How do you learn to coach?

It is a question most people don’t feel the need to ask. Why? Because it assumed that a training course is required when learning to coach. Is it?

Throughout the ages a number of people in each generation have figured out for themselves how to coach. You may be one in the current generation, IF, you have spent a lot of time thinking about how to bring out the best in others. In which case, you will need little if any training, but may benefit from reading a few books or listening to a few audio programmes, just to reassure yourself that you do understand the key principles.

If you have spent your time learning about skills other than coaching, you can save a huge amount of time by reading or listening to the thinking of other who have already invested the time.

What is coaching?

Coaching is NOT teaching, instruction or training. The coach does not have to be a expert in the field being coached. Coaching is not managing. The coach has no responsibility for the performer’s behaviour.

Let’s have a look at a statement just made:

“The coach does not have to be an expert in the field being coached.”

How can a coach, coach unless s/he is an expert?

A highly effective coach gets the person they are helping to do all the thinking. If they are not, then what they are doing may have an element of coaching, but it is probably more training or instructing.

Expert coaches can coach any subject, even if s/he knows nothing about it. Novices or non-coaches protest vigorously at that observation. Why? Novices have a different understanding of what coaching is.

What is coaching?

A coach is someone available for the performer to learn WITH.

Coaching is the process whereby one individual helps another to:

unlock their natural ability; perform, learn and achieve;

increase awareness of the factors which determine performance;

increase their sense of self-responsibility and ownership of their performance;

self-coach;

to identify and remove internal barriers to achievement.

Where can you get the insights about learning to coach?

Here, if you become a PsyPerform client.

Not a PsyPerform client?

You can get a sample of the materials that give PsyPerform clients a competitive advantage, here.