This book is not about turning you into a Coach
Rather, it is about making you a leader, a manager, a human being rather than a “human-doing” who is more coach-like. Which means building this simple but difficult new habit.
The Habit?
The author of The Coaching Habit, Michael Bungay Stanier, encourages the reader to “stay curious a little longer, rush to action and advice-giving a little more slowly.”
Rustle up the Courage Necessary to Form a New Habit (“The Coaching Habit”)
Which requires all of us, as fellow leaders, to rustle up the courage necessary to form a new habit or series of habits (or continuously hone your craft re: habits if you’re one of the lucky ones to exhibit the Coaching Habits as outlined in the book).
Brene’ Brown says
In the book foreword, celebrated author Brene’ Brown offers: “Coaching is an art, and it’s far easier said than done.” Further, “It takes courage to ask a question rather than offer up advice, provide an answer or offer a solution.” Coaching isn’t easy, great coaching particularly difficult. If you’ve ever been coached by a great leader or coach, as I have, you easily recognize the difference between good coaching and bad coaching. And finally, this from Brown, “Giving the person the opportunity to find their own way, make their own mistakes and create their own wisdom is both brave and vulnerable.”
Tame Your Advice Monster
In the past, we’ve talked here and here about the value of leveraging part-time leaders and executive coaches to help businesses survive and thrive. According to author Stanier, coaching is an essential leadership behavior. Learn the art and application of the seven (7) questions from the book in your daily life enables you to a.) work less hard, and b.) have more impact.
“Every country song has three chords and the truth.” (Harlan Howard)
And, in case you missed it, HBR suggested that there are six (6) essential leadership skills. Needless to say, coaching was one of them. Good coaching correlates with a markedly positive impact on performance, climate (culture) and the bottom line.
Supplemental reading:
HBR and “Leadership that gets Results”
Leaders that I have been around
“The best coaches see the champion in you long before you see it yourself.”
With all that is going on day-to-day, they claim that they don’t have the time for the tedious work of teaching people and helping them grow. Let’s face it. We’re all stretched. When companies do invest in coaching for their executives, there is a disconnect between expected and actual results.
“You’re probably not getting very effective coaching, and you’re probably not delivering very effective coaching”
It May Be Time to Ask Yourself These Three (3) Questions
- Was the coaching that you receive (d) overly theoretical, complicated or worse yet boring and not grounded in the realities of everyday life?
- Did you take the time to embrace the coaching (see it for what it was without bias or opinion) thereby translating the new insights into action to do things differently in the future?
- In your coaching, were you quick to offer up a solution rather than take the time
“A great coach turns mistakes into lessons, lessons into habits, and habits into victories.”
It’s Really Not that Hard
- The books seven essential questions will give you most of what you need to get started. Your stakeholders, colleagues, partners and yeas, even your family will come to recognize and appreciate your efforts in this regard.
- You can coach someone successfully in TEN (10) minutes or less. Try it, you’ll like it.
- Coaching is best done in snippets, daily and informally.
- Spend some time investing in yourself and a new coaching habit. Along the way, with practice and patience, you’ll make yourself a great coach.
