Coaching in the Workplace

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Coaching in the Workplace

• Peter Beaman BSc
• Social Psychology Technician/Academic Related
• Loughborough University
• Email sspeb_at_lboro.ac.uk
• Web Site http//www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/sspeb/index
  .htm

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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
• Whats its use? (Learn about potential of
  improving ones 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!!

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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 ones 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 peoples performance?
• (May be! Motive is a key, with self awareness of
  concern and sense of responsibility (not blaming)
  for ones 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).

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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/1
  053.aspx?tab2
• 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 years e-Membership of ILM through
  their Website which provides support/information/o
  nline courses/e-resources. https//www.i-l-m.com/
  NB Can progress to Certificate level for
  Professional Workplace Coaches.

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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).

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Coaching in the Workplace Hows 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 coachees given the option to
  withdraw throughout the coaching process.

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Coaching in the Workplace Hows it done?
(2) Next to send by email all coachees
preliminary information about coaching (gave
websites for them to familiarise themselves) e.g.
http//www.coachingnetwork.org.uk/resourcecentre/W
hatAreCoachingAndMentoring.htm and to mutually
arrange a suitable time/date, length of session,
and place for the coaching to happen. The idea
is that Coachees 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).

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Coaching in the Workplace - Hows it done?

• (4) Start with basic introduction (i.e. not
  trained coach but trainee coach) background to
  coaching itself, whats 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.

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Coaching in the Workplace - Hows 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 coachees own ideas. I
  mainly started with a baseline assessment tool
  called the Job Performance Wheel (show Picture)
  which allows exploration of the persons 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.

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Coaching in the Workplace - Hows 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.

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Coaching in the Workplace Next Stage

• Therefore with all these tools at ones 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 Egans Skilled
  Helper as it is very useful in counselling
  empathygtaction.
• 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).

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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 dont 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.

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Coaching in the Workplace - Thoughts

• Thoughts on being a coach/technical support use?
• Some changes noticed in my work routine.
• More emotionally ready to be tolerant with staff
  and students (keep calm and be reflective, use
  Visual Imagery)
• Less judgmental, more mindful of what I am saying
  (with tone, speed information especially with
  International Students)
• Look for alternative solutions to
  problems/situations.
• When helping students ASK rather than TELL them.
• Provide clear and timely feedback/answers on
  Email and other correspondence.
• Going from ignoring the main problem to tackling
  it first thing daily!

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Coaching in the Workplace The Sage Speaks

• Words of Wisdom
• Its not the tool its 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.
• Dont 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.

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Coaching in the Workplace At the end

• At 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 didnt 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 coachees
  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.

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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 doesnt have to be
  the expert. Just guide the coachee along the
  right path/s

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Coaching in the Workplace So wheres 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
  Ill do it!
• Very good at role play/feedback/assertiveness/Oka
  y Ill 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

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Coaching in the Workplace - Summarising

• Summary
• Coaching is a way of motivating (encouraging,
  supporting, empowering) and challenging peoples
  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?

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Coaching in the Workplace Those Refs

• References
• http//www.coachfederation.org/ICF/ForCoachingCl
  ients/WhatisaCoach/FAQs/
• http//www.mentoringforchange.co.uk/ Useful
  resources to increase your coaching effectiveness
• http//www.dynamictransformation.co.uk/executive-c
  oach.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.

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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)
• ASK a Question