Coaching Beyond the Hire: Developing and Retaining Talent
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Lori Counts, FAHP, CFRE, and James Gold
While hiring strong talent is essential, the long-term strength of a health care philanthropy team is ultimately shaped by its ability to develop and retain people over time. Organizations often invest considerable energy in recruitment, yet the true differentiator is what happens after someone joins the organization. Teams that sustain momentum, retain high performers and cultivate strong cultures are typically led by individuals who view coaching not as an occasional leadership exercise, but as a continuous leadership responsibility. Unlocking potential, both as a leader and within your philanthropy team, begins with self-awareness and the willingness to be vulnerable in order to grow and learn. Leaders who understand their own communication style, strengths, blind spots and stress responses are better equipped to develop others and navigate team dynamics effectively. Without that awareness, it becomes difficult to accurately assess what is working, where tension exists and how individuals are experiencing leadership, communication and collaboration.
Unlocking potential, both as a leader and within your philanthropy team, begins with self-awareness and the willingness to be vulnerable in order to grow and learn.
Self-awareness and vulnerability reveal impact, not just intent. It creates a shared, objective language that reduces defensiveness and replaces assumptions with insight. It accelerates development by making coaching more focused and actionable, while improving communication and clarity in decision-making.
Awareness assessments are not meant to define people but rather provide a starting point for growth and understanding. A leader’s superpowers can often create blind spots when working with individuals who assimilate and learn new ideas and concepts differently. When leaders understand how individuals prefer to learn, communicate and process information, they can adapt their approach and accelerate growth. Some individuals think conceptually and act quickly, while others prefer structured, step-by-step learning. Effective leaders recognize and adjust to both.
But hiring the right person is only the beginning.
The first year in health care philanthropy can be steep—clinically, emotionally and relationally. Effective coaching leaders recognize that success is not achieved by overwhelming new hires with information alone, but by helping them build confidence, judgment and connection over time.
As a result, onboarding becomes more than orientation. It becomes acculturation. It teaches how to operate in an environment where emotion, urgency and trust intersect. Without coaching and support, new hires often carry silent uncertainty about how to navigate clinical relationships, donor interactions and organizational dynamics: “Am I asking the right questions?”
“Do I understand this clinical area?”
“How do I add value?”
Coaching brings these questions into the open.
In the first 30 days, the focus is psychological safety. Leaders normalize uncertainty, prioritize learning over performance and create space for questions. As new hires gain confidence, coaching shifts toward strategy, helping them think critically about donor relationships and next steps.
Retention becomes the next critical challenge. When a high performing philanthropy officer leaves, the loss extends far beyond the role. It takes with it donor relationships and trust, institutional knowledge and momentum. Research shows the financial cost is significant, but the relational cost is even greater and hinders donor relationships.
However, the real question is not how to replace talent, but how to better lead the people already on the team. Coaching conversations become the foundation of retention. Leaders help team members process difficult donor interactions, navigate complex situations and think strategically beyond metrics. These conversations reinforce a critical message: people matter beyond performance.
High performers in health care philanthropy are often deeply mission-driven and emotionally invested in their work. Without consistent coaching and support, they can quietly absorb pressure, plateau professionally or disengage over time. Coaching provides both emotional and strategic grounding while also creating visible pathways for growth. High performers rarely leave because expectations are high; more often, they leave when growth feels limited.
Strong coaching opens those pathways by asking:
“What skills do you want to develop?”
“Where do you want more visibility?”
“How can I support your growth?”
Strong coaching creates those pathways through ongoing conversations about development, visibility, opportunity and long-term goals. Rather than waiting for uncertainty or disengagement to surface, effective leaders proactively invest in their people, helping them navigate complexity, strengthen confidence and envision a future within the organization.
Ultimately, retention is not secured through compensation alone or addressed in exit interviews. It is built day by day through trust, development, alignment and consistent support. Organizations that embrace coaching as a leadership responsibility strengthen not only individual performance, but also culture, stability and long-term philanthropic success. When people grow, they stay—and when they stay, relationships deepen, teams strengthen and philanthropy advances the mission of the organization.
About the Authors:
Lori J. Counts, FAHP, CFRE, is a certified executive coach and Principal Consultant with Accordant. You can reach her by email at Lori@AccordantHealth.com or by connecting through LinkedIn.
James Gold is a Principal Consultant with Accordant. You can reach him at James@AccordantHealth.com or through LinkedIn.
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