The learning environment

Coaching offers you a framework to think, understand yourself, understand others, identify where the blocks/barriers are and create a better future. It offers perspective.
The core of coaching is about building rapport, asking powerful questions and setting goals. The role of a Coach is to ask questions and allow the individuals they are coaching to make self-directed discoveries and decisions based solely on their own analysis and know-how. It could be described as a “learn by doing” approach.

Things to do:

Know yourself

• In order to coach others you need to have a certain level of self awareness. One way to get to know yourself a bit better is to complete a personality assessment, like the DISC assessment. Go to tonyrobbins.com to complete this assessment for free.

Know others

• The above assessment will give you an overview of all 4 personality profiles and will help you to understand that we all act from a different frame of reference due to our personalities, beliefs and values. As a coach you need to be empathetic and open to how other people experience situations.

Build rapport

• Building rapport is not necessary getting someone to like you but rather creating an atmosphere where an individual feels safe and comfortable. When you coach someone you have to put them at ease.
  • Ensure that the environment you meet them in is private and comfortable.
  • Use your body langauge to relax them, namely, a warm smile, open gestures and a relaxed way of sitting.
  • Start the conversation with something you know they feel confident speaking about.
  • Offer them a framework for the coaching session.
  • Share something about yourself.

Ask questions

• Before you meet prepare 3 to 5 questions that will ensure that you cover the following:
  • What are they currently experiencing in a given situation?
  • What do they want – what would the ideal be?
  • What are they assuming?
  • What ideas do they have to move them closer to what they want?
  • What is the action plan?

Offer feedback

• Use the ‘feedback sandwich’ when giving feedback:
  1. Make a positive statement about them and/or their behaviour.
  2. Offer them constructive criticism and have a discussion about what can be learnt and what needs to change.
  3. Ask them how they need to be supported with the above.
  4. End with something positive about them and/or their behaviour.

Is there someone who comes to mind who would benefit from a coaching session with you?

Watch this video to understand the difference between coaching and training.