I’m supposed to be a coach - but what am I supposed to do?

1. Ask questions and don’t give the answers. 

2. Focus on what great performance is, what it looks like and feels like. 

3. Focus on what great performance is from the customer’s point of view; ask customers. 

4. Raise expectations and look to where they can be. 

5. Clarify the linkage between the current assignment and personal longer term goals. 

6. Focus on self determination of how performance will be measured. 

7. Identify the skills that need to be learned or strengthened.

8. Identify the work and learning experiences that need to occur to achieve the goals.

9. Focus on developing the person, not the scoreboard.

10. Get good coaching yourself so you know what it feels like.

The Effective Coaching Context

Your role as coach is to create a structure within which the ‘coachee’ can focus his or her energy.

The experience is person centered and appropriate to the person being 'coached.'

The guidance and ‘interventions’ of the coach respond to the developmental level of the 'coachee.'

Focus on what great performance would look and feel like, including your coaching.

Consider:

People rise to the challenge when it is their challenge.

Leaders add value by helping people feel powerful rather than helpless.

Look in the mirror! How must I be different to be effective? I am the problem. Accepting that enables me to be the solution.

Restrain yourself from helping people out of their responsibilities.

The only right answer is the one that works. 

People who know how well they are doing will do well. People perform what they measure. Measure the 'right stuff.'

Demonstrate and model great performance. Walk the talk, really. 

Change the scenery. Head for the park, or just about anywhere other than in your office across your desk.

Coaching is ‘enabling’ - provide focus and direction, tools, information and insight, and removing obstacles.

Am I learning fast enough? It’s never fast enough!

The Leadership Imperative is inspired by and incorporates many of the concepts in - Flight of the Buffalo - Soaring to Excellence, Learning To Let Employees Lead - by James Belasco and Ralph Stayer, Warner Books, New York, 1994.