic umbrella review to best effect?If you’re interested in exploring coaching or learning more about leadership in healthcare, visit my website, where you’ll find a wealth of resources tailored to medical and public health professionals. Sign up for my newsletter to access a range of articles, tools, and guides to support your career journey. Dr Fiona Day is able to help you thrive like no one else. She is the only Coaching Psychologist in the world with a background in medicine and public health. Her coaching practice is grounded in evidence. Over ten systematic reviews demonstrate the benefits of workplace coaching. Coaching psychology, the science of potential, performance, and wellbeing, has an even greater impact. Book a confidential Consultation with Fiona here.