Session 13 : Reading 2

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR COACHING PRACTICE

Coaching is an important aspect of leadership. It is one of the competencies for the role of creating
engagement. There will be a practice session for coaching. Though a single session will not make you an
expert in coaching, it intends to generate interest in coaching so that you can learn professional
coaching in due course.

Coaching will be conducted in triads (groups of three) as given in the appendix. In the appendix, each
group member is nominated a letter designation A, B or C. There will be two rounds of coaching during
the practical session. In round 1, A will be the coach, B the coachee and C will be the observer. In round
2, B will be the coach, C will be the coachee and A will be the observer. In order to give better insight,
there are standard forms that the coach, coachee and observer should fill up. These are given in
Appendix B and C respectively. You should fill this up during the coaching. They need not be returned.
But the observers should hand over their observation to the coach (remember the observer is observing
the coach and the coaching process and not the coachee). In addition to the above, you will be given a
feedback form to understand the effectiveness of coaching. All students are required to fill this form and
hand it over to the faculty.

Action by the Coachee

Coaching will be based on creating personal vision statement and following it through. If you recollect
(from the course outline), you are required to make a journal, in which persona vision statement or PVS
is the first component. Coachee should hand over his/her PVS to the respective coach (see the para
above to identify who the coach and coahee are) at least four days prior to the coaching session.
Coachee will hand over the Individual Development Plan (IDP) also to the coach.

Action by the Coach

Coach should prepare for coaching (see the instructor note and additional material that you can find on
the net) based on the PVS. S/he should be prepared to probe the coachee so that the coachee would
gain insight. While probing the coach should preferably use the term ‘what’ rather than ‘why’ or ‘how’.
Examples of use of what are:

 What will happen if you achieve the vision.

 What will NOT happened if you don’t achieve the vision.
 What is your feeling when you adopt this as your vision.
 What will be your feeling when you achieve the vision.
 What are the actions that you have done so far to achieve the vision
 What are the actions that you have not done which slowed your vision.
 What energizes you to achieve this vision.
 What are the strengths that you have to fulfill your PVS.
 What else could you use to fulfil it?
 What are the obstacles that you envisage?
 What are the indicator that you can use to identify that you have achieved the vision.
 What support can you muster to achieve your vision.
Coach should also study the feedback given to the observer and ensure that s/he follows the evaluation
guideline. This will automatically ensure that the coach is moving in the right direction.

It is the responsibility of the coach to ensure that s/he procures the PVS. Is she/he does not get it by the
prescribed time, s/he should alert the faculty through an e-mail. Then the coachee will not be allowed to
attend the session and will be marked absent and face the grade drop rules accordingly. This is because
the coachee’s non action is responsible for the group not being able to do the work.

The coach should prepare the following:

 Coaching goals.
 How to commence the opening remarks
 How to get the coachee feel at ease and talk about everything.
 Which strength or weakness should be taken up first and the order in which it should be
continued (make a mental picture of what strength would aid making the PVS a reality and
them prepare oneself. This is crystal gazing. You will get a clear picture only when the
coachee begins the conversation.
 When to introduce the discussion on weak areas and how to handle it if it comes up.
 Question that one should raise and the wording (specific) to make it non-threatening and
make the coachee speak.
 Contingency plan if the coachee gets defensive.
 Bring this document to the class on coaching day.
 Outline Individual Development Plan that you would discuss with the coachee

Coach should commence the discussion with confidentiality clause after the initial ice-breaking talk.
Example “Thank you for agreeing to be coached by me. This is a confidential conversation between us
and no one including the organizational appointments will have any access to this. Moreover, I will not
use the input from this for any purpose or disclose it to anyone. So, you can feel as comfortable as
possible and as open as possible to derive maximum benefit from this coaching.

Action by the Observer

Observe the coach (not the coachee) and make the remarks. Give feedback orally and in the prescribed
form to the coach.

Appendix ‘A’
COACHING TRIADS
(Will be next section wise)

Gp No A B C Silent observer
without rotational
role
1.
2.
3.
4..
5.
6.
 APPENDIX ‘B’

EVALUATION OF THE COACH BY THE OBSERVER

Score: Score to be given for effectiveness on a scale of 1 to 10 (7-10 very effective, 5-6 effective and 1 to 3 not effective)
Coach’s Name: ________________________ Coachee’s name: ________________________

Activity *Score of the coach *Score of coachee $Comment – logic of

giving a score and
general comments
Ice-breaking talk
Confidentiality assurance
Setting objective of the
coaching
Reviewed PVS
Sought data to support
the action towards
achieving PVS (Data means
use of critical incidents,
performance indicators etc.)
Did probing without in a
non-threating way.
Showed empathy
Showed active listening
Identified the Indicators
for accomplishing the
objectives
Agreement for action
based on time lines
Agreement for interim
meeting
#Final output-Did the
coach and the coachee
make a final output

(Assess both the coach and the coachee. But hand this over to the coach as the training is for
being a coach. *Use scores - VE-very effective, E-effective, SE-somewhat effective, NE-non-
effective. $Give examples for the score you have given)

Appendix ‘C’
 FINAL JOINT DOCUMENT BY THE COACH AND COACHEE

(to be generated jointly by the coach and the coachee at the end of the coaching session)

1. Purpose of the meeting

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. What were the objective agreed upon.

a. ________________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________________
c. ________________________________________________________________________

3. Key action plans with time lines and measure of success:

Ser Key action Time line Measure of success

No
1.

2.

3.

Signature and name of the coach: _____________Signature and name of coachee: __________
Appendix ‘D’
 COACHING SESSION: GENERAL FEEDBACK

To be filled by all in the class. Please endorse three insights you have gained from the coaching session
and suggestion to improve

1.

2.

3.