My own career began to escalate when I participated in training that taught people managers coaching skills. I was a bit skeptical in the beginning as twenty years ago the word “coaching” was very new to me. As a participant, I was encouraged to start applying coaching skills immediately with my colleagues and peers, and straight away I noticed the positive effect of that. People began to come to me when they had challenges or experienced conflicts. At some point, my boss came to me and said: “Can I speak something through with you? I think this will help me to sort things out in my head.” I guided her “speaking through” process with effective coaching questions and she was very impressed with the solution she found. I must admit it felt very good!
Soon I got promoted to a regional leadership role, where coaching played a significant role in my relationships with my team, my colleagues, and the TOP leadership team.
Having this experience, I was not surprised when I conducted simple research to understand the degree to which coaching skills are required for managers and leaders. In nearly every second vacancy description for a managerial role from different functions: HR, Sales, Customer Service, Product Development…, I saw coaching as a requirement.
Again, I was not surprised. I have heard from people who were applying for the Professional Coaching Diploma Programme, that they either received feedback that to grow as a leader they need to learn how to coach, or they started searching for new career opportunities and found out that having coaching skills in their tool-box will significantly increase their chances to find a job they want. Actually, we have great examples when our students got promoted or found new jobs after they got a professional Diploma in coaching.
Here are some coaching skills which, when practiced will create a huge difference in the way you communicate and lead:
– Talking less, questioning more
– Listening for understanding
– Deliberate, mindful speech
– Positive reinforcement
– Paraphrasing, clarifying, and reflecting back on what was said
– Providing feedback with permission
There are many great books you can read about coaching, for example: “Coaching for Performance” by John Whitmore and “Coaching Skills, a Handbook” by Jenny Rogers. The important thing though is practice! Therefore going through professional training, where you can practice and receive feedback might be a good idea to consider.
In BeCoach Academy we focus a lot on practice and feedback. Every tool, technique, and model we teach at the Professional Coaching Diploma programme is experienced during the live-training weekends and coaching-lab sessions. This is why our students are able to bring their new skills to their real work/life environment right after the first module.
The learning and practice of coaching show its results immediately. You can see how even a half-day of training has a great impact on the way you show up. Experience it yourself in our coaching workshop on September 3rd, 2022.
In this workshop, you will learn the fundamental coaching skills that will help you inspire, empower and support others’ growth. Get your FREE ticket now before the tickets run out!
Love and gratitude,
Elena Marsh
