Become a Better Coach, One Letter at a Time

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There are 26 letters in the alphabet, and occasionally I have written keys to help you become a better coach using those letters. In the past, I covered the first 15 letters. Here are those posts:

A-C 

D-F

G-I

J-L

M-O

Today, I’m giving your three more keys to coaching success, using the next three letters P, Q, and R. (Don’t ask me what I might do if I ever get to Z.)

Perspective

One of the things coaches bring to those they are coaching is a different perspective. Let’s face it, as humans, we have plenty of blind spots. A good coach will bring their outside perspective to a situation. A great coach will provide multiple perspectives for others to consider.  

For example, as a leader/supervisor/coach, we bring that perspective, which is useful, but perhaps limiting. Great coaches offer a different perspective but help those they are coaching see even more viewpoints too – all designed to reduce the blind spots and to help people see their behavior and results in helpful new ways.

How can you provide a different perspective to those you coach?

Questions

How can anyone become a better coach without learning how to ask better questions?

I’m not sure it is possible. 

Coaching is about helping other people see, learn, and in many cases, choose to make changes. The only way we as humans truly commit to change is when we come to that choice ourselves. By shifting from coach as advice giver, to coach as questioner, we improve the likelihood that people are owning the changes they want to make.  

Ask more questions, ask them earlier in the coaching conversation, and slow down enough for people to process and answer them. As you improve those habits and skills, you will become a better coach.

What are your favorite coaching questions? (Here are four of my favorites.)

Relationship

Coaching is most effective when there is a relationship between the coach and those being coached. You do not need to be friends, but there needs to be a bond of understanding and trust to improve the success of the coaching. To become a better coach, focus on building a level of mutual respect and understanding with those you coach. Build clear boundaries and expectations about the relationship and coaching process and treat those you coach as humans first.  

How healthy are the relationships you have with those you coach?

Perspective, Questions, and Relationships. All are components of coaching success. Hopefully one of these resonates with you and you begin exploring how it will help you become a better coach.

A version of this article was first posted on our blog.

What Do You Think?

Share your thoughts in the comments – Which letter strikes you as particularly important and why?

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