Empowering Others in Action

FOCUSING QUESTIONS FOR CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

<p >To whom (in what situation) are you committed to provide coaching? Be specific.

• What opening/possibility do you see?
• What breakdown do you see given a commitment to a possibility?
• What is missing in terms of the competence of who you are committed to coach?
• What assessments do you make with respect to the person(s) you want to coach?

Is your relationship sufficient for coaching? Are they enrolled? Is there a demand?

• Do they see possibility for themselves?
• Are you and they clear about their commitments and conditions of satisfaction?
• Is conversation now future-oriented?
• Is there a ‘mood’ of enthusiasm for what is to be accomplished together?

<p >Is the coaching contract clear?<ul >

• What do you expect of coachee(s)?
• How will we handle breakdowns? Do you have their permission to lean into their blind spots?
• When, how often and in what forms will you communicate/meet?

What breakdowns do you anticipate in the coaching relationship/process? What actions can you now see that would be appropriate?

What strategies/circumstances have you used in the past to avoid commitment, quit or give up on someone else’s commitment? For example:

• Rationalize
• Get too busy
• Forget to follow up or follow through
• Give in to discomfort
• Not talk straight
• Try force

THE MODEL (Domains of Being/Communication)

Coaching<p >(Possibility)	Acting<p >(Process)	Results<p >(Outcomes)
Structures of InterpretationParadigmsContexts	PerformanceBehaviorExperience	ConceptsExplanationsStoriesMeasurable(s)
Changes with New Stands/Distinctions/Declarations	Changes with New Commitment /Practices in Time (for example, requests and promises)	Changes with New Action and Agreements (for example, accepted assertions)
LANGUAGE	BIOLOGY	HISTORY

THE PROCESS

<ul >

• Look for openings
• Is there an opening?
• Assessment
• Design conversation
• Coaching
• Is coachee enrolled?
• Follow-up #1
• Can coachee see opening?
• Design next conversation
• Coaching
• Acknowledge progress
• Can coachee self-generate?
• Acknowledge progress
• Etc.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR COACHING

<ul >

• Performance Assessment
• Breakdowns (business, projects, personal)
• Broken Promises
• Requests for Coaching
• Observed ‘Missing’ (for example, a new skill)
• Hallway Conversations

COACHING COMPETENCIES

<ul >

• Ability to observe/listen for gap between possibility and action
• Ability to communicate so that coachee can ‘see’ what coach sees
• Ability to enroll, engage and support coachee in taking new action
• Ability to assist coachee(s) to complete past wins and failures (to be present)

COACHING SKILLS

<ul >

• Speaking
• Listening
• Declaring and Resolving Breakdowns
• Assessing
• Designing Conversation / New Practices

BACKGROUND QUALITIES

<ul >

• Ground Rules
• Self-Consistency
• Flexibility/Creativity
• Patience
• Compassion