Coaching in the Workplace Peter Beaman BSc

Social Psychology Technician/Academic Related

Loughborough University

Email sspeb@lboro.ac.uk

Web Site http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~sspeb/index.htm

Coaching in the Workplace - Summary

Why? (Certified course available, ILM Award level 3, my post has high contact

time with students/special needs, researchers, other support staff). Also National

Survey found nearly 20% of us have a welfare/pastoral role

What’s its use? (Learn about potential of improving one’s own work performance,

attitudes, understanding, self awareness/reflection)

Who can benefit? (Oneself, others at work, family/friends)

How did I find it? (Great, a real boast in terms of seeing coaching LIVE in action,

(not just theory and role played based) and see tangible results with those I had

coaching sessions with. Confidence grew with using the tools and resources that

are available. Overall, gained (a) Knowledge, (b) Skills and (c) Techniques

Next? Possible to progress to Level 5 as Level 3 is the starting point!!

Coaching in the Workplace – Useful?

What its use? Just a passing fad? Time off work? No it is part of my CPD and Personal Development

Improve one’s own work performance?(Yes definitely, feel challenged, invigorated, knowing more about how

people tick through knowledge acquisition, experiencing coaching (role play) and using coaching tools)

Improve other people’s performance?(May be! Motive is a key, with self awareness of concern and sense of

responsibility (not blaming) for one’s own actions)

Improve the overall department's performance ?(who are you kidding- this is less likely, but miracles can happen. I try

to micro-coach people now in my work – subtly of course, more open minded, look for alternatives, unpack issues, etc).

Coaching in the Workplace – Course Details

So what is the Institute of Leadership and Management Course in Workplace Coaching?

Answer : Vocational Related Qualification & transferablehttp://www.i-l-m.com/learn-with-ilm/1053.aspx?tab=2

Course divided into five units, three theory/practice days and two supervision and feedback periods.

Course completed with 2 assignments (Work Based Outcomes (mainly theory) and a Coaching Diary (mainly practice) – including supervision/feedback on our coaching experience).

Also gain one year’s e-Membership of ILM through their Website which provides support/information/online courses/e-resources. https://www.i-l-m.com/

NB: Can progress to Certificate level for Professional Workplace Coaches.

Coaching in the Workplace – Me a Coach?

What makes a good Coach? Can anyone be one?

The characteristics of a good coach are extensive

but should include these abilities/skills:

Being an active listener, able to empathise, build good rapport and trust, being open and genuine, a good observer of body language and NVCs (non verbal cues), use intuition and insight, ability to raise self-awareness and responsibility in the coachee, and challenge self limiting beliefs and also use a range of coaching models (e.g. GROW = Goal, Reality, Options, Wrap Up) and assessment tools (VAK = Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic preference).

Coaching in the Workplace – How’s it done?

How I did my Coaching in the Workplace(1) Found individuals that I got on well with. These ranged from a

third year undergraduate student (with special needs), two International Masters Students and one PhD Student.

Strangely those chosen for coaching were all 1) mature youngest 24, oldest 33, 2) were keen to participate and 3) perhaps identified with me as I have also been a mature student.

No one was forced into the coaching arena, purely voluntary and coachee’s given the option to withdraw throughout the coaching process.

Coaching in the Workplace – How’s it done?

(2) Next to send by email all coachee’s preliminary information about coaching (gave websites for them to familiarise themselves)

e.g. http://www.coachingnetwork.org.uk/resourcecentre/WhatAreCoachingAndMentoring.htm

and to mutually arrange a suitable time/date, length of session, and place for the coaching to happen. The idea is that Coachee’s should feel in control of the whole setup situation not the coach.

(3) The first meeting/session. Check to see if the venue is okay, how they feel, again stress they are free to stop at any time, confidentiality guaranteed and that the process is based on non-judgmental attitude, equality, respect for diversity, good work practice (competence, boundaries, ethics).

Coaching in the Workplace - How’s it done?

(4) Start with basic introduction (i.e. not trained coach but trainee coach) background to coaching itself, what’s it like and what its not like – forward thinking. Check that body language/posture is relaxed and restful (i.e. making sure NVCs are okay (tone of voice, eye contact, friendly gestures).

(5) First pre-coaching questions to test the water and elicit some facts about the person (values, beliefs, motives, achievements, strengths and weaknesses). The stress on active listening and not interrupting crucial for the person to take on the conversation with occasional paraphrases and clarifications and for the coach to develop rapport and trust.

Coaching in the Workplace - How’s it done?

(6) Next when enough useful information gained to move onto the actual coaching plan which might reveal itself in different ways depending on the approach used and the coachee’s own ideas.

I mainly started with a baseline assessment tool called the Job Performance Wheel (show Picture) which allows exploration of the person’s world at this moment in time and can be quite enlightening.

NOTE: This is a behaviour change or performance indicator and may not always be useful.

Coaching in the Workplace - How’s it done?

(7) Also used the VAK Learning style and/or Learning Preference Questionnaires which look at the way in which a coachee engages with the world (visually, auditory, kinaesthetic) and if they are theorists, reflectors, activists, or/and pragmatists.

These tools are only to allow the coach and coachee to understand better and communication on the same level. There are many others, including motivation level (Maslow), Emotional Intelligence, Personality assessments (EPI, 16PF) to name a few options to consider.

Coaching in the Workplace – Next Stage

Therefore with all these tools at one’s disposal does this make coaching merely a form of psychological assessment?

