Editing Coaching (section)

== Coaching: A Five-Step Process ==
[[File:Coaching.png|thumb]]
There are five steps in the coaching process. While contexts vary, these five steps provide a simple framework for effective coaching in organizing.

=== 1 Inquire & Observe ===
When you are observing a coachee’s actions or someone comes to you for help, your first inclination may be to draw conclusions from the initial observations you make. Instead, be present with the coachee and start by listening, asking questions, and closely observing what they say and do so that you can both dig deeper into the challenge(s) at hand. 

Ask yourself: what do I see and hear? 

For example, is the coachee struggling to recruit people to their leadership team? Is the coachee articulating feelings of frustration or fatigue? Is the coachee struggling to complete routine tasks correctly or on time? 

Remember, challenges aren’t always obvious, and, sometimes, the bulk of the coach’s work is simply supporting the coachee in discovering the nature of the obstacle they’re facing. “Backtracking” can help both coach and coachee uncover the challenge(s) by summarizing the problem and checking if the coach’s understanding is accurate. Here are some sample backtracking statements and questions: <blockquote>''“Let me be clear about this...”'' 

''“Let me see if I’ve got this right...”'' 

''“What I’m hearing you say is ____. Is that right?”''</blockquote>

=== 2 Diagnose ===
Challenges in organizing usually fall into one or more of the following three categories: strategic, motivational, and skills challenges – or “'''head, heart, hands'''” – and how you coach depends on the nature of the challenge. 

Ask yourself: ''what is the nature of the challenge and how will I intervene?'' 

From the examples above, if the coachee is struggling to recruit people to their leadership team, you might focus on the coachee’s understanding of '''strategy''' (head), or how they are approaching recruiting people and ask them questions to explore their plan and how it might need to be modified. On the other hand, if the coachee is articulating feelings of frustration or fatigue in recruiting leaders, you might focus on the coachee’s '''motivation''' (heart) and offer encouragement. Lastly, if the coachee is struggling to implement their strategy or plan well, you might focus on the coachee’s '''skills''' (hands) and offer learning or practice to make sure they have mastery over the necessary skills.

<div style="background-color:#eee; padding:1em; border:1px solid #ccc;"> <p>Coaching is not only about addressing challenges and problem-solving. Inquisitive coaching – that is, asking questions with the aim of supporting people in uncovering their own answers – is an invaluable practice in developing our stories and devising strategy.</p> <p>In storytelling, the coachee will always know more about their own story than their coach. By asking inquisitive questions, we can offer them the opportunity to revisit or think more deeply about their own motivations and values. In strategizing, having a coach ask good questions can strengthen the strategy by surfacing unnamed assumptions or gaps in strategic thinking, as well as lead the coachee towards more creative and effective strategic choices.</p> </div>

=== 3 Plan ===
Now it’s time to support the coachee in '''creating a plan for moving forward'''. This plan should take the form of specific, timely steps the coachee will take to address the challenge(s) articulated in Step 2. Here are some sample questions you could ask the coachee in order to come up with next steps: <blockquote>''“If you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you do?”'' 

''“How will you put this new information into practice?”'' 

''“What is the very next step in moving forward?”'' 

''“What resources and support do you need to accomplish this task?”'' 

''“When will you do this by?”''</blockquote>

=== 4 Act ===
Next, step back and '''observe the coachee in action'''. Give them time and space to take steps to address their challenge(s). Avoid the urge to do it for them.

=== 5 Check-in ===
Now it’s time to hold the coachee accountable and support them in debriefing what happened. 

Ask yourself: how do I help the coachee in reflecting on their experience? 

Assess whether the diagnosis of the challenge and plan making were successful. 

You may realize that you need to repeat Steps 1-4 and support the coachee in coming up with a different plan for addressing the same challenge, or it’s time to celebrate success!  

<div style="background:#f5f5f5; border:1px solid #ddd; padding:1em 1.25em; border-radius:6px;"> <p>When setting next steps it is helpful to have clear achievable goals. The SMARTI goal framework can help us set criteria for effective goals:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Specific:</strong> the goal should be about one thing. If there are multiple next steps, make multiple goals.</li> <li><strong>Measurable:</strong> it should be obvious when the goal has been accomplished. Set goals so that you can measure whether you are successful.</li> <li><strong>Achievable:</strong> push yourself a little, but don’t set goals that are unrealistic.</li> <li><strong>Results-Oriented:</strong> your goal should be about the outcome, not the process. For example, if your goal is to make reminder phone calls to volunteers, make the goal about how many people you will talk to, not how much time you will spend on the phone.</li> <li><strong>Timely:</strong> set a date and time deadline for your goal.</li> <li><strong>Inspiring:</strong> set goals that make you feel excited! Frame the wording and intention of your goal to be about the exciting impact you will have!</li> </ul> </div>

Next, start again! Nurturing a culture of coaching – whereby organizers are consistently and constantly enabling others to find solutions to meet challenges – is fundamental to leadership development and building power in organizing. 

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==== Further reading ====

* Hackman, R and Wageman, R. (2005). A Theory of Team Coaching. ''Academy of Management Review'', 30:2, 269-287. http://amr.aom.org/content/30/2/269.abstract
* Gawande, A. (2011). Personal Best. ''The New Yorker''. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/10/03/personal-best