Coaching for Results

Coaching for Results Gemini Skills Workshop April 1998

Contents 1. Creating the Environment 2. Intervention Styles

1. Creating the Environment

Approach each coaching intervention systematically PLAN Before the Session • Prepare and analyze DO During the Session • Set the climate • Set expectations • Give and get feedback • Develop an action plan • Reinforce behaviors REVIEW After the Session • Assess and follow-up But remember, sometimes a timely coaching intervention can appear unexpectedly and you will not have the opportunity to plan it.

Plan: Preparing for Coaching • What is the behavior you think needs changing or strengthening? • Is this my problem or the client’s? • What is the behavior (goal) you want? • Is the problem one of knowledge or willingness or both? • What resistance/reaction is likely? • What is my Action Plan — How will I make it ours?

Plan: Issues to Consider before Coaching • Is the behavior in question a “high impact” behavior? To the entire team, or just me? • Is my focus on the behavior exhibited, or an assumption I have about the cause? • What do I expect to accomplish from the session? • How do I feel about the person? Are my perceptions overly critical or too soft? • What information should I use in preparation? Do I have examples? • What are the benefits for the individual, from their point of view, for altering the behavior? • What specific actions have I developed for the action plan? • What approach is likely to get the most cooperation from the person? • Have I made plans to involve them, get their ideas, for how to resolve the problem? • Have I allocated enough time? Is the location appropriate?

Do: Conducting the Coaching Session • Set the climate • Set expectations • Get/give feedback • Develop the action plan • Reinforce

Do: Set the Climate • Open the coaching session with casual conversation • Get the person to relax and talk freely • Transition to coaching through focus on what has been done so far

Do: Set Expectations Explain: • How long session will last • Why you are holding the session • What the desired outcome is: • What do you wish to achieve? • What does the other person expect from the session?

Do: Get and Give Feedback Strengths Opportunities • Invite the person to summarize skills not currently performed well. Objective is to gain acknowledgmentof areas where coaching is needed. • Clearly support the self-assessment of those you consider real • Get further clarification on those behaviors you do not consider real opportunities. • Identify additional needs the person may have overlooked or avoided. Cite specific examples. • Invite the person to summarize his/her strengths • Clearly support the self-assessment of those you consider real strengths • Get further clarification on those behaviors you do not consider real strengths • Identify other strengths that the person has overlooked. Cite specific examples

Do: Develop the Action Plan • Identify the strengths noted • List activities to maintain strengths, milestones and goals • Identify the needs noted • List activities to develop needs, milestones and goals • Outline the resources needed • Agree on the plan as a joint commitment

Do: Reinforce • Summarize the Action Plan • Check for mutual understanding on key elements • Build mutual confidence that we can make it happen

Review: Assess the Session and Follow-Up • Ask yourself: • Did the session achieve the objectives? • What went well? • If I had to do it again, what changes would I make in my approach? • What follow-up coaching is required? • What is my role in the Action Plan? • When do I need to follow-up?

2. Intervention Styles

There are four key intervention styles that we can deploy • Acceptant • Catalytic • Confrontational • Prescriptive

We can use the acceptant style when . . . A client’s feelings about a situation, a problem, other people or themselves are blocking their ability to move forward

It is underpinned by two assumptions • The client is prevented from coming to terms with the problem or cannot find a way forward because of their feelings • The client has sufficient resources to find their own way forward once the feelings have been acknowledged and resolved

Using the acceptant style • Adopt an open, non-threatening body posture and use direct non-challenging eye contact • Smile and nod acceptance of client’s descriptions of their situation; use positive verbal signals (“uh-huh” etc) • Paraphrase/summarise what the client is saying to you • Encourage clients to say more • Encourage clients to express their thoughts and their feelings about the situation. Give clients ‘permission’ to explore their feelings • Use silence to allow clients time to think and articulate how they are feeling • Do not discuss or apply any value judgements to the ‘content’ of the client’s problem • Accept that the client’s initial definition of the problem is not necessarily the real problem. Start from where the client is and allow them to explore and redefine their problem. All diagnoses are made by the client.

Above all listen at three levels 1. What is the client saying? 2. What is the client not saying? 3. What is it that the client cannot bring himself/herself to say?

