- Establish and respect boundaries. Questions such as, “Is there anything you’re uncomfortable talking about?” and “Is it ok if I ask you about [sensitive topic]?” will build trust and create a safe space for the coachee.
- Exploring “reality” is key to effective coaching. It’s the part that’s usually missing from every day conversation, as we so often jump straight to “options”.
- Uncover authenticity. Your role is to get to the bottom of what your coachees really want – outside of what they think they should want.
- It isn’t always necessary to set actions. Your coachee may need to spend more time processing their new insights and reflecting.
- Avoid “why” questions. “Why?” can provoke a defensive response, making your coachee think that they need to justify themselves to you.
- Resist advising. Focus on guiding – aim to make suggestions no more than 10% of the time.
- Seek feedback. It’s good practice to check in with the coachee every few sessions to ask how you’re doing as their coach, which can be done through a feedback form.
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