Coaching Via Other Domains

Other Domains

Those of us who deal with top performers (including athletes as well as CEO’s) can benefit from the ideas of experts in fields other than our own.

Connecting ideas from differing domains (fields) is an activity of the best coaches I hear … as I listen to lots of recordings from really struggling to accomplished masters.  Call it what you wish but connecting by means of story, metaphor and analogy has major impact on another person as long as there is no attachment by the coach to what the client thinks or does about it.

Recently, I completed Jim Collins’ new tome: Great By Choice (an awesome title). Collins is heavy into research (as exhibited by Good To Great) which approach pleases me no end (of course).  Comparisons always make it with a visual learner like me.

This brief blog is not about the book or the research … it’s about impact, impact on a client’s thinking and acting from the point-of-view of an entirely different domain.  Who wouldn’t want to be great; who wouldn’t want that to be by choice? 

Something About Organization Coaching

While listening to the genius music of Pink Floyd after viewing their bio on the Biography Channel, it occurred to me there are some aspects to organization culture that need bold thinking.

It's not unusual to assume that a smoothly operating organization culture is important to maintain. I was even thinking that coaching could help that along ... you know, by fitting in and smoothly supporting the status quo.

Whoa! In the world of the arts, it's darn unusual for the greatest works to be "smoothly" created (or any number of words that say the same thing). I like to use metaphors to gain understanding ... e.g. relating business to art. I don't see or imagine anything about creativity that could be smooth, without challenges and obstacles. It's asking a lot of the creative process to be ordinary.

Ergo, the great works of art (you pick your favorites) took something special to create. Even the tiniest of ideas can be difficult to bring to life. Yet, you and I do this all this time or a lot of the time.

What  does that have to do with coaching? Well, I'm not sure at this point. Suffice to say, I have the idea that an extraordinary company as with an extraordinary work of art, will tolerate and accept the struggle of creative thinking.

Building the Foundation

Been reading science articles.

There’s no intention for me to become an expert in order to coach scientists.  What I am learning is how to think about the future.  If coaching is a “future focused” profession, does this not make sense?

If you follow my Tweets you will have regular ReTweets that come from NASA and other science-oriented websites.  Today, for instance, I sent my grandson two articles: one about the solar coronal mapping process, the other about a way to picture quantum physics.  So, hey!  If I can learn from these, why not you?

What I learn from the articles and studies:

1.       Simplicity is where it’s at.

2.       Color and other visual aids are immensely helpful.

3.       The universe is beyond fascinating.

The first one is ‘simplicity.’  Over the many years I’ve been coaching, one thing I learned pretty early on is that coaching is not complicated … people are … but coaching per se is not. 

Think of it … eleven core competencies (should be only 9 but that’s covered in prior blogs) is a pretty simple list to learn and then utilize as the background foundation of every coaching conversation.  My favorite analogy for this is best demonstrated by the building of a house:  generally speaking you and I don’t see the foundation and the internal structure at all. The purpose of a house is to safely house the person(s) living there.  Oh sure, in my house there is a plethora of art work (sort of like my stories when coaching) and a lot of my own design … always mindful of the structure that makes it all happen.

Well, that’s it for now.  Have not been blogging as of late; working to secure a new life here in Canada seems to be the order of the day.  That is going well.  Oh, I am writing a book but at every turn I find other areas to include or at least learn about.  Guess you know I am a non-linear thinker with interests all over the place.  So be it.

The Fine Art of Letting Your Client Do the Work

I often hear the interpretation of a coach’s support of a client and client’s goals/objectives/and aspirations go frankly way overboard.  Here’s an example:
“I’m so thrilled to hear you’re taking that assignment. What an inspiration you are for us all. I know you’ll be successful. I’ll work with you to make that happen. Here are some of my ideas.”

Whoops! Who is talking about whom? The coach immediately (it seems) has taken on her client’s achievement as if coach’s own in some way. Does this not take away from client being the center of the coaching conversation?

