Honest Coaching
I think that you have to be honest in coaching, this applies to both parties envolved. A straight forward approach to start the dialog I think works best but does that fit the person you are trying to coach? I have found that if I get the individual to first but into the reasons for a coahing session the easier it can be to get to the root of why it is needed, at that time we can be truthful, honest and open in our dialog to resolve any issues that are to be discussed.
Mark,
you are right honesty is important & can be presented in a very constructive & kind way. Ultimately, it is for the best of the students.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Honest of couse is necessary in any dialog, I feel coaching must always be of a positive nature so you can build trust and maintain good positive feedback. It is difficult to find gentile ways to be honest sometimes.
Ian,
it is true that it's difficult to be honest & gentle, but we must be honest to be truly helpful to our employees.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I am currently being coached in a personal endeavor. I find that I am best coached by my coach helping me see where my behaviors don't lead me to my goal(s). In being an honest advocate, I can hear things that brought to me in another manner, might not be accepted so well. I really can understand where honest and directly stated coaching, will help me help others reach their/our goals.
Alise,
yes, generally a coach is effective when he/she can help us see the "traps" that we're caught in & don't realize it. We also have to be willing to listen to our coaches.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
In some ways supervisors call it "coaching" but are truly just trying to get you to be a "yes wom/an". I have found it difficult to hear how some managers have approached coaching. For instance, if a manager would like an employee to complete a project, but does not like how the employee approaches the project, the manager will then tell them HOW to do it. That is not coaching.
I guess I am trying to say that being honest is imperative to achieve success, but who's honest? A manager who wants it done their way and may see what an employee is doing as being incorrect; or the employee who is trying to grow and learn and would like honest feedback and suggestion rather than "Do it this way because I said so."
Also, I wonder if a manager's skewed perception creates distrust and what they feel is a time for "coaching" or if an employee could truly use some feedback and projects for growth.
Tangee,
this is a good point & I agree with you. True coaching requires the manager to give honest feedback on true performance & not on preferences.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I would submit that the path to honest coaching is cleared by forming an emotional bond with the coachee. It is much easier to hear criticism from individuals who we feel may have some interest and emotional investment in our success. That is why a critical component of coaching happens even before the "teachable moments" arise-team building. A manager's ability to rally the "troops" around the groups mutual goals and to demonstrate how the groups success is tied to individuals themselves finding success, forms a tight bond to potential coachees. This bond again, removes the resistence people have to criticism. For managers it is not enough to grow and develop the business, we must also be able to grow and develop the talent around us.
should always be honest straight forward and willing to look for solution to problems in timely manner
I agree Shannon. I have always felt that you have to show you believe in the development of staff. It is more than honest. You have to approach coaching in a way that is caring and respectful. Sometimes when we are honest we are not always delivering in a way we want information delivered to us. Taking that into consideration and the personal preference of those we coach is important. It is also important when the delivery is wrong we take responsibility for that as well admit the fault and work with the person to create the bond to help them continue in their development. Everyone does want to get better it is just in the delivery and coaching that helps them.
Amy,
this is a great point & one to be well considered. The delivery of information is important along with the honesty.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
