HOW TO

Be

The skills required to be a coach are very different than being coached.

Did you know that listening is a vital skill both for coaching and

for being coached? Did you know that a different kind of listening is

required for each? We’ll dive into the tips and skills that you may need for both instances. Life is all

about coaching, and we’ll show you why and how.

Whether you are new to coaching or are an established one, it is always good to stay current with coaching strategies and remain in a mentality of constant learning. The following are

essential elements to effective coaching.

As with any form of communication, listening is vital when coaching. The people you’re coaching need to know not just that you hear what they are saying but also that you are interested in

what they have to say.

Display curiosity in your expressions and reactions. Instead of thinking about your response while they speak, actually take in their comments and listen for anything helpful that you may not have

considered before.

CURIOUSLISTENING

After they have had their chance to speak, it can often help to briefly reflect on their ideas so that they know you heard, understood and valued their input.

Whether you do it by restating something they said or boiling it down to the main idea, they can at least see that

you truly were listening carefully.

INTERESTED REFLECTION

Coaching is rarely about simply providing answers for people. More often than not, people want to feel as though they have

worked to arrive at the answer.

When they come up with their own answers and solutions, they tend to act more quickly and positively

when it is their own idea.Asking well-crafted questions is an effective way to lead people

toward an answer without giving it to them outright. Additionally, you show them that you trust their own ability

to solve the issue and thereby promote self-worth.

THOUGHTFULQUESTIONS

Providing feedback is usually the part that feels the most like coaching. It’s when, after having listened carefully to your

protégés, you finally get to supply them with some helpful advice. This is not, however, a time for you to give negative criticism;

that time should never come.

Constructive criticism is what they need. Your suggestions should be complete so that they know what to do and encouraging

so that they feel adequate to do it.

CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK

The best feedback leaves them feeling empowered.

A pitfall for many would-be coaches is a limited perspective. It’s important for coaches to see issues from multiple

perspectives. Your perspective may not be the best one for the clients you’re coaching, so try to understand

their perspective as best as possible, and then hone your guidance respectively.

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

Whenever you are coaching people, there must always be an end goal. Do your best to discover the goals of the people you’re coaching and

consider whether they need to be adjusted. If the goal is too high and lofty to start with, perhaps it needs to be lowered

so that it is attainable.

You also may need to raise the goal if you think they aren’t challenging themselves. In either case, ensure that the goal is significant.

SIGNIFICANT GOALS

When they achieve it, they need to feel accomplished.

Coaching is a two-way street. For the best results, you need not only a skilled coach but also someone who is coachable. While some people are naturally coachable, others may need some help with how to be coached. Here are a few essential

things to do in order to be as coachable as possible.

By seeking out instruction, you are inherently asking to be a listener. Don’t spend the whole time talking and giving rebuttals.

your coach is there to help you, so there’s no need to defend yourself.

If coaches feel like you aren’t interested in their counsel, you will likely alienate them.

LISTEN CLOSELY

When you’re being coached, remember that you would not have sought out help if you didn’t need it. In light of that, allow your coach

to take complete leadership. In this given instance, you will benefit most from following, not leading.

This instills confidence in coaches because they will be able to see that you are choosing to

trust them and their direction.

FOLLOW ENTIRELY

In addition to following your coach, it is also important to do it eagerly.

Reluctant followers don’t make good followers. The formula is generally pretty simple: If you are eager to be

coached, your coach will be eager to coach you; if you are reluctant to be coached, you coach will be reluctant to coach you.

FOLLOW EAGERLY

When it is time to communicate what you need help with, be sure to tell your coach everything you know about the issue and be sure to express it clearly. If you leave out details or are vague and unclear,

you’re likely to get coaching that is unspecific and less helpful.

COMMUNICATE CLEARLY AND COMPLETELY

Openness yields the best results.

Your coach has hopefully tailored his advice to you and your needs, so take in as much of it as you can. Treat the advice you get as precious.

Get as much wisdom from your coach as possible, and when you feel like you’ve grasped everything, ask your coach

questions to draw out even more insight.

LEARN INTENTLY

Imitation is the highest form of flattery, so you can show your coach admiration for the help you received by passing along that advice to anyone else who might need it. If the

coaching truly worked, you now have your own personal success story to add to the instruction and make it even better.

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