Here are some pointers and crucial inquiries to help you more accurately assess the advantages and disadvantages of any possibility. In other words, it’s not a good idea to take every opportunity that presents itself. Asking yourself the strategic question, “If you’re saying ‘yes’ to this, what are you saying ‘no’ to?” will guarantee that you allow yourself enough time to think clearly.
You give up something else when you take on something new. However, you shouldn’t squander money or disregard crucial tasks. When you need to concentrate your efforts on the tasks that are important to you and the business, use the Strategic question.
Determine the tasks, people, or habits you will need to change or give up if you take on a new task to help you focus your decisions. Keep in mind that some projects call for you to acquire new employees or create entirely new organizational or working procedures.
Make sure you comprehend the reasoning behind any “yes” or “no” decisions you make on a project. I’ll give you a hint: don’t ever reply to a request immediately away. Prior to making a decision, learn as much as you can. What will this new opportunity require of you, you ask? What is the time limit? What is the expected time frame? What is the cause of it? What further has to be done for it to be finished?
Making room for employees to learn is another crucial component of coaching, in addition to effectively strategizing. People don’t automatically assimilate new information or fast adopt new habits, so this isn’t a simple task. People generally learn when they are able to think critically about new concepts or procedures. A lesson “clicks” when there is time for reflection.
Use the Learning question to get your staff members to that “aha” moment. What was the most helpful part of each coaching session, you should ask your employee? By posing the Learning question, you may help your employee reflect on the meeting and continue developing his abilities.
Every coach experiences this. You make an effort to keep your mouth shut, but you nonetheless unintentionally say something. Not coaching, that! Parenting, or even worse, preaching, is being done. Now that you are aware that coaching is about questions, how can you ensure that this is still the focus of your coaching practice?
A excellent coach is skilled at probing. A sequence of questions, however, might quickly give the impression that the person is being questioned or even probed. You don’t want to intimidate your team members as a coach.
Therefore, soothe an employee’s concerns by asking them one at a time. Don’t skirt the issue, though. It will save you both time if you cut off the small talk and just ask your first inquiry. Instead of asking “why,” ask “what” questions. Asking the employee, “Why is it on your mind?” won’t make her feel like she needs to defend herself. What’s on your mind, instead?
Additionally, it’s crucial to refrain from using rhetorical questions. Did you consider…? or “Have you considered about…?” queries aren’t actually questions; they’re just advise with a question mark after it.
Ensure that you pay attention to your staff as well. Be not terrified of the stillness. Although it makes individuals uncomfortable, silence can be a benefit in coaching sessions. After you pose a question, keep quiet to give your employee time to consider her response.
And to demonstrate that you’ve understood an employee’s response, nod or rephrase it. This demonstrates your concern for the employee and motivates them to open up further.
Finally, make the most of all your resources to be a successful and positive coach. Maybe email or a chat app like Slack is how your company communicates. When using these techniques to communicate, keep in mind that you are still a coach. Every interaction you have with a worker is an opportunity for coaching.
Knowing what to do and really performing it are two distinct activities. Let’s discuss some strategies for incorporating the advice you’ve learned into your coaching practice so that you don’t forget it. It’s challenging to alter behavior. In reality, a Duke University study found that habit accounts for only 45% of a person’s behavior. And if you don’t even think about a habit, it’s hard to break it!
Therefore, you must put theory into practice if you want to create new behaviors. Neuroscientists and behavioral economists have learned more recently about how people form and sustain habits. A habit can only develop if five things happen: a reason, a trigger, a mini-habit, training, and an action plan.
Let’s go over each occasion. A cause is the reason you wish to alter your current behavior, such as your desire to refrain from giving advise because it is a sign of poor coaching. Once you’ve decided what you want to alter, you can pinpoint your triggers, which are the circumstances that make you want to give counsel. When you are aware of your trigger, you can deal with it.
Finally, create a backup action plan in case you make a mistake. You simply need to learn how to resume your course after making a mistake because everyone does it. It’s important to put your action plan on paper. Your strategy could be something like, “The next time John asks me a question in the hallway, I’ll ask a coaching question rather than give advise.” You’ll create a strong coaching habit that you’ll keep for the rest of your life after you put theory into practice. Congratulations and happy coaching!
A competent coach doesn’t only lecture his troops with advice. Instead, a skilled coach gently and effectively supports staff members as they work toward self-sufficiency. To learn what your employees need and want, ask them important coaching questions and pay close attention to their answers. Encourage them constantly to take charge of their own lives.
Create a coaching support group if you can. Identify others who want to make coaching a habit. Communicate frequently and exchange stories and tactics. When you collaborate, not only will it be beneficial to you but also to your staff!
Check out my related post: How to create a coaching habit?
Interesting reads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29342515-the-coaching-habit
A Better Man 