Coaching Skills Training: Coaching knowledge

Coaching Skills Training: Coaching knowledge
In considering what knowledge is required in order to be
able to coach effectively, we need to look at two areas.
Firstly how much subject matter expertise do we need and
secondly, how much do we need to know about coaching itself.

Subject Matter Expertise

There is still some debate around whether coaches need a
detailed knowledge of the matter in hand or underlying
subject in order to be able to coach another person
effectively.

Some argue that it is impossible to coach without subject
matter expertise, as without it we can't show another
person what to do or give our advice or guidance. However
it's clear that telling people what to do is fraught with
danger; do I understand how I get results myself? Can I
find a way to express that to another person? Will they
remember what I've told them if I do? We've also come to
recognize that, these days, knowledge is out of date within
a few months and it is highly risky to approach any
situation with out of date knowledge. Far better then to
coach in a way that allows other people to develop their
own solutions and to do so in a way that encourages them to
become self-reliant in the future.

That being said, as far as being a manager coaching in a
work situation is concerned, in reality we probably will
have some background in the situations being discussed, but
we should resist the temptation to jump in with our own
quick fix solutions.

Knowledge of coaching itself

This is a far more important area of knowledge for
effective coaching and breaks down into four main areas:

1 What coaching is

We need to understand - and may often need to explain -
that coaching is NOT about telling people what to do and
how to do it. Instead coaching is about communicating with
others in a way that raises awareness, generates
responsibility and builds trust.

2 How managers can incorporate coaching in their own style

We all have our own style of communication with some of us
preferring a more directive approach and others a less
directive one. Managers who coach need to develop a
knowledge and understanding of incorporating coaching
principles into their natural style.

3 The principles of awareness, responsibility and trust

Before I can change and improve anything I must first
become aware of how it is now. In the end I am ultimately
responsible for making change and improvement. I must trust
myself to try new things and I must trust my coach to help
me do them. The best coaching managers are those that
understand and apply these principles.

4 The impact of questioning and active listening

Questions evoke awareness, responsibility and trust
infinitely better than instructions or advice, but even the
best coaching questions are meaningless without effective
listening.

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Matt Somers is a coaching practitioner of many years'
experience. He works with a host of clients in North East
England where his firm is based and throughout the UK and
Europe. Matt understands that people are working with their
true potential locked away. He shows how coaching provides
a simple yet elegant key to this lock. His popular
mini-guide "Coaching for an Easier Life" is available FREE
at http://www.mattsomers.com