All about Coaching
Do you need a coach?
Coaching provides a safe and confidential space to explore your thinking, work through any challenges, set inspirational goals, keep you on-track, and overall enhance your performance. Sounds good to me. That is why I have one myself!
I really enjoy working with my coach monthly, I currently use my sessions as a general check-in. Specifying at the start of my session the areas that have been on my mind, any challenges, or I use the space to reflect on my energy levels and workload (one of my focus areas for 2022).
The benefit, greater clarity. Sometimes we uncover areas that are below the surface that need some work or insights that provide a better direction. It helps me remain focused on my goals, stay accountable and happy with where I am heading and what I am focused on. The work happens between each session, where my actions and ideas come to life.
What about at work?
Coaching can be formal or informal. A great way to help instil a coaching culture is for leaders to ask more questions. Train your employees to think rather than provide the answer.
A formal coaching session may occur at performance review time, discussing development plans and helping your employee to explore their thinking and actions for their career. It could be an on-the-job conversation where you are an observer and go through a brain friendly, self-directed feedback process. OR an informal session could happen within a 10-minute conversation over the phone, on teams or hopefully in person at the ‘water cooler’.
Coaching empowers your employees to think, make decisions, it builds their confidence, improves engagement and productivity. It provides you as a leader with capacity to be more strategic, transformational, and less in the detail.
What does great look like?
Firstly, as an individual please seek a professional coach. Anyone can claim to be a coach. My advice, make sure they are qualified and insist on a discovery session to ensure a good fit.
As a Leader, attend a Coaching Training Program to refine your skills. Most organisations will have a leadership development program that including a coaching element. Cheeky plug - I offer specialised coaching development programs - get in touch if you want to learn more. Be sure to add it to your own performance conversation. In the meantime, you can follow some tips below.
A great coach seeks to understand and leads with curiosity.
Read the play, notice what is being shared and perhaps what is not being said.
Notice body language, tone of voice, and energy. Gain permission to explore.
Communication skills are key. Open, reflection and probing questions followed by active listening.
Tap into energy, understand their motivation and feelings this will help deepen insights and encourage action.
Follow up is key. What learning took place, what are the actions and how will you support or follow up?
Coaching is all about having meaningful conversations, encouraging, and supporting people to perform at their best. It is the best job in the world (according to me!). Nothing beats the feeling of working with someone who feels stuck and an hour later feels clear, motivated, and confident to take action. Then receiving the text message, email, or phone call from them achieving something they set out to do. The excitement is infectious!