Coaching Change-Management
If you have a coach or are a coach, it's likely that you are
interested in initiating change somehow, someway. You see an opportunity in
yourself or in someone else, and you want to make a difference. Now, if you're
the one that's hoping to change, well then, for the most part, you're in
control. Alternatively, if you're simply involved in someone else's process,
your role is dependent on 5 things.
1.
Their purpose for changing, and the priority they put on the
process.
2.
Their interest in using you as a resource, and their level of
respect for you.
3.
Their willingness to do the hard work that's inevitable &
essential.
4.
Your ability to influence.
5.
Your patience for the process and the other person.
It's critical to consider these 5 factors because if you're
helping someone else, you must recognize that it's not all about the other
person (putting too much pressure on him/her) and it's not all about you (taking
too much pride in yourself). At the same time, you must willingly accept the
fact that some people do not want your help. It's not your job to convince
them to change.
If someone invites you into his/her process toward change, you
inherently inherit responsibility. Be accountable to it, without abusing it. In
order to do this well, try utilizing the ABCDE framework to lay the right
coach-client foundation.
ASK QUESTIONS. If
someone approaches you and asks you to be her coach - don't just accept the
offer. Ask questions to better understand her purpose, goal and vision for
contacting you. All too often, we take things at face value, and down the road,
we realize we weren't the right solution.
BELIEVE. I think
it's absolutely fundamental to only accept coaching clients that we believe
have potential. Now, I'm not suggesting that only high performers deserve your
time! No, instead I'm saying that if you don't believe in the client, you are
doing him a huge disservice by accepting his offer. We all know that little
feels worse than being surrounded by someone who doesn't see and believe in our
potential! Don't bog down the client with your disbelief.
CONTRACT. Once you
decide you want to help the client work toward change, document this mutual
decision. A contract doesn't need to be exhaustive to be valuable; it simply
needs to put the relationship in writing, so that you both remain accountable
to the process. Decide between the two of you what this should look like.
DIALOGUE. A dialogue
is not a one-way conversation, it's a two-part process where new content is
created. Set aside time where the two of you can connect and collaborate over
conversation. Bonding before the official coaching process begins is
fundamental to building a relationship. Good relationships harvest good
rewards.
EXPECTATIONS. As their
coach, it's your job to extract their expectations because most people aren't
experts at explicitly stating what they hope to do, receive and become. If you
don't understand their expectations from the start, you will have a hard time
delivering valuable coaching strategies.
ABCDE is a
good way to begin the coaching process.
Looking for more insights about coaching? Check out more from
Doug at his blog at http://wcwpartners.com/our-blog/.
Doug C. Watsabaugh, senior partner at WCW Partners, understands
how to meet your unique performance challenges. With more than 20 years of
experience, WCW Partners is a performance-improvement company that helps
businesses revitalize their results and achieve record-breaking performance.
If you are looking to excel in sales, service or leadership, let
Doug develop the capability in you! http://wcwpartners.com.
