**7.3 To provide meaningful performance feedback**

During coaching sessions, coaches should review objective skills and performance assessments with the coachee. The insights the coach gained from observing and analyzing skills needs to be presented to the coachee in a constructive insightful manner. Providing constructive criticism and insight will allow the coachee to implement changes in the future necessary to accomplish the goals previously established. The feedback should be tailored to the expectation and skill level of the coachee, in order to provide achievable goals.

## **7.4 To possess appropriate qualifications**

Not all coaches need to be medical professionals to provide coaching on certain skills. Skilled coaches without medical qualifications may provide insight into personal and interpersonal skills. However, technical skills (e.g., surgical skills, procedural skills) require a medical expert who is able to meaningfully assess the coachee's performance. It is, therefore, essential to select a coach with the knowledge to help the coachee reach their desired goals.

#### **8. Coaching: the traits of a coachee**

The traits a coachee should display are similar to those needed in a mentee. Before attending a coaching meeting, a coachee should self-reflect and be able to attend sessions with an agenda of challenges they wish to address [21]. They should also seek feedback from their coach and any supervisors to aid in this self-reflection. During coaching sessions, the coachee should be fully present and take advantage of the input from their coach. Immediately after a session and in between sessions, a coachee should practice new skills and be committed to follow through on their assignments [22]. Practicing the skills should be done with intention and consistency [21]. As their skills develop, coachees they should be able to track their progress and recognize and celebrate their success.

### **9. Establishing a mentoring relationship**

A good mentoring relationship highlights a mutual symbiosis between mentor and mentee. Both parties can benefit personally and professionally. It is crucial that the mentor does not play a supervisory position. Having a mentor who has influence over the mentee's current position would make the mentee feel uneasy about being honest with the mentor about any difficulties they are having. Mentors should maintain a confidential relationship with the mentee, so that problems may be discussed freely without fear of repercussions.

Mentoring relationships can be formed through formal or informal means. Most mentoring relationships develop informally [23]. These relationships develop organically; typically a mentee seeks out a mentor on their own. Although most agree that having a mentor is essential, many without access to formal mentoring programs do not have a mentor. This is especially true for women and racial minorities, who are less likely than their peers to have a mentor [19, 24, 25]. Common reasons cited for lack of mentorship include fear of approaching faculty and inability to find a trusted faculty member [24].

There have been an increasing number of formal mentoring programs in the academic and medical fields. Mentors and mentees are paired together through a commitee process. The pairing may be decided based on similar personality traits or common goals between the two parties. One key advantage of formal mentoring programs is that mentees that would otherwise not have a mentor can find one. Formal mentoring programs typically provide more structure compared to informal mentoring, wherein they explicitly establish rules, goals, expectations, and meeting times. If a formal mentoring program does not consider the importance of pairing between the mentor and mentee, the relationship may not be successful [26].

When first establishing a mentoring relationship, the two parties should get to know each other through open dialog, establish goals and expectations, and agree to a commitment of confidentiality [27]. The mentee's goals may be personal, educational, clinical, professional, or research-oriented. These goals may change over time when new priorities, opportunities, and difficulties arise, so it is essential to be flexible. Expectations should include establishing how frequent the two will meet in person and form an open line of communication available between meetings. During mentoring sessions, the mentor should advise the mentee on what steps should and should not be taken to reach their goals. Early on, the mentor may identify which professional organizations or institutional committees the mentee should join. The mentor should also be willing to share their own professional and personal experiences to provide context and facilitate in establishing the relationship.
