“A student learns as much from the master’s quality of being as from the master’s knowledge and technical skills.” Robert Hargrove.
Masterful coaches enable others to consistently deliver superior results in real time in circumstances which are complex and changeful. In other words, they enable others to consistently achieve peak performance regardless of specific circumstances. Do you have challenging performance goals? Are you being asked to deliver more with less? Are you being asked to step up your level of innovation? Do you need to achieve these goals through the work of your direct reports? If you answered yes to these questions, you need to become a masterful coach: Someone who inspires others to reach higher, dig deeper and achieve new levels of “unthinkable” success.
The first key to becoming a masterful coach is to hone and develop your core coaching skills. This knowledge and these technical skills are foundational. These are necessary, but not sufficient competencies required for becoming a masterful coach.
So, what are these core coaching skills? My research indicates that these include:
A Coaching Model or Framework
Deep Listening
Asking the Right Questions
Providing Direct Feedback
Reading Between the Lines
Mental Agility
I want to start by talking about using a coaching model. When you coach your direct reports, do you do this off the cuff, on the fly, or haphazardly? Or, do you approach this conversation using a consistent model and framework? The benefits of using a using a consistent framework include: Setting clear expectations, definition of the gap, improved ownership and accountability for results, and better results Your direct reports will start to anticipate your questions before you ask them, and they will soon come prepared with answers before the questions ever cross your lips.
So how do you coach virtually anyone about anything? Whether it’s a 5 minute project conversation or a one hour career conversation? What do you say? What questions do you ask? How do you maximize peak performance?
We’ve been using this model for 16 years to enable leaders to COACH their direct reports to reach higher, dig deeper and achieve new levels of “unthinkable” success.
And, it all starts with a simple conversation based on our proprietary COACH ® model:
C= Challenges. What is the current challenge or goal?
O= Observed. What is the current situation? What have you and others observed?
A= Attribution. What is the root cause of the gap? What do you attribute this to?
C= Choices. What are your choices or options to close the gap?
H= How. How will you move forward? What will you do to address the gap?
Are you interested in learning more? Contact us to discuss our one day training program for you or your leaders: GAME ON! Coaching for Results.
Dr. Deb Weiler, Organizational Psychologist, ICF Master Certified Executive Coach
FASTLANE Coaching: Your Peak Performance Experts