We can use the catalytic style when . . . Clients do not have enough relevant data to make a decision about change or they have so much data they are overwhelmed and can’t distinguish the essentials

The catalytic style relies on some key assumptions • That the clients want to solve the problem and are capable of exploring various aspects of it with help • That either additional data, or more structured data, will have a significant impact on client perception of the situation. And, as a result of this change of perception, clients will be able to decide on an appropriate course of action • There is sufficient data within the client system to make a decision although it may currently be difficult to access or interpret • There will be greater client commitment to a decision if it is owned by them. It is essential that the clients make their own decisions based on the data

How do I use the catalytic style? • Use open questions to encourage clients to describe their situation - but also accept the client’s perspective as the legitimate start point • Use ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘how’ questions to help clients explore the situation for themselves • Only use ‘why’ questions sparingly otherwise it will create an interrogatory atmosphere • Sometimes suggest data-gathering methodologies in order to collect more information about the situation - however, such suggestions should be made tentatively: the client should be allowed to develop their data-gathering approach wherever possible • Encourage clients to make their own decisions - do not allow yourself to be drawn into making the decision for them. Equally, do not offer your opinion on which decision is best

Above all . . . Do not hide a prescriptive suggestion behind a supposedly catalytic question e.g., “Have you tried...?” or “Would it be useful if...?”

We can use the confrontational style . . . • In situations where the clients are part of the problem and there are discrepancies between what they say they do (or think) and what they actually do (or think) in practice. • To highlight the implications of a client continuing with a current behaviour pattern • To point out the impact a client is having on you Confrontation does not involve blame or judgement. It objectively highlights the gap between what clients said they were going to do and what they actually did. The choice of what to do about the discrepancy remains with the client.

The assumptions underlying the use of the confrontational style are . . . • The client’s values, beliefs and behaviour are part of the problem that you are trying to resolve • The clients do not have insight into (or choose to ignore) discrepancies between their proclaimed values and their actual behaviour and its impact • If the discrepancies in behaviour are addressed the clients will have sufficient resources of their own to find a solution or satisfactory way forward • The clients have sufficient emotional resilience to undertake an examination of their behaviour and values and will be able to deal with the feelings likely to arise

How do I use a confrontational style • Point out discrepancies between what they think they do and what they actually do • Point out the implications of continuing with current behaviour • Confront clients with your own feelings about their behaviour • Use direct questions that help the client towards awareness and honesty • Present facts, counter-arguments and logic to help clients test their objectivity • Help clients examine any implications which could arise as a result of their behaviour • Present alternative frames of reference for clients to consider • Towards the end of the confrontation, summarise any decision(s) that have been taken

But above all . . . • Be ready for an adverse reaction from the client (denial, counter-accusations, anger, justification, displacement, blame etc) • Choose the right time to confront • Follow up to address any client feelings of hurt, loss of self image • Be prepared for the client to make an inappropriate decision about how to resolve the problem you have highlighted Apply the principles of giving and receiving good feed-back.

We can use the prescriptive style when . . . • The client genuinely does not know what to do or does not possess the relevant skills to find a satisfactory solution to the problem • The situation is critical and requires rapid action

There are four assumptions underlying the style • The consultant is an expert in a specialism appropriate to the client’s problem and is able to give sound advice • The consultant will be able to provide a satisfactory solution to the problem • The client will comply with and carry out the prescription • The client simply wants the problem alleviated and is happy to hand over all control and responsibility to the consultant

How do I use the prescriptive style • Use a professional approach probably devoid of social/personal niceties • Conduct a probing diagnostic investigation to determine what you need to know about the situation • Listen to the clients but with a view to diagnosing the problem and offering a solution • Take control of the intervention by telling clients directly how you perceive the problem or situation • Give expert advice- prescribe the ‘best’ solution or set of actions for the client to follow • Describe your solutions with confidence and authority and, if necessary, offer to supervise implementation

Above all . . . • Ensure that the client will really be receptive to this approach • Ensure that the problem lies fully within your field of expert competence - remember that you will be held fully accountable for any solutions you prescribe

In summary, coaching has a number of key dimensions • Coaching, or client-centred consulting, is an ongoing process not a sequence of isolated events • As individual consultants we must build trust with our clients using all the steps in the process from initial contact to disengagement • We must think through, carefully plan and review our coaching interventions • We must be prepared to use the full range of intervention styles and know when to switch between them • We must, at all times, have the highest standards of personal ethics in our individual relationships with our client — always have their best interests at heart • We must be open to coaching ourselves Above all never forget that an intimate relationship with a client is a privilege and that clients (and consultants) are human beings who have the right to be treated with respect.

Coaching for Results