Coaching for Performance

Ei4Change

Definition of coaching

The process of empowering others.

Whitmore, 1997
Coaching is unlocking a persons potential to
maximise their own performance. It is helping them
to learn rather than teaching them.
Whitmore, 2002
Coaching

Definition of coaching
Coaching helps individuals access what they already
know.
They may never have asked themselves the
questions but they have the answers.
A coach assists, supports and encourages individuals
to find these answers.
Zeus and Skiffington, 2002
I give you focus and somehow my mere presence
moves you to action.
Lowe (undated) a coaching Haiku
Coaching

The Power of the Coaching Process

I never cease to be amazed at the power of the
coaching process to draw out the skills or talents
that was previously hidden within an individual, and
which invariably finds a way to solve a problem
previously thought insolvable.
John Russell, MD Harley-Davidson

Underlying belief within coaching

Intent to help
The underlying belief in coaching is that the coachee
has within them the ability, competence and
knowledge that will enable them to effect changes
that will result in improvement.

The role of the coach is to draw

these out and gain commitment to action.

Benefits of coaching
Within organisations benefits are seen in
financial performance
retention
development of executives
in communications
- 99% of executives who have been coached believe
that coaching delivers tangible benefits
- 92% saw an increase in the bottom line

Impact of coaching
Develop managers

Problem solving

and leaders

Motivate and inspire

Support change

Manage conflict

Develop talent

Manage time and

Improve

stress

performance

Improve

Improve skills

communication

When to use coaching

What are the sorts of situations in which you might
use a coaching approach?
Who should generate the coaching discussion?
Think back over the last month - were there any
situations you could have turned into a coaching
opportunity?

When to coach?
Management development
Improving performance
Problem solving
Realising potential
Managing conflict
Team development
Could be formal (planned) or
informal (at the vending machine)

Core coaching skills

Coaching is characterised by:
Creating rapport
Deep listening
Effective questioning
Insightful feedback and enabling learning
Intense focus on process and results

Levels of listening
Cosmetic listening

Conversational listening

Active listening

Deep listening

Questioning skills
Questions and the coaching process must not get in
the way of building rapport and empathising with
the individual.

It is better to retain a curious concern than find the

killer question.

Questioning skills
Open ended probes
Neutral probes
Brief assertions
Pause
Reflective probes
Summary statements
Leading questions
Close ended probes

Questioning skills
Are your questions relatively simple (but detailed
enough to avoid ambiguity)?
Do they build sequentially from the previous
question to keep the whole sequence connected
and follow the coaching framework?
Do they have clarity of purpose and intention?
?

Push and Pull Model

Non-directive
Listening to
understand
PUSH
Reflecting
Solving someones
Paraphrasing
problem for
araphrasing
Summarising
them
Asking questions
that raise awareness
PULL
Making suggestions
Helping someone
solve their own
Giving feedback
problem
Offering guidance
Giving advice
Instructing
Directive
(Myles Downey Effective Coaching 2003 Thomson Texere, New York)

GOAL
situation
vision
objective

What do you want?

WILL

milestones
actions
commitment

What WILL
you do?

GROW
coaching
framework

What is
happening
now?

What could you do?

OPTIONS

Whats possible?

REALITY

evidence
awareness
understanding

GOAL
situation
vision
objective

The coachee explains what they would like to

achieve or change
What is wanted as an outcome from this
conversation?
Is this realistic - or does the goal need to be
separated into bite-size chunks?
What are the time frames for the short and long
term goals?

REALITY

evidence
awareness
understanding

The coachee describes and explores the issue /

situation from all angles
Ask questions to open up different aspects of the
issue
Identify whats working well in respect of the
issue as well as the barriers and the challenges
Expand the conversation, BEFORE focusing on the
detail

OPTIONS

Whats possible?

The coachee reflects on the options and generates ideas

for potential solutions
Resist solving the problem by providing solutions
Encourage the coachee to be creative in considering
alternatives and options
Review advantages and disadvantages of each
Keep the questions short and open
Include feeling questions such as: What solution
appeals the most?

WILL

milestones
actions
commitment

The coachee commits to specific actions in a time

frame by being asked What will you do?
Encourage the coachee to take actions to which
they are drawn, feel positive about and motivated
to do
Ask questions that will facilitate the coachee to be
explicit about the benefits of the action
Ask them to rate their intention, enthusiasm and
commitment on a 10-point scale

Key questions for a coachee in a

coaching session
What issues would I most value the coachs support
with?
What outcomes do I want, or do I want to avoid?
What can I do to make the most of the time
together?

Lightbulb Moments CD

Our Lightbulb Moments CD includes 18 Lightbulb

Moments cards Introduction to Coaching.
A free copy is available for one lucky person each
month.
To win a copy send your name and email address to
info@ei4change.org.uk

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