Effective Coaching Moments
Posted by Sitkins Advisor on Mon, Sep 19, 2011 @ 05:00 AM
A coaching moment allows you to step in and make an impact with the team or individual team members. Too often though, we are not deliberate enough about coaching and run into problems. Some of the most common problems are:
Over Coaching – our mouth runs constantly and people become numb to the voice. It can dilute the value of the coaching moment
Attack Coaching – we identify a problem and embarrass the participant
Time Wasting Coaching – we forget that the message has to be valuable for the whole audience, if it’s not, wait for a one-on-one opportunity
Exaggeration Coaching – we go to extremes about situations that will never happen and the coaching loses its credibility
We have to be purposeful in order to overcome these problems. Here are some tips on having effective coaching moments:
- Be prepared
- Seek to understand before seeking to be understood
- Don’t go outside the realm of reality - you’ll have a better chance of keeping them engaged.
- If you feel you are going to attack, give warning up front. For example – “I am going to ask questions, and I will push back with the intent that you will think deeper about it.” Help them understand that your intent is for them to come up with the solution.
- The teacher will arrive when the student is ready – look at and read the situation. Do they want to be coached?
- Use public coaching when you know that the rest of the team will get value from the coaching moment.
- When people need to be re-directed, it’s okay to stop them and give them feedback. When someone is looking for feedback – give it.
- Encourage people to make mistakes, try things, then help correct what they didn’t do well. Don’t spend too much time on what they did wrong, instead focus on how they can improve.
- Look to the entire team to teach – great group discussions will allow for great coaching moments.
- Body Language/Tone of Voice – Watch tone, show compassion, change your positioning (body), get eye to eye.
Remember to focus on others not yourself. Listening to others, and having passion around others being successful, makes you more successful. Pick the right moments.
The Author, Bonita Argent, is a Vertical Growth Advisor with Sitkins International.