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