Any Moment Can Be a Coaching Opportunity
February 16, 2016 • Coaching, OPD
A coworker walks in looking for an office mate who was not available. Your simple question, “Is there anything I can assist you with?,” quickly turns into a coaching session. It was not planned, it does not take very long, and that coworker walks a way with an action plan that they can immediately implement to start the journey of solving their problem.
We each have opportunities to coach one another throughout the day. Integrated coaching, coaching in the moment, can occur at any time and be facilitated by any member of our team. It can start with something as simple as a student, colleague, or supervisor coming to you with a problem. In that moment, you have several choices:
- Direct- Tell them what to do
- Teach- Show them or train them on what to do
- Advise- Give your opinion
- Mentor- Share what has worked for you in the past
- Coach- Ask questions that tap into their experiences, challenge the status quo, or lead them to see a different perspective all to assist them with solving their own problem
Which one would you prefer?
Integrated coaching requires understanding that person’s agenda for coaching and their context. Then, you move to exploring options and helping them develop their own action plan. It requires active listening and powerful questions, not opinions.
Reflect on the coaching opportunities you see at UNTHSC. What questions can you ask to turn those opportunities into in the moment coaching sessions?
To learn more, check out The Questions Good Coaches Ask.
– The OPD Team
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