Experience-Based Coaching

Experience-based coaching is when a coach or leader facilitates an experience and applies sound coaching principles to the functional change being desired. For example, you could have a team of people complete an obstacle course together and then ask them to identify who the best teammate was and most person that was helpful during the course? This prompts employees to look at one another differently void of who finished first or last. Experiences are very powerful as it's often been said they shape us but all too often we wait for experiences and don't facilitate them.

 At one of our recent client meetings we were coaching employees to facilitate a great client experience. We had each person visit their favorite restaurant establishment for socializing and come back with one observation they observed that was positive. The next task was to come up with an idea of how that observation or what they observed that was successful could be applied to their business. Many thought that this was a very far-reaching or even dumb task when in fact the results were extremely interesting. The group not only came up with two or three extremely creative ideas as a result of sharing from all of their experiences but we noticed the huge uptick in attitude and dedication to each and every client experience. We never once asked them to increase their energy or association with clients. Nevertheless, it became a result without having to ask. We believe the experience did much of the coaching for us. We also believe by structuring what to look for in using the experiences of coaching moment it became more powerful than us just telling them to do it. Observation when being applied to a facilitated experience can change perspective and a person's mind set.

One of my favorite stories to share is actually from our progress coaching training course. Years ago when I was coaching my son Liam in basketball he had an experience that really defined his future as an athlete as well as his association with getting better. In a packed gym when the kids were only in fourth and fifth grade he came down the court down by one point and missed the last second shot when the ball went in the hoop and popped out. He was needless to say devastated and humbled by the experience as people were screaming and cheering during the game. This is a big stage for anyone more or less a fourth or fifth grader. I ran over to him and said that was awesome and he responded dad I missed the shot. I said look you're going to  miss a lot of shots but the key question is are you willing to take the next shot? I then began to share with him how his teammates were extremely nervous to even consider taking the shot so it showed great courage on his behalf. He began to smile a little bit as I started to get him to associate with that experience from a much more positive perspective versus him solely missing the shot. Years later on a traveling team he went on a shooting spree where  he literally had four five-game winners literally at the buzzer. People would come up to me and rave about his shooting ability and would ask me how did I get him to be such a confident shooter in such  stressful situations? I replied "I reward him as much as when he misses as much as when he makes it". And I simply walked away.To this day Liam possesses very little fear to try things and more importantly nose when getting better it's a process and that results cannot be the sole criteria. It has served him very well in athletics and academically.

All too often we use results as a guideline t to interact with people when in fact the experience itself void of success or lack thereof can be extremely powerful if we learn from it. That is a coach’s responsibility!

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