Merrill Associates

What do you think of when you hear the word coach? Does it bring to mind images of a football coach walking the sidelines, or a little league coach encouraging his players, or do you think of that person who helped you most when you started a new job? Often the word coach is associated with those who work with competitive sports or a team of people. The verb "coach" is defined as "to train intensively by instruction and demonstration." (Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition)

Coaching is less about teaching and more about helping people to learn. Goodcoaches listen, support, encourage and give feedback that helps empower. A coach serves as a guide, willing to lead, but encouraging others to chart the course. If you work with volunteers, as a manager, or in a leadership position, coaching skills can be very helpful in developing the full potential of the volunteers(and paid staff) you are working with.

Coaching maximizes volunteer (human) resources by helping individuals mastertheir work and grow in knowledge and skills. Based on the belief that people can unlock their inner potential and maximize their own performance, coaching helps volunteers discover answers and solutions. Coaching respects individual capabilities and encourages self-development and personal confidence.

Coaching is a one-to-one relationship. It is more time-consuming than givingpeople simple answers or directions. Coaching require an investment of time. Sometimes in our busy lives it is easier to just tell a volunteer what to do or how to do it. (Sometimes it seems simpler to just do it yourself.) The problem with this approach is that it we don't help people learn when we provide the answers.

Not every situation is a coaching situation. Indeed, there are times when a direct answer or direct instruction is fine. But it is more satisfying for you and the volunteer when can help them discover the answers to their own questions,rather than give them your solution. It is easy to fall into the pattern of giving a quick answer instead of taking the time to coach their answer. Coaching islike the ancient Chinese proverb, "Give a man a fish and he will eat for aday. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life."

The following tips are offered to enhance your coaching skills.

1. Ask questions and offer information to clarify the situation. Listen carefully to what is being said and what is not being said. Is information omitted or minimized? Observe body language, facial expression and movements. Ask open-ended questions to draw out information. Avoid questions such as, "Why did you do that?" which asks about motive and can seem accusatory.
2. Help the person identify possible actions. Questions such as, "How do you think the situation can be handled?" or "What do you thinkyou need to do?" or "What options do you have?" encourage the person to verbalize his/her thinking. Sometimes it is helpful to think out loud. Be willing to discuss the options and talk through the possibilities. Expand thinking and raise other options by asking, "What if. . .?" Be very careful to avoid giving your opinion. Sometimes opinions become disguised as questionssuch as, "Have you considered changing the meeting time to increase attendance?" It is very hard not to offer an answer or impose a solution. If you believe the person is making a bad, inappropriate or unsafe choice you might ask, "Would you like another suggestion?" This helps to avoid imposing your solution.
3. Gain agreement on a course of action. Have the person commit to a plan of action. "What are you going to do and when will you do it?" Discuss obstacles they may face and how they might address those obstacles. Are other people involved in this situation and who needs to know what is going to happen? Model a thoughtful decision-making process so that you give them the tools and build confidence for the next decision.
4. Offer your support. Ask, "What can I do to support your decision?" or "What do you need to help support your solution?" Set a time to follow up.

Effective coaching is a valuable leadership skill. Leaders who have developed good coaching skills model a process that helps volunteers (and paid employees) discover their own answers. Coaching helps volunteers (and paid employees) feel stronger, more knowledgeable and more capable of addressing future situations. Coaching makes you a more effective leader.

"There is a great man who makes every man feel small. But the realgreat man [woman] is the man [woman] who makes every man [and woman] feel great." G. K. Chesterton