The Coaching Role: Inspiring and Motivating
3
Leslie (brightening, straightening in chair):
So this isn’t about me not doing something?
Coach:
Right. It’s about you working at your potential and getting
the recognition you deserve. You are a huge asset for the
team and I want to keep you.
Leslie (solid eye contact, leaning forward eagerly):
Well, this is clear, Gil. I’ve got a good handle on it. So
what you want to talk about is me really contributing.
Example Analysis
Look back at Leslie’s spoken responses before Gil said he
was getting mixed messages. The messages are positive,
but Leslie’s expression, tone and posture
are negative.
Being sensitive to responses and hearing more than words
as you attempt to verify understanding is a learned skill.
Granted, some people seem more adept, but coaching is a
set of behaviors that can be practiced, learned
and mastered.
Probe for the reasons behind contradictory messages.
They signal underlying problems that could sabotage
communication and project success. For effective probing,
think open-ended listening, stating a feeling or a summary,
and then becoming silent to allow the other to talk.
So, you are saying there are no problems.
You feel this is unfair.
I sense you have something else on your mind.Ideas work best
when you do.