HR Toolkit: Coaching

The coaching process

Coaching involves a one on one relationship designed to support a person's development.

Managers can use coaching skills to encourage a staff member to think through a process, a problem or task in a way that encourages them to work towards a course of action and solve the issue.

Coaches use active listening skills, questioning skills and feedback skills to support the person being coached to identify options and courses of action and the process can be used informally or within a formal coaching session.

This page contains information and resources to assist you to develop a coaching session with your staff.

Objective

This module is designed to provide information to build your coaching skills and you should be able to:

• Assess your current level of coaching ability
• Apply simple coaching techniques in day-to-day operations
• Apply the GROW model of coaching to help structure formal coaching opportunities with your staff or colleagues
• Use reflection techniques to assess your own progress towards your goal of improved coaching

Coaching interactions

To help managers develop their coaching ability, Max Landsberg suggests going through three stages in any coaching interaction. These three stages will work whether the interaction is simply a single conversation or a number of coaching sessions spanning several months.

1. Set the context, which involves:        
   • diagnosing the skill and will of the coachee
   • agreeing the approach
   • building trust
   • motivating
   The resources include a checklist to assist your planning.
2. Provide ongoing coaching, which involves:        
   • using GROW sessions to structure conversations
   • providing feedback
   • giving praise
   • illustrating actively to demonstrate an approach
   The resources include a document which explains the GROW model and one that encourages you to self -coach using the model.
3. Conclude effectively, which involves:        
   • encouraging the coachee to reflect
   • eliciting feedback from the coachee
   • agreeing next steps
   The resources include a document to support your reflection on the session.

Coaching resources

We also have printable resources to support your design of a coaching session.

• Grow model (PDF)
• Self Coaching (PDF)
• Self Coaching using the GROW model (PDF)
• Coaching checklist (PDF)
• Communication reflection (PDF)