The new Institute of Leadership and Management Coaching and Mentoring Qualifications have been put onto the ILM site. I was looking at the differences between the Awards and Certificates and noticed that at Certificate level the supervised coaching hours has increased. This is a definate forward step as people coaching in the workplace need at least 12 hours to practice their skills. In the courses we have been running we have made sure that people are buddy coaching and “hot seat coaching” in the workshops. Hot seat coaching is a wonderful way to learn coaching skills even if it can be a bit daunting at first. It’s a bit like speaking in public for the first time with no idea of the topic!

I have recently completed a coaching supervision diploma with the CSA and another element of the new ILM qualifications is how people are supervised during the training. This is also a great step forward as coaches need support in the first years as they hone their skills. We all need to reflect on our sessions and discover what it was that prompted a certain intervention at a certain time. It is useful to consider the reaction we may have “wanted” our coachee to take and how much we actually influence their decision. Coaching at it’s purest is when the coach can set aside his or her own ideas and suggestions and allow the coachee to develop their own. This is particularly difficult when you are a line manager coaching your direct reports. It is a matter of taking the line manager’s “hat” off, setting aside knowledge you already have and focusing on the present moment without judgement. Easy to say but it needs support and practice to do. Some people have told me they feel it is better not to coach your direct reports, I disagree. If you are a good manager you will be able to use coaching skills whatever the occasion.

For example if you are faced with a member of your staff who is obviously struggling with a problem your normal reaction may be to “fix” the problem for them. If you asked them what they felt would solve the problem you may be surprised at what they come up with. If they ask again you would probably suggest something but if you take the time to listen to their own solutions may just unlock untapped potential. Not only that, you would free up your own time as people would begin to realise you were not always giving them solutions and they start finding their own.

When I frist started coaching I began to ask my staff more about what they thought and I was really amazed at the talent I had overlooked. As a manager people just need your confidence in their ability and then they will grow in self worth. They will begin to believe that their ideas really matter and that they are listened to.

Jackie Arnold

I heard this phrase this week and it made me think “If you make a connection to your audience you are no longer alone.”

I chatted to people at work and I realised that if you have your audience with you it becomes a “conversation” rather than a speech. I think that making a personal connection is the best way to reduce anxiety.

I came up with these bullet points that may help with that “conversation”:

· Ask a direct question – when you ask one (or all) you have a response – you are no longer alone.

· Ask a hypothetical question – What do you imagine would happen if…..
Would you agree that if we ….I have often wondered if…

· Make a surprising statement – give a startling fact
Research indicates that… Didi you know that…..

· Bring in experiences you have shared with your audience (if possible)
Do you remember when we …..Going back to ….I expect you recall
that…

· Announce some interesting news/information (do your homework!)

· Create possibilities for the audience to make gestures or actions
Ask for a show of hands…..get people to close their eyes and imagine…
Ask a couple of people to come up and share their ideas (if appropriate)

· Relate an anecdote

· Use props for a demonstration

Above all enjoy the experience and your audience will too!

Jackie Arnold

Today has been a good day. I have been commissioned to write a coaching skills book for senior staff and leaders. The book will be put forward to be validated by the ILM as part of their resources for the qualifications in coaching and mentoring at levels 5 & 7.

Here’s the blurb:

“This exciting new book is for coaches working in leadership and management positions. It aims to provide the knowledge, skills and confidence to perform effectively as coaches as part of your normal work role. In addition the book aims to support you when moving into a development role within your organisations or to freelance as a management coach. This book serves as a guide for both coaches and executives to enