Quenby Rubin-Sprague, M.H.R.O.D., R.D.N.

quenby sprague

Coach Overview:

Quenby has 30+ years of experience as a strategic communication advisor/executive coach within the dynamic landscape of healthcare, specializing in hospitals, health systems, medical groups, and medical foundations.  Her clients include health systems and hospital executives, their leadership teams, physician executives, and their respective teams.

Coaching physicians involves the unique challenge of shifting from hierarchical structures to collaborative leadership. This transition from “giving orders” to leading teams is challenging and offers a rewarding opportunity to develop and expand new leadership talents and competencies.

Quenby finds fulfillment in guiding physicians through their transition from medical practice to leadership roles, coaching mid-level leaders within health systems, and nurturing emerging and advancing leaders.

Quenby has presented on the following topics: Unlocking the Potential of Asking Why: Empowering Healthcare Leadership Through Dynamic Conversations (2024);  Empowering Women Health Care Leaders to Thrive: Honoring Your Worth and Prioritizing Self-Care in the Workplace (2024);  Don’t Sacrifice Your Sanity or Humanity: Three Essential Strategies for Managing Difficult Patients (2023);  The Humanity Quotient:  Critical Strategies to Improve Patient Outcomes and Advance Work-Force Well-Being (2022);  Authentic Leadership: Possessing Vulnerability in the Face of Exacting Science (2020 Panel)

Statement of Coaching Philosophy:

Clients often refer to Quenby as their confidante, reflecting the trust and respect that define her coaching partnerships. Quenby excels at quickly building trust with physicians and healthcare leaders, offering insights and follow-up questions to help them tap into their respective knowledge.

Understanding that behavior change is a long-term process, Quenby commits to ongoing reinforcement and support. She recognizes that many healthcare leaders may be new to coaching and takes time to explain the process and set expectations. Each engagement begins with an assessment, and Quenby utilizes the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as a communication tool.

The belief that communication drives success is at the core of Quenby’s approach. By cultivating a “culture of conversational safety,” she helps leaders become more skilled and confident, enhancing productivity and overall well-being. This positive impact has a ripple effect on the communities the health system serves.  Quenby refers to this as the “Humanity Quotient,” emphasizing that “a conversation is the most basic unit of performance in healthcare. Everything always starts with a conversation.” – Quenby Rubin-Sprague, 2019

Preferred Clients: Physician Executives, Health Care Executives and Their Teams

Coaching Expertise:

  • Cultivating confidence and essential leadership skills for pivotal conversations
  • Fostering cultures of “conversational safety”
  • Leading authentically while preserving personal well-being
  • Guiding the development of new physician leaders
  • Unlocking individual and team potential
  • Enhancing mental fitness and resilience
  • Promoting overall team and staff well-being
  • Assessments: MBTI, Positive Intelligence Saboteur Assessment, Verbal 360, Key Stakeholder Conversations/Needs Assessments, Before and After Assessment of Core Leadership Competencies, ROI 

Experience with Higher Education and/or Academic Medical Centers:

  • Academic Medical Center: Helping to develop a culture of Psychological Safety amongst faculty. Primary situation: Faculty did not feel comfortable “speaking their mind.” 

Representative Coaching Engagements:

  • A long-term, highly valued, and top-performing clinic leader had lost her zest, passion, and drive for her job and life. She faced challenges with unprofessional providers who demeaned and disrespected her and struggled to get her boss to approve important business ideas for her clinics. Quenby helped her develop effective scripting for dealing with unprofessional providers, understand the importance of data in influencing key stakeholders, and use numbers to tell her story. This leader is now re-engaged, has re-energized her team to accomplish key initiatives, and confidently develops evidence-based business plans that support revenue-producing and cost-saving initiatives. She stands up for herself, sets clear boundaries with challenging providers, and proudly shares with her coach that she got her life back.
  • A top revenue-producing and highly skilled physician in a large medical group made life extremely difficult for everyone around her, leading to team members resigning. Quenby coached her using Conversational Intelligence, helping her navigate frustration without personalizing issues beyond her control. She learned how to structure conversations to engage colleagues effectively and ensure her legitimate concerns were taken seriously. Instead of reacting impulsively, she developed a practice of pausing to reflect, then addressing the situation with a measured and strategic approach. This shift led to increased retention of clinic staff and improved patient experience scores. The overall value of this top-performing physician was enhanced, significantly reducing the tense atmosphere around her. She mastered the ability to regulate her frustration. In a notable instance, the CMO observed her in a meeting where she initially showed signs of frustration. He watched her pause, recalibrate, and continue to contribute constructively. Both the CMO and the physician were impressed by her newfound ability to manage her frustration, transforming from feeling like a victim to being in control.

Education:

  • Master’s Human Resources Organization Development (M.H.R.O.D.) University of San Francisco, 1992
  • Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Nutrition/Dietetics University of California Davis, 1976

Certifications and Trainings:

  • Certified Coach, Academy for Coaching Excellence (ACE) (ICF Certified Coaching Program)
  • Certified Marshal Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coach
  • Certified Conversational Intelligence®
  • Advanced Training Positive Intelligence
  • Certified ICA (Institute of Cultural Affairs) ToP Facilitator (Technology of Participation)
  • Certified Bill Bridges Managing Organization Transition