Action drives results
I encourage leaders I work with to ask themselves two questions after each coaching session:
1. What difference have I made?
2. What will my team member now do differently (or more effectively/consistently) as a result of my intervention?
These are action-outcome-focused questions.
Asking yourself these two questions forces you to think about the effect of your coaching session and the value you have added to your team member and your business.
To be able to answer these questions confidently you must be certain your team member is going to take some action as a result of the coaching conversation or session.
It’s the Commitment to Action (CTA) your team member makes at the conclusion of the coaching conversation that will give you confidence in what they are going to do, or attempt to do.
To gain a Commitment To Action at the conclusion of your coaching conversation there are a number of things you can do. As a start, consider asking your team member these questions:
• Exactly what are you going to do differently?
• When will you do it?
• Show me (demonstrate) what it is you will do and how you will do it (practice).
• What assistance do you need from me?
If the person you are coaching can confidently answer these questions and demonstrate what they are going to do, or try to do, it is highly likely they are going to make a genuine effort.
And with those questions answered, you should be able to answer these two action-outcome-focused questions confidently:
1. What difference have I made? and
2. What will my team member now do differently (or more effectively/consistently) as a result of my intervention?
A coaching conversation or session that doesn’t conclude with a Commitment to Action is just a nice chat!
The purpose of a coaching conversation or session is to help your team member improve their performance. And their performance can only be improved if they commit to changing their behaviour or actions.
At the conclusion of your next coaching conversation or session ask the person you are coaching these questions:
Exactly what are you going to do differently?
When will you do it?
Show me (demonstrate) what it is you will do and how you will do it (practice).
What assistance do you need from me?
The GROW Adviser and Leadership Capability programs cover this topic in more detail and help build a robust understanding and exceptional leadership and engagement skills.
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