Growing Your Coaching Skills for Better Conversations

Successful coaches are engaged listeners who ask powerful questions, guiding employees to better understand their own thinking and behaviours. As a manager, enhancing your coaching skills is crucial for promoting growth and improving team dynamics. To achieve this, it’s essential to follow a set of guidelines that outline the broader principles of effective coaching and a checklist of specific, actionable steps.

Guidelines:

These guidelines provide the foundational approach to coaching, focusing on continuous practice, self-awareness, and feedback.

• Practice, practice, practice! Deliver lots more appreciative feedback every day. There are many more opportunities to offer appreciative feedback.
• Provide more constructive feedback to develop people and keep them on target. Don’t assume they know better, they might not. Convey the feedback in the spirit of, “You could be even more effective if…”.
• Consult with a peer, friend, mentor etc. about a recent coaching conversation. Ask them how they would coach the employee. Ask for coaching tips!
• Ask for feedback from your employees. This will help you become more aware of your coaching strengths and areas of growth. Asking your employees will also help to build a trusting and open relationship.
• Be aware of how you are feeling when you are coaching. When you are on the lower end of the Mood Elevator, your thinking may not be as reliable. Or when the coachee is on the lower end, they may become defensive or they won’t hear you.

Checklist

This checklist offers specific steps to ensure your coaching sessions are effective and supportive.

• Take time in the beginning to make the person feel safe.
• Ask clear, open-ended questions.
• Listen closely without interrupting.
• Allow the individual to come to their own conclusions.
• Provide appreciative and constructive feedback.
• Encourage ownership and accountability and support action.
• Be patient.
• Demonstrate that you are interested in seeing them succeed and perform at a higher level.
• Ask for feedback from them.

By following these guidelines and the checklist, you can enhance your coaching skills, leading to more meaningful and productive conversations that drive growth and success.