DEVELOPING TRUST

You and your coach will work together to devise a developmental action plan that will enable you to reach your goal of improved leadership effectiveness. Your part in the process is to carry out this action plan and to complete your homework. Your coach's part is to give you support as you carry out the plan.

Your coach can support you best when you are completely honest about what you want to accomplish and what you need to reach your goal. Supply the coach with detailed information about what kind of support you find most helpful and the people to whom you can turn for support. Work with your coach to create a developmental support network.

As you and your coach work together and develop a high degree of trust, the coach will be better able to offer you many kinds of support. Different kinds of support serve different purposes—some kinds of support are more direct than others and some are more helpful in certain situations than others. Following are some examples of various supportive roles your coach can play:

Listening. Sometimes you need a sounding board for your ideas or frustrations. You may need to think out loud, explore a number of possibilities or scenarios, review events, or draw conclusions. Your coach can support you by reflecting back what he or she has heard you say, which gives you a chance to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges you face and how you might address them. Be willing to address these issues with your coach.

Accountability. A valuable service that your coach can provide is to hold you accountable for performing your action plans. The fact that your coach counts on you to execute those plans is motivating and supportive. Reporting your progress to the coach keeps you focused.

Encouragement. During your coaching engagement, you might occasionally get discouraged. You might feel stuck or that you've taken a step backward. Such feelings are part of any kind of personal change. Your coach will know how to keep you motivated and focused on your tasks and your ultimate goal. Let your coach know what kind of encouragement works best for you.

Celebration. When you have a breakthrough in your performance, it's important to recognize that achievement. Your coach can support you when it's inappropriate for you to celebrate with direct reports, colleagues, or your boss. By talking with your coach about your successes, you can find reinforcement for further developmental tasks.