6 BIG TRAITS OF A GOOD COACH
1. WHAT WE SAY MUST MATCH WHAT WE DO
If you do not send information as promised, it is appropriate to acknowledge that (or apologize) and send the information if it is still needed. You may have been delayed due to your car damage. However, do not over-explain the reasons, as interpretations easily become excuses that enable us to avoid responsibility for our actions.
| GOOD COACH
Leads by example
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BAD COACH
Displays double standards:
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| Shows up on time, calls when they said they would, keeps any commitments made, or make amends when they don’t.
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Shows up late, uses weak excuses, isn’t prepared for the session, etc.
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2. OPPORTUNITIES
Coach’s focuses should be on future opportunities, not on past mistakes. Powerful coaching questions can create opportunities. e.g. What would be the best possible outcome? What potential other outcomes could happen?
| GOOD COACH
Encourage a sense of opportunity:
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BAD COACH
Embeds negative language, causing the coachee to feel uncomfortable or stuck:
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| ‘So imagine yourself speaking to an audience and this time you really enjoyed it-what would that feel like?’ | ‘Yes, your lack of confidence does seem to be a real issue here.’
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3. TRANSPARENCY
The best option is to get enough explanation from coachee at an early stage. It is important that you ask your coachee what their purposes are for the session and, if appropriate, investigate it further.
| GOOD COACH
Is able to clarify the drivers of the coachee:
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BAD COACH
Leave key thought or objectives vague or unclear
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| ‘When you say you want “more money what do you mean and what’s important about that for you’?
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‘Okay, so you want more money, let’s look at what you need to do to get that.
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4. ATTENTION
Coaching talks should be a focus on the coachee and not on the coach. Coach role should be supportive and focus on finding the problems and then trying to solve it. Through effective listening, a coach will be able to stay focus.
| GOOD COACH
Through effective listening is able to stay focused |
BAD COACH
Misses or disregards key information, perhaps wanting to
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| ‘Can we just pause and revisit that?
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‘Press on’ with the intention of getting a ‘result’.
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5. ACCOUNTABILITY
Good coach focuses on coachee’s objective and holds someone to account, in order to provide equal amounts of support and accountability.
| GOOD COACH
Holds someone to account, in order to create a constant focus on coachee’s objectives:
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BAD COACH
Allows themselves to be sidetracked from issues of broken commitment, perhaps in order to maintain rapport:
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| ‘You again missed the deadline; let’s look at what’s stopping you from doing that’.
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‘Well, that’s okay, you’re really busy, so can you do it when things calm down a bit.
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6. FAITHFUL
Great coaches are always faithful to their profession. They know when to quit. It is not compulsory that every employee will get the benefits from coaching. They know that it is better to work on those who can develop than those who cannot.
| GOOD COACH
Is encouraging, challenging and realistic about situations:
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BAD COACH
Creates either a lack of encouragement and challenge or undue pressure: e.g.
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| ‘Two weeks to make the calls would be great, and I’m wondering what would happen if you got that done in a week instead. What would that feel like?’
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‘Aww, come on, how long does it take to make few calls? You could have those done by tomorrow if you actually tried.’
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