Leader as Coach
Harold Chee
Judge Business School Executive Education
University of Cambridge
H.chee@jbs.cam.ac.uk
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Target Setting
Assessing Support
(Appraising Performance)
(Coaching)
Helping solve employee performance problems/
or building employee capabilities
Effective vs Efficient Manager
(Work –life Balance)
Very Busy Person
No Delegation
- No time to talk to staff
- No coaching
EXERCISE-
Do you Delegate?
In your table groups come up with a list of all
the reasons why you may not delegate a task
you are accountable for?
Leading in Complex Times
LEADERSHIP
• Empower employees
LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY
• Promotes Diversity
• Challenge assumptions
• Fosters innovation
• Inspire
• Coaching
MANAGEMENT
• Develops plans
• Creates structures
• Sets up procedures
• Develops business processes
• Controls performance
• Controls the numbers
LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Adapted from Ralph Stacey & Patricia Shaw
A definition of Coaching………
'helping people to develop and perform to their
full potential'
people
helping
THEY have
so that they solve
ownership of the
their own problems
process
perform potential
develop related to the for current or
learning is a key organisation's goals future roles
element
Different Ways To Coach
Coach
Facilitator,
Asks Guide
Questions Catalyst
Coach
Instructor,
Tells (Best Avoid!)
Teacher
Coach Knows Coach Doesn’t
The Solution know Solution
Why Ask Questions?
Not Just….
To get information for the Questioner
But Also….
• To develop the Learner’s AWARENESS
• To sharpen the Learner’s FOCUS
• To stimulate the Learner’s RESPONSIBILITY
• To help the Learner find their OWN ANSWERS
• To get the Learner to take OWNERSHIP of the process
CORE COACHING SKILLS
MENTAL SKILLS INTERPERSONAL
Questioning & Probing
Observation
Listening
Analysis Giving Feedback
Receiving Feedback
Structuring the Coaching
Process Developing Trust
Motivating
3 Levels Of Listening
1 Thinking (Facts/Data)
what sort of words are chosen?
what data has been used?
what logic and analysis has been applied?
what judgements and opinions have been made?
2 Emotions (Feelings)
how are they feeling right now?
how did they feel at that time?
3 Intentions
what do they intend to do about it?
what is their level of commitment to this action?
‘GROW’ – A Model for Coaching
Reality
checking and raising
Goals
setting clear goals
for the (learning)
R awareness of the
situation right now
project
G O Options
finding alternative
strategies,
Will solutions, answers
testing commitment;
building concrete
plans to reach the
goal
W
GROW Coaching Process
Goals
What do you want to achieve?
By when?
Is it attainable? Challenging? …
How will you measure progress?
GROW Coaching Process
Reality
What …?
When …?
Where …?
Who …?
How …?
GROW Coaching Process
Options
What could you do?
What other things could you do?
What if you did nothing?
GROW Coaching Process
Will
What is the plan?
How will it help achieve goal?
Who else needs to help?
When will you get started?
Coaching Exercise
Using REAL Issues, you will coach a colleague,
be coached, and be an observer/feedback giver.
Groups of 3
15/20 mins per session to include feedback
Swap Roles after 20 minutes
Prepare learning points for plenary.
Remember to use real issues!
Coach
Coachee Observer
Coaching practice - Coachee
• Take an issue that is current.
• Write down a few lines about the situation.
• Be prepared to be coached on this issue.
Coaching practice -Coach
• Your task is to coach someone on their issue
• You are not role playing - this is real..
• Listen more than talk
• Discover - don`t try to solve a problem
• Practice using the GROW model
Coaching practice -Observer
• You have an important role - to give feedback to the
coach
• Take notes as you listen and observe.
• Observe non-verbal communications too
• Look for - GROW, Skills, Attitudes, Empathy, Probing &
Discovering.
EXTRA
POWERPOINT
SLIDES
EXAMPLES OF USEFUL QUESTIONS WHEN USING
'GROW'
Goal
What is it you would like to discuss?
What would you like to achieve?
What would you like from (to achieve in) this session?
What would need to happen for you to walk away feeling that this
time was well spent?
If I could grant you a wish for this session, what would it be?
What would you like to be different when you leave this session?
What would you like to happen that is not happening now, or
what would you like not to happen that is happening now?
What outcome would you like from this session / discussion /
interaction?
Is that realistic?
Can we do that in the time we have available?
Will that be of real value to you?
EXAMPLES OF USEFUL QUESTIONS WHEN USING
'GROW'
Reality
What is happening at the moment?
How do you know that this is accurate?
When does this happen?
How often does this happen? Be precise if possible.
What effect does this have?
How have you verified, or would you verify, that that is so?
What other factors are relevant?
Who else is relevant?
What is their perception of the situation?
What have you tried so far?
EXAMPLES OF USEFUL QUESTIONS WHEN USING
'GROW'
Options
What could you do to change the situation?
What could you do differently?
What alternatives are there to that approach?
Tell me what possibilities for action you see. Do not worry
about whether they are realistic at this stage.
What approach / actions have you seen used, or used yourself,
in similar circumstances?
Who might be able to help?
Which options do you like the most?
What are the benefits and pitfalls of these options?
Which options are of interest to you?
Rate from 1-10 your interest level in / the practicality of each of
these options.
Would you like to choose an option to act on?
EXAMPLES OF USEFUL QUESTIONS WHEN USING
'GROW'
Will/Wrap-up
What are the next steps?
Precisely when will you take them?
What might get in the way?
Do you need to log the steps in your diary?
What support do you need?
How and when will you enlist that support?
