cropped cnca logo new

Unleash the independent critical thinking of your team members through coaching

John Whitmore, in his book Coaching for Performance, said that he had been told what to do as a small boy, then at school, then in the army. “So when I reached a position of authority, what did I do? I told people what to do, because that is what all my role models had done.”
Telling might seem quick and easy, but it doesn’t always result in the performance we need the first time. So how do we unleash even higher performance in our colleagues? We use a coach-approach, which counter-intuitively also creates more time, gives us more control and less stress. Coaching is about drawing out the answers from the other person, such that they reach a solution which works for their situation, and for which they are committed to take action. Here’s how it works in four simple steps:

Creating the environment
In order for people to feel that they can be truthful and open up to you about their tasks, you need to establish trust with them and be fully present. Book a meeting with them and stick to it. Start on time. This is perhaps the hardest part in our environment, but it shows that you are committed to the other person. Set aside all distractions; mobile phones, e-mail, other people. Make them the centre of your whole attention for the time you are with them.
Questioning
As Nancy Kline says in her book, Time to Think, “A question works, because unlike a statement which requires you to obey, a question requires you to think. The mind seems to prefer to think, not to obey.”
Active listening
Listen to what is not said, as well as to what is said. You can paraphrase back what you think you have heard and check your understanding with the individual. This helps them to get even clearer about what they are thinking. Listen at three levels: content, feelings and values. The more you can demonstrate that you have heard their values, the more they will feel that you truly listened to them, leading to more trust and more willingness to expose their issues.
Allow for silence, watching for cues as to whether they have finished thinking, before you ask another question that builds on where they are now.
Moving to action
They have worked out how to resolve an issue. Now you need to build their commitment to following through. Again, questions are the way to do this, such as: When will you start? What resources do you need? How can I help you? How will we know you are done?

If you liked this post, you may also like:

Accountability

Coaching as a Force Multiplier?

Performance Coaching and Career Coaching

2 thoughts on “Unleash the independent critical thinking of your team members through coaching

Comments are closed.

Top