Coaching: The Role

“A manager is a title, it does not guarantee success. Coaching is an action, not a title and actions will result in successes!”

Catherine Pulsifier

Coaches need to be prepared to take on the roles and responsibilities of the job. Whether you are a coach manager or specialist, you must embrace the confidence and build the connections necessary to do the job. A successful coach will also need to communicate effectively and be able to focus in on the coaching process.

Be confident

A coach needs to help instill confidence in others, but this is difficult to do if coaches lack confidence themselves. Confidence is an attitude that will bring success when combined with drive, focus, and enthusiasm. There are a few ways that you can build confidence:

• Think positively and avoid negative thoughts
• Focus on achievements
• Commit to small goals
• Increase goals

You have probably heard the saying “fake it till you make it.” There are some characteristics of confident people that you can imitate. Knowing these characteristics will also help you identify it in others and also in yourself.

Characteristics of confident people:

Build connections

Building connections with team members and between team members is an essential part of a coach’s job. The easiest way to build connections is through finding common ground. Common ground can be as basic as sharing the same goals or enjoying the same activities. Begin coaching relationships by telling personal stories that are not too revealing. As you find common ground, your connection with the team will grow.

Help the team build connections among themselves using similar techniques. As you grow your connections, you will develop trust and loyalty within the team. This trust will require effective communication techniques to develop.

Communicate

Coaches need to be aware of their communication styles. (see our CAFÉ model in https://vitalsparkconsultancy.co.uk/business-training-services/communicating-effectively/. One very important part of coaching and business is “Active Listening”. This method of communication has some very specific aspects:

• Encouragers: Encouragers are signals that you are paying attention to the speaker. These are phrases and sounds that encourage speakers to continue. They should only be used occasionally.
• Repeat the speaker’s key phrases: This is another way to encourage speakers to continue and to make them feel heard.
• Paraphrase and summarise: Restate the speaker’s key points.
• Empathy: Offer empathy, but make sure it is genuine.
• Pay attention: Stay in the moment and listen carefully. It might be tempting to interrupt because you’ve anticipated what else the customer is going to say.
• Control emotions: Pay attention to the volume, tone of voice, and speed of speech. Higher volume, tone, and pace indicate not only emotion and enthusiasm but also anger, frustration, and anxiety.
• Take notes: Write down any questions or thoughts to follow up and ask questions.
• Open-ended questions: Open-ended questions are the opposite of close-ended questions. They are broad and encourage conversation, i.e. they cannot be answered with just yes or no!
• Be genuine: Be fully present in the interaction and care about the situation and the person speaking.

Remember to pay close attention to your body language and break down any barriers to communication that you may have.