Develop Essential Coaching Qualities for Leadership
What’s the Main Purpose of a Coach?
The main purpose of a coach is to work with individuals to improve their performance in a specific area or skill.
Key tasks and responsibilities:
-Identifies development needs.
-Explains the coaching process to coachees, line managers and other stakeholders.
-Assists with the setting of learning goals and action planning.
-Uses a range of learning experiences to improve performance.
-Provides feedback for the coachee, based upon observed behaviour.
-Challenges the coachee’s perception of his or her abilities.
-Helps the coachee to identify problems and possible routes to a solution.
-Supports the evaluation process by encouraging the coachee to assess progress against his or her learning goals.
-Helps the coachee to motivate self to achieve his or her learning goals.
Required skills/abilities
-Planning and time management;
-Analytical interpretation;
-Negotiation;
-Interpersonal skills;
-Building rapport
–Giving Feedback
-Active listening
-Asking questions/gaining information
-Observation;
-Facilitation;
-Standard and goal setting
-Helping others learn
-Evaluation and review
Required qualities/attitudes
-Supportive, empathetic; patient;
-Positive attitude; respectful; trustworthy;
-Honest;
-Belief in people’s potential; confident;
-Objective and non-judgmental; sensitive;
-Interested;
-Perceptive;
-Self-aware;
-Attentive;
-Retentive.
Required knowledge:
Coaches require some knowledge of the subject that they will be coaching and specifically need to understand the expectations of performance; they do not need to be subject and/or technical experts. They also need knowledge of how adults learn and the theories of learning, along with the process of coaching. See also: Different types of coaches
Source: The Coaching Handbook: An Action Kit for Trainers & Managers by Sara Thorpe and Jackie Clifford
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