Other ways a coach can go overboard in support:

• Being Directive. Coach giving instructions to client as to how to do/achieve/view some idea or another. As an evaluator I hear coaches who are anxious to ensure client success by giving helpful suggestions. So often this is way too much and not in the relationship of partners exploring options.
• Effusive Cheerleading. Coach uses words like “great!!” (with much emphasis). I often hear this kind of reaction becoming a catalyst for coach shifting to coach’s point of view which may not be what client is experiencing.
• No Acknowledgement. “Stepping Over the Obvious” is never an effective reaction to something that has happened, is happening or is important to client for some reason.

How does a coach support his/her client without making it about the coach?  Well, here are a few ideas for starters. My language may not be yours. The relationship of coach to client also determines how a coach approaches this kind of moment.

“Congratulations! I hear excitement in your voice.” (let client describe his/her own feelings)

“Here’s a high-five! What would you like me to know about your achievement?” (discover the underlying thoughts, ideas, emotions the client is experiencing)

“You worked very hard to reach this goal. I’m so pleased for you.” (adds just a personal touch to the coach/client relationship as it is at this point)

“Congratulations! What do you see now going forward?” (moving the conversation along)

Right now I’m doing research and writing about coaching.

The Natural Laws of Business

While I rushed to blog in January, February just flew by (well, there were after all fewer days).

I'm re-reading Richard Koch's The Natural Laws of Business. This time I'm seeking to figure out how to discuss these laws and their relevance and relationship to coaching and the business of coaching. 

When I taught Behavioral Science in grad school, I used this work as my text during a semester until my program chair asked me to teach with a more traditional text next time around. I'll always remember how much my students enjoyed Koch's work. I recall the energy they showed as they developed amazing ideas that were generated from his theses.

Well, as the "winter that wasn't" moves on, I'm enjoying the birds, squirrels and trees that are heavily involved in an early springtime.

Developing a Coaching Culture in an Organization

It occured to me today that I should not let January 2012 go flying by as if it didn't exist, which it surely does.  And I am not referring to the upcoming, in process U.S. election stuff.

I've been thinking about what it takes to build a "coaching culture" in an organization that becomes more than an idea of the moment. Here's a start ... with ideas most definitely welcomed.

1. It takes a commitment to coaching beyond it being just another good idea;
2. It takes experience with the effects and impact of coaching on at least one group in the organization (as opposed to one person);
3. It takes a financial commitment that is realistic and well-conceived;
4. It takes a way to measure the effectiveness of coaching over time;
5. It takes a realistic approach to what coaching can help an organization accomplish;
6. I would guess it takes having an annual evaluation of the impact of coaching that can solidify a commitment over time and change.
7. It surely takes an organized approach to the whole process: who gets a coach being the primary decision (aside from budget considerations);
8. It takes an understanding of the coaching process, what to expect and not expect from coaching, and what standards need to be adopted, especially with regard to the coaches who are engaged.

I know  there are more ideas to develop as I prepare a webinar for an organization on this very topic. 

What is your experience?

Spontaneity in a Coaching Conversation

Essential to the effectiveness of a coaching conversation is the capacity of the coach to be fully present throughout the session.

That sounds so basic, so simple, so obvious.

It isn’t any of those.

Coaching Presence will likely occupy my blog and other work for as long as there are coaches … which I hope will be forever.

In this brief blog I will talk about spontaneity … one of the criteria to describing and recognizing this core competency (Coaching Presence) in use … or missing … as the case may be.

Think of it this way: responding in the moment to what your client just said is the perfect spontaneous expression of being fully present. It’s not possible to plan for a spontaneous moment. It’s only possible to respond to it. Given the coaching subject matter (client’s agenda or agreement) does not belong to the coach, there seems to be no purpose in being other than spontaneous.

When listening to a coach in a session, it’s clear and obvious when the coach is drawing ideas from his/her (coach’s) own ideas, thoughts, suggestions, references, directions, and expertise. There’s simply nothing spontaneous going on.

Think about it. I call it “being in your head” irrespective of what’s going on with your client.

More on this.