In this part of the book we’ll look at the different ways you might use coaching in your workplace. We’ll look at coaching conversations that you plan, as well as coaching as a natural response to everyday conversations and questions. To help you link principles to actual behaviour, you’ll find structures of conversation as well as sample dialogue.
This part is intended to be read selectively, according to your needs, rather than read from front to back. I’ve given you four different scenarios in which coaching might happen, to show how coaching fits within each one. All the basic coaching principles discussed so far stay the same; it’s just your objectives for having the conversation that might be slightly different. Before you decide how much you want to read, please first become familiar with what type of circumstance each scenario caters for. That way you can start with what’s most relevant to you, and pick up on the other scenarios as you need them. It’s a little like a recipe book perhaps – you can flick through and see what you fancy, and what most suits you right now. And of course you can revisit any scenario in the future, as a guide for a particular situation when it crops up.
You’ll find a summary of what each scenario does below. First, let me explain how coaching occurs in the workplace.
Where and when can you coach?
Coaching principles work in a variety of situations and it’s useful to highlight the differences between those situations, as the structures that support them can be slightly different. By structures I simply mean the sequence of activities that build your conversational journey. For example, if you have regular one-to-one update meetings with subordinates, I’ll offer a simple structure called the Coaching Path to help you navigate that conversation. If, however, you’re in a busy work environment and want to coach more ‘in the moment’, then your approach will be different. So I’ll also offer you a reduced structure for those bite-sized conversations, i.e. where your coaching conversations may last 60 seconds or less. I call this shorter structure Response Coaching.
On-line or off-line – a useful distinction
I’ll use the terms ‘on-line’ and ‘off-line’ to describe your conversations in the heart of the action or away from it. For example, if we are at our desks engaged in the task of checking daily reports, that’s an on-line activity. If we walk away from that operational situation and sit in a meeting room with colleagues to discuss those reports, that’s an off-line activity. Both terms are imperfect as some activities appear one way but may actually be another, for example taking a pile of reports into a meeting room to work quietly – it’s sort of an off-line on-line activity! But let’s assume that generally when we talk about on-line, we mean activities in a live working environment that are being carried out as part of everyday business. And by off-line we refer to more planned discussions away from the operational work environment, perhaps in meeting rooms, canteens, anywhere away from our normal work base.
Where do you want to start coaching?
Now all you need to decide is, what are the situations in which you want to start to use coaching principles and behaviours? Use the following descriptions to help you choose which scenario most closely matches the type of coaching you might want to do first.
Chapter 10: Off-line session when the individual has the topic or agenda
This scenario is a scheduled meeting with a subordinate, where you want them to ‘own’ the session and be responsible for setting the objectives and desired outcome. Ideally they will come prepared with an idea of what they want to get from their time with you. And if they don’t, you’ll simply help them work out what they want to get from the meeting in the first few minutes. This scenario enables you to imagine more ‘pure coaching’ from you as manager, as your subordinate is encouraged to be responsible right from the start. I’ll use the Coaching Path to guide you through this conversation.
Chapter 11: Off-line session when the manager has the topic or agenda
This scenario also uses the Coaching Path. This is a meeting or conversation with a subordinate where you, as the manager, ‘own’ the agenda, i.e. you know what you want to get from the meeting and want to adopt a coaching style during the conversation. Here, we’re primarily referring to conversations relating to someone’s performance, where you may want to give constructive feedback (which will include some tougher messages or areas for development). In this example, the manager initiates the conversation and knows what they want to get from it, for example raise an issue or encourage change. As the imaginary manager here, your challenge is to coach and facilitate the conversation, for example by being less directive. So you’ll want to engage the subordinate in the conversation as soon as possible in order to create a collaborative session rather than a reprimand. If you’re looking to learn how to give feedback in a coaching style – this is the one.
Chapter 12: Off-line session when both the individual and the manager have things to discuss
This is a meeting with a colleague or subordinate where the subordinate has objectives for the conversation and so do you. As manager, your agenda is less to give tough messages or developmental feedback and more around simple agenda items, for example ‘I’d like an update on how X is going’. By blending the principles of the previous two scenarios, we are able to flex between the two. This scenario also uses the structure of the Coaching Path.
Chapter 13: On-line conversation – Response Coaching in a live environment
This scenario shows how coaching can occur as a natural behavioural response by a manager in a busy work environment. When faced with quick questions, issues or even complaints, managers can choose to coach issues rather than fix them. Using the Response Coaching model, coaching becomes as easy as one, two, three. If you’re managing a busy team and frequently get asked questions, or are expected to solve problems, this scenario is for you!