Coaching is a way of
helping individuals, teams and companies improve their performance by
getting them to identify and act upon the things that are holding them
back. It's also about helping people broaden their view of a situation
so as to enable more choice in how they respond.
For example, if someone
has worked in a particularly adversarial organisation for many years,
their first and often only response is to write an aggressive
contractual letter - 'first line of defence is attack'. Coaching would
help that individual open their perspective, get clear on what they
really wanted to achieve, identify options and then choose the most
appropriate approach.
A coaching management
style involves more communication and support and less command and
control. The idea is to help people solve their own problems (Pull) as
opposed to solving someone's problem for them (Push).
Why
use coaching?
The World/ industry is
changing so we need more intelligent ways of getting the best out of our
resources. People are our most precious and I would say most under-utilised
resource. Often I felt that my company was only getting about 30% of my
potential even though I was working hard, long-hours and doing my best.
I had so much more to offer but didn't have the time as my job included
all kinds of hassles, hurdles and interferences. What if I am
representative? - The construction industry employs 2 million people!
What is currently
hindering your performance?
Also, we now have a
more intelligent workforce; when I graduated in the early-eighties I was
told I was in the top 5% - 20 years on many more people graduate and
apparently the Government is on track to raise that percentage to 50% by
2010. This more intelligent workforce is less inclined to put up with
being pushed around and told what to do - they simply leave and find
another job or career!
What is your company's
current staff turnover level?
Given the chance many
people will find the easiest and most effective way of getting their job
done - the coach manager spends far less time telling people what to do,
motivating them to do it and checking on their progress, timekeeping,
quality of work etc.
How much of your
time (and stress) is spent checking for compliance?
When
to use coaching?
Any time and all the
time - for problem solving, organising and chairing or participating in
meetings, improving team performance or helping operatives out on site
increase their productivity, safety and quality of work. For example,
ask a bricklayer what's getting in his way/ holding him back and how he
can overcome it, then listen to his response and help him bring about
the necessary change.
Who
can use coaching (effectively)?
Anyone who is committed to their personal growth and
the success of other people.
How
to coach
Ask open questions
(what, when, where, who - about facts) and listen to the response -
feedback the response to the person being coached to gain clarity.
Then
ask more probing questions (how much, how often, how many, what else,
what if) to open up options. Ask the person/ group to weigh up the
options and decide on their way forward. Follow their interest and use
their words - try to avoid the why question as it provokes a
defensive response.
The basic coaching
process is to ask questions and actively listen - there are many more
techniques that build on this foundation.
Where
to find out more?
There are many good books on the subject though for
starters I would suggest:
Coaching
for Performance by John Whitmore ISBN 185788 1702
The Inner Game of
Tennis by Tim Gallwey ISBN 033029 5136
Alternatively there are organisations that run
coaching programmes - check out the Web, talk to a few and then get into
action.
Dave Stitt (FCIOB) has led change
and improvement programmes for major contractors and now runs his own
performance coaching company, DSA Building
Performance.
Contact dsabuilding@btopenworld.com or visit www.dsabuilding.co.uk
Contact dsabuilding@btopenworld.com or visit www.dsabuilding.co.uk