Gig Harbor, WA - January 20, 2026 - Christopher J. Colombo, MD, a board-certified critical care physician and ICF-credentialed executive and positive psychology coach, announced today the launch of Functional Mentoring Academy, an education platform designed to help physician leaders develop the non-clinical skills required for administrative and leadership roles.
The Academy addresses what Dr. Colombo identifies as a structural gap in physician career progression: medical professionals are routinely promoted to leadership positions based on clinical excellence, yet formal training in feedback delivery, psychological safety, or organizational navigation is rarely part of standard medical education or residency programs.
"I know what it feels like to wake up at 2 AM replaying a leadership mistake — that stomach-drop moment when you're convinced you've lost your team's respect and you're terrified someone will realize you have no idea what you're doing," Dr. Colombo said. "That's not a character flaw. It's imposter syndrome, and it's a direct result of being promoted for clinical skills without being taught leadership frameworks."
Dr. Colombo speaks from experience. Early in his administrative career, he was terminated from a program director position — a setback he describes as formative rather than defining. Over the following four years, he rebuilt his reputation through leadership of a research team, eventually achieving national recognition and securing significant federal research funding. That trajectory, he says, revealed the specific frameworks that separate successful physician leaders from those who struggle.
"Many physician leaders don't fail because they lack clinical judgment or work ethic," Dr. Colombo noted. "They struggle because the language patterns and decision-making frameworks that work brilliantly in the ICU can undermine trust and psychological safety in an administrative context. Once you recognize that gap, you can close it systematically."
Dr. Colombo, a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel with 24 years of military service, draws on experience in critical care medicine, academic program direction, military healthcare leadership, and executive coaching to inform the Academy's curriculum. His coaching practice focuses on mid-career physicians navigating leadership transitions, organizational dysfunction, and what he terms "moral injury" — the values misalignment that occurs when system constraints prevent physicians from delivering care consistent with their training.
The Academy's flagship offering, the 30-Day Foundation Sprint: From Imposter to Impact, delivers four core frameworks:
- The Seven Dirty Words — a cognitive reframing methodology targeting language patterns (should, always, never, just, only, must, except) that can undermine confidence and leadership effectiveness
- Psychological Safety Fundamentals — techniques for building team environments where staff feel safe bringing problems early rather than hiding them until they escalate
- Plus/Delta Feedback Mastery — a structured feedback methodology designed for clinical and military contexts, focused on creating action rather than defensiveness
- PERFECT Problem-Solving Framework — an original clinical framework for complex problem-solving in austere environments, now adapted for non-clinical strategic leadership challenges
The program is delivered through self-paced online modules with accompanying workbooks and practical exercises. Dr. Colombo plans to expand offerings to include a 90-day advanced curriculum and quarterly live coaching cohorts with weekly group sessions and guest speaker masterclasses for each of the four framework units.
Dr. Colombo earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School, completed his residency in internal medicine at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, and his fellowship in critical care medicine at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He is an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with credentials in executive coaching and positive psychology coaching, and is currently pursuing Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credentialing. His military leadership roles included Chief of Critical Care for the 10th Combat Support Hospital and Chief, Department of Virtual Health and TeleCritical Care at Madigan Army Medical Center.
More information about Dr. Colombo's work is available at FunctionalMentoring.com. Functional Mentoring Academy is now enrolling for its inaugural 30-Day Foundation Sprint at FunctionalMentoringAcademy.com.
About Functional Mentoring
Functional Mentoring provides executive coaching and leadership development for physicians, scientists, and healthcare leaders navigating career transitions and organizational challenges. Founded by Christopher J. Colombo, MD, the practice combines evidence-based coaching methodologies with real-world medical and military leadership experience.
Media Contact
Company Name: Functional Marketing
Contact Person: Christopher J. Colombo, MD
Email: Send Email
City: Gig Harbor
State: Washington
Country: United States
Website: FunctionalMentoring.com
