Coaching and Continuous Learning
Coaching occurs in a continuous learning
cycle that clients experience repetitively over time. The cycle begins with awareness. What could this mean? New awareness could include the following:
·
A new goal, objective, issue or
need is recognised
·
Realising the root of a
conflict that is occurring
·
Dissatisfaction with current
performance
·
Recognising a barrier to better
performance or fulfillment
Based on this awareness the coach helps the
client to become very clear about their intention. Intentions often involve clarifying exactly
what the client wants, what the current situation, given the particular awareness.
Once the intention is clear, the coach
works with the client to develop a range of options or choices for achieving
that intention. Often there is
interaction between choice-creation and intention as greater insight is created
through the coaching conversation.
Creating choices or options may lead to a shift in intention, as well as
intention guiding the choices.
As the client narrows the options, commitment to the one they will do is needed to move forward. With commitment the client then acts and learns from the consequences of those actions. The learning often sparks new awareness and a new coaching cycle.
Coaching not only supports clients as they
move through the learning cycle, but also helps them remove barriers that
inhibit completion of the learning. For
example if a client repeatedly makes a choice to act, then does not follow
through, the coach can explore the client’s commitment. Without commitment, action is unlikely!
Similarly if the client sees a multitude of
options, but feels stuck and unable to choose, the coach can work with the
client to clarify intention. Without
intentional direction making choices is challenging, if not prevented. In this way the learning cycle acts as a
diagnostic for the coach.
Taken from a
concept by Linda Tobey from “Human Resource Development” by F Sofo et al, 1999
Coaching over
Time
Coaching usually takes place over a series
of conversations – that is as a process over time. This allows the conversation to continuously
focus attention and effort on those actions that will best facilitate movement
to the client’s desired outcomes.
