The 10 Practices of Coaching-Leaders Pt. 3
Leaders who neglect their team’s energy, inevitably encounter an energy crisis.
Energy management is people management.
The ten practices of coaching-leaders pt. 3:
#7. Monitor and manage energy.
Energy makes results possible.
- Spend more time exploring solutions than problems.
- Have coachees list de-energizers down one side of a sheet of paper. On the other side, list energizers.
- How might you minimize or eliminate de-energizers?
- How might de-energizers be transformed to energizers?
- How might you maximize energizers?
- Talk about what’s working, more than what’s not.
- Tell me about a time when you did the right thing.
- Tell me about a time when you went beyond the call of duty.
- How might you let colleagues know you respect/appreciate them?
- Turn falling short into positive aspiration, not billy clubs. Beatings seldom energize.
#8. Inspire ownership by aligning values, strengths, and purpose.
- Reflect on your week. What did you do that makes you feel proud?
- How do you feel about your recent achievements? What did you do to reach them?
- When coachees feel awkward talking about strengths, ask, “What might need to shift in your thinking?”
#9. Establish and clarify goals. You can either focus on the distance you have to go and complain, or choose progress today.
- Get to positive goals quickly. Talk about problems only long enough for coachees to understand them. Generate possible solutions early in coaching conversations.
- Goals generate and harness energy. Running around with your hair on fire squanders energy and makes things worse.
- Translate distant goals into daily behaviors. It’s easy to set a goal. Leader-coaches ask, “What behaviors will help you reach your goals?”
Goals need behaviors like fish need fins.
#10. Establish self-designed accountability. Ultimately, we hold ourselves accountable. Anything else is coercion. Ask coachees, “With your goals in mind, what would you like me to ask you next time we meet?”
What practices might you suggest for coaching-leaders?
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Part 1: The 10 Practices of Coaching-Leaders
Part 2: The 10 Practices of Coaching-Leaders
Thanks Dan … you ask at the end “What practices might you suggest for coaching-leaders?” – It is very hard to add anything to your list – maybe different wording – I have a few Ps that I go over in my mind that keep me in the right space: Be present (suspend judgement – be there for the coachee), be patient (its their agenda, don’t get agitated), be purposeful (remember why I’m here … to serve the coachee), Respect the Pregnant Pause (listen, listen, listen) ….
Thanks Perspect. Powerful additions. I don’t think I used the idea of “suspend judgement” in any of the posts in this series. Judging definitely hinders coaching relationships. If you are going to judge me, I’m going to stop talking. Thanks for sharing your insights.
A good question I have used and been asked is “What is discouraging you right now?” Discouragement is one of the biggest de-energizers of leaders. Secondly, how could you be encouraged to bring change in this area?
Thanks Dean. Love the sequence of getting to encouragement. I’ve never used the language you suggest. I’m going to give it a try. Best
To re-iterate on your points Dan, I agree, it is good to focus on the possible, the good and strategize how you can help move forward vs focusing on the negative. Good advise for us parents too! 🙂
Great list for coaches and leaders – thank you, and for the others – some good things to remember.
I believe implicit in all the above steps is “empowering questions”. Questions that communicate belief in the person, build confidence, encourage self resolution of challenges, encourage learning and creating the desired future state.