Mentor Program for Healthcare Leaders in Elite Sport

Move from constant firefighting to calm, confident leadership of your healthcare team, without having to pretend you have it all figured out.

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Who is this Program for?

You are a healthcare professional in elite sport who has progressed into a leadership role

You might recognise yourself in some of these:

  • You feel like you are always putting out fires and rarely have time for the strategic work you know matters.

 

  • You want senior management to see you as organised, proactive and across your game, but that is not how it feels on the inside yet.

 

  • You are responsible for other clinicians and support staff for the first time, and you are unsure how to mentor or manage them well.
  • You find it hard to advocate for your department in meetings, and your team’s needs are often drowned out by louder stakeholders.

 

  • You know you need to have difficult conversations, but you are not confident about how to start them or see them through.

 

  • You would like support, but your manager does not have the bandwidth to mentor you, or you would prefer guidance from someone external.

If this sounds familiar, you are exactly who this mentoring is designed for.

What we work on together

This 12 week mentoring program is built around ten pillars of leadership for high performing healthcare teams in elite sport. We focus on the areas that matter most for you and tailor the program to your role and environment.

Leadership Identity

Getting clear on who you are as a leader, how you want to show up, and how to lead with calm confidence instead of constant urgency.

Department Culture

Shaping a culture where your team understands expectations, feels safe to speak up, and knows you are firmly in their corner.

Mentorship

Learning how to support and develop your clinicians, massage therapists, pilates instructors and other staff, even if this is your first time managing people.

Stakeholder Management

Communicating clearly with coaches, performance staff and management so your department’s needs are heard, understood and acted on.

Athlete Relationships

Building trust with athletes through connection, clarity and consistency so they engage with your team’s care plans.

Clinical Oversight

Keeping your team’s clinical work safe, consistent and aligned with best practice, without needing to micromanage every decision.

Clinical Governance

Creating clear standards, documentation and review processes so your team’s clinical records are safe, defensible and aligned with organisational and legal requirements.

Systems and Automation

Putting simple systems in place so you are not relying on memory and late night emails to keep everything moving.

Medical Networks

Building and maintaining a trusted network of sports physicians, surgeons and other specialists so your athletes receive timely, coordinated care when it matters most.

Change Management

Guiding your team through change with clarity and steadiness, so new systems, staff or structures are understood, adopted and embedded rather than resisted.

Throughout the program we keep an eye on burnout risk and workload, so your leadership becomes sustainable, not just survivable.

How the mentoring works

This is a structured, supportive mentoring program designed around the realities of elite sport.

Duration:     12 weeks

Format:        One-on-one 45 minute video call each week, supported by online learning modules

Delivery:      Online video calls, scheduled to suit your timezone and competition calendar

Resources:   Leadership modules, templates and tools inside the course platform

Support:       Email support between sessions for questions and reflections

A typical journey looks like this:

Week 1: Clarity, goals and baselines

We map your current role, pressures and priorities, then set clear, realistic goals for the 12 weeks.

Weeks 2–11: Deep dives into the pillars

Each week we focus on one key area. You bring real situations, and we work through practical approaches you can apply straight away.

week 12: Consolidation and next steps

We review your progress, capture what is working, and create a simple plan for the next 3–6 months.

The aim is not to give you more theory to remember. It is to give you calm, clear next steps each week so your leadership feels more grounded and less reactive.

Your mentor: Karen Finnin

You will be mentored by Karen Finnin, a human performance specialist who has spent her career supporting healthcare teams in elite sport.

  • Bachelor of Physiotherapy
  • Masters in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy
  • MBA in Innovation and Leadership
  • Leadership experience in global elite performance environments, including a performance medicine leadership role with Cirque du Soleil

Karen’s mentoring style is warm, calm and practical. You can expect a peer level conversation where your challenges are taken seriously, and you leave each session with clear, realistic actions.

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Investment and Value

Investment: $1297 USD

This includes:

  • 12 x 45 minute one to one mentoring sessions over 12 weeks
  • Access to leadership modules, templates and tools inside the course platform
  • Email support between sessions
  • A structured framework built specifically for healthcare teams in elite sport
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For many leaders, the return on this investment shows up as:

  • Greater confidence in leading your team and advocating for your department
  • Reduced day to day stress and fewer “firefighting only” weeks
  • Stronger relationships with athletes, staff and stakeholders
  • A clearer path to the next step in your leadership career

If your organisation is funding your development, this program can be invoiced or reimbursed as professional development.

Apply for Mentoring

Burnout, confidence and sustainable leadership

Stepping into leadership in elite sport can feel like you are expected to know everything from day one. In reality, most new leaders are learning while already under pressure.

This mentoring is designed to:

  • Protect you from quiet burnout by giving you a safe space to think, debrief and plan
  • Build your confidence through small, consistent wins rather than overnight transformation
  • Help you create boundaries and systems so your leadership is sustainable over a long season, not just a short campaign

You do not need to wait until you are on top of everything to ask for support. Support is how you get there.

What Others Say

“I was fortunate to develop my leadership skills under Karen’s mentorship. She promoted a fun and approachable environment based in effective communication and mutual trust. Her vision was clear and always inspiring. Her empathy, courage and commitment to personal growth provided a strong foundation where I felt both empowered and cared for.”

- Perfomance Medicine Leader

How to get started

The mentoring program is offered by application so that we can make sure it is the right fit for you and your current role.

Step 1: Submit your application

Complete a short form sharing your role, your team context and what you would like support with.

Step 2: Free 15 minute call

You will be invited to a brief call to discuss your needs, ask questions and confirm whether the program is right for you.

Step 3: Enrol and schedule your sessions

If we both agree it is a good fit, you will receive your enrolment link and we will schedule your first session.

Apply for Mentoring

Interested but still have questions? Schedule a free 15 minute call to discuss your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Apply for Mentoring

Interested but still have questions? Schedule a free 15 minute call to discuss your needs.

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