Not really, they are only some resources to help find and show the coachee how they function in their world.

The next step is to find out what the coachee would like to work on (the goal, target, task, dream). Build the coaching relationship using the different coaching models (or combination of models : - I preferred using Egan’s Skilled Helper as it is very useful in counselling = empathy>action.

This is the interesting part!!! But it must be stated the first coaching session is really just the beginning. It would be advantageous to have the person moving towards not just the first thing on their mind (ST) but looking further ahead (LT).

Coaching in the Workplace – Goals/Targets

Seems that most of my coachee have ‘immediate’ goals (dissertations, essay deadlines, exams).

However, these were what I call immediate P ‘target or task’ goals, I also wanted to see what else there was.

Seems most students don’t have the BIG PLAN/PICTURE which I discovered is common in the 25-35 age group. CHOICE

Also Values (culture, family, peers), Beliefs (can be Self-Limiting, inaccurate/not true), are important which were elicited in the pre-coaching questioning.

Finding the real potential of the coachee is paramount. Also knowing when ‘to push’ and when to ‘back down’.

Coaching in the Workplace - Thoughts

Thoughts on being a coach/technical support use?Some changes noticed in my work routine.

1. More emotionally ready to be tolerant with staff and students (keep calm and be reflective, use Visual Imagery)

2. Less judgmental, more mindful of what I am saying (with tone, speed + information – especially with International Students)

3. Look for alternative solutions to problems/situations.4. When helping students ASK rather than TELL them.5. Provide clear and timely feedback/answers on Email and

other correspondence. 6. Going from ignoring the main problem to tackling it first thing

daily!

Coaching in the Workplace – The Sage Speaks

Words of Wisdom “Its not the tool it’s the way that you use it.” Meaning you can

use any assessment or resource tool you like but it is how you engage it with the coachee that determines its success.

Don’t suggest or give advice rather do brainstorming and allow the person to be creative (What would you do if you had enough money/resources?) and only act ‘can I put an idea into the equation?’ as a last resort.

Coachees can generate very good solutions to what they need to achieve (through self reflection/awareness/insight/questions)

The Past has happened, the Future is more important/Key.

Coaching in the Workplace – At the endAt the end of the coaching process (total time 7 hours)

A lot of self-reflection and supervision was needed with the tutor of the programme and one to one tutorials to understand what ‘went well’ and what ‘didn’t go so well’.

Self Reflection as some emotional content needs to be looked into (anger, frustration felt by coachees’)

Supervision as one needs to talk to a more experienced coach to understand the coachee’s view of the world.This was important as I felt in one instance I ought to check some information out about what one student was saying during the session. My Coach/supervisor said ‘get permission first’ or you are breaking confidentiality.

Coaching in the Workplace – So?

Therefore

Coaching is not mentoring, training, counselling, therapy although it can have elements of them within it. Each coach is different and has different abilities to use at his/her disposal

The best results I found were when one was relaxed, fully aware/reflective, mindful, asking open ended questions, insightful, being 100% honest and truthful and,

When the coachee has agreed to work towards a goal, a task, and understands that you (coach) are going to support them with it and be there for them when they need it. Coaching is a mutually exclusive equal partnership.

Remember in coaching the Coach doesn’t have to be the expert. Just guide the coachee along the right path/s

Coaching in the Workplace – So where’s my Coach?

Good Question.

Well I believe there is a coach for everyone. I just happen to know one called MY WIFE.

Because?????

• Very good at listening/encouraging/pushing/Okay I’ll do it!

• Very good at role play/feedback/assertiveness/Okay I’ll do it!

• Very good at saying what is going wrong/right ‘yes/no Dear’

Point is here a coach could be your best friend, a minister, brother, professional development member of staff/PE Coach

Coaching in the Workplace - Summarising

Summary Coaching is a way of motivating (encouraging, supporting,

empowering) and challenging people’s performance Coaching is being genuine (empathy, open, honest) with people Coaching is using good communication skills (‘asking’

‘summarising’ ‘paraphrasing’, actively listening – being full on) Coaching is also psychological (reflecting, insight, intuition)

process and uses resource tools from both psychometrics (Personality, Maslow) and management backgrounds (Job Wheel) to allow people to be more effective and productive.

Coaching can be done face to face, by email or by telephone. It is EMPOWERING as it gives the person choice/responsibility So are you ready to be coached? If not why not?

Coaching in the Workplace – Those Refs

References

http://www.coachfederation.org/ICF/For+Coaching+Clients/What+is+a+Coach/FAQs/

http://www.mentoringforchange.co.uk/ Useful resources to increase your coaching effectiveness

http://www.dynamictransformation.co.uk/executive-coach.htm Job Performance Wheel

http://www.businessballs.com/ Free career training, learning, self-development ideas, materials, tips and tools for ethical personal and organisational development

http://www.i-l-m.com/ The Institute of Leadership and Management is the UK's premier management organisation PLUS Coaching Pychologist through Athens Website available at most HEIs.

Coaching in the Workplace – Books Qus

Books

Starr, J (2008) The Coaching Manual. Edinburgh: Pearson Education Limited (EXCELLENT)

Whitmore, J (2002) Coaching for Performance. London, Nicholas Brealey Publishing (GOOD).

Zeus, P and Skiffington, S (2007) The Complete Guide to Coaching at Work. Australia: McGraw-Hill. (TEXTBOOK – AVERAGE)

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