Introduction

Taking an interest and active role in employee development is a key tool for keeping staff engaged, growing their skills, and encouraging enthusiasm and excitement about their contributions to the organization. For those reasons, coaching is one of the most powerful activities a manager or supervisor can practice. This course covers the fundamentals of workplace coaching. During this program, participants will define formal and informal coaching, identify how coaching differs from counseling, therapy, and other activities, explore a range of coaching models, and practice their skills at coaching employees.

This coaching skills course will:

• Explain what coaching is and isn’t.

• Explore a range of well-known coaching models.

• Address the universal communication skills of which effective coaches have a basic command.

• Provide ample opportunities for participants to practice workplace coaching skills.

Objectives

At this program’s conclusion, participants should be able to:

• Understand coaching’s impact on employee engagement and retention.

• Differentiate coaching from other kinds of conversations.

• Identify their personal roadblocks related to coaching and employ a range of tactics to overcome them.

• Describe several coaching models.

• Demonstrate strong listening skills and questioning techniques.

• Select appropriate coaching questions.

• Conduct both formal and informal coaching sessions.

• Create a coaching plan for each of their direct reports.

The following outline highlights some of the course’s key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).

Outlines

Day 1:

What It Is and Isn’t: Defining Coaching

This program begins with participants creating a definition of what coaching is, what it isn’t, and how they and their direct reports can benefit from the coaching process. Next, participants will differentiate informal coaching from formal coaching. Then, the group will determine when coaching is appropriate and when other avenues make better sense.

Day 2:

Recognizing Roadblocks: Why Managers Fail to Coach

In this course component, we will look at the many reasons managers fail to coach. Next, participants will assess their current behavior and identify any roadblocks that are preventing them from coaching their team. Based on the results of the assessment, we will confirm the agenda for the remainder of the session.

Day 3:

Coaching Models: Choosing a Framework

Following a framework or a model can be a good idea in coaching. A systematic approach reduces the likelihood of missed information or inconsistency. Furthermore, a model can help the coach clarify goals and a plan for moving from point “A” to point “B.” In this seminar segment, participants will create a coaching model based on their existing knowledge of the subject. Next, we will examine several well-known models (ACHIEVE, CLEAR, FUEL, GROW, OSKAR, SOLVE, and STAR) and discuss the benefits of each.

Universal Basics: Communication Skills

No matter which model the coach selects, he or she must employ some basic communication skills when holding a coaching session. In this part of the course, we will look at language and how what we say can influence how people feel about being coached. We will also practice a range of listening and questioning skills. Additionally, in this seminar segment, we will introduce 100 coaching questions. Participants will consider each and decide when and where in the process they could make sense.

Day 4:

Film Critics: Pull Out the Popcorn

Training videos can be cheesy, but many make some good points. In this part of the course, we’ll dim the lights, pull out the popcorn, and watch some examples of bad coaching. After each vignette, participants will work in teams to identify what the coaches did well and what could be improved. After each evaluation, we’ll then watch a second vignette that illustrates a better approach.

Pull Out Your Whistle: Coaching Practice

With an understanding of what solid coaching looks and sounds like, in this part of the workshop, participants will practice preparing and delivering a coaching conversation. Working in groups of three, each person will have the opportunity to play the role of employee, coach, and observer. Following the activity’s debriefing, in this final program segment, participants will create a coaching plan to take back to the workplace.

By the end of this workshop, participants should have a clear understanding of coaching’s value as a management and development tool, and they should be able to coach their direct reports both formally and informally.

Day 5:

Available Formats