Ready for a Coach? What Next?

From CCL's Leading Effectively e-Newsletter - February 2008 Issue:

Leadership CoachingReady for a Coach? What Next?

Coaching is all about change. So how does a leadership coach help you grow and change as a leader?

"Good leadership coaching begins with a solid relationship and a focus on results," says CCL's Clemson Turregano. "At CCL, the activity of coaching revolves around three things: assessment, challenge and support."

Assessment
The initial phase of the coaching engagement is an assessment — a baseline picture of your current situation and your level of skills. This information allows the coaching process to accurately focus on the areas that will make the most difference in your leadership effectiveness.
Assessments are often based upon 360-degree instruments, personality or psychological assessments, as well as in-person observations of you and interviews with colleagues or even friends and family. The coach is putting together a complete picture of you, including:

- How you see yourself.
- How others see you.
- Who your advocates are.
- Who your detractors are.
- The dynamics and politics of your organization.
- Personal strengths that can be leveraged.
- Personal shortcomings that can be improved.

"Your perspective is another essential part of the picture," says Turregano. "Be honest with your coach and share relevant information about yourself and your world so that the coach understands your situation."

Challenge
One of your coach's jobs is to help you identify challenges and develop plans to overcome them. Challenges can be external obstacles, like limited resources or conflicting directions from within your organization, or internal factors, like your own resistance or an insufficient set of skills.

Working with your coach, you'll identify objectives and strategies for overcoming challenges. These action plans are like homework assignments — single objectives you work to meet by the time of your next coaching session. They often involve a "stretch" that forces you out of your comfort zone. Understand that this is the coach's role and that he or she will push you in a way that will help you learn and grow.

Support
Your coach gives you support in several ways as you carry out your plans, including:

Listening. Sometimes you need a sounding board for your ideas or your frustrations. You may need to think out loud, to explore a number of possibilities and scenarios, to review events and to draw conclusions. By listening and reflecting back what he or she has heard you say, your coach gives you the chance to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges you face and how you might address them.

Accountability. Your coach will hold you accountable for performing your action plans. This commitment helps you to stay motivated and focused.

Encouragement. From time to time you may feel discouraged about your progress. You may feel stuck or even think that you've taken a step backward. Such plateaus are part of any kind of personal change. Your coach will know how to keep you motivated and focused on your tasks and your ultimate goal.

Consultation. If you discover that your behavior isn't working well or is producing unexpected and unwanted consequences, check in with your coach. He or she can work with you to create other options and help put things in perspective.

Celebration. When you have a breakthrough in your performance it's important to recognize that achievement. By talking with your coach about your successes, you will be encouraged to continue on your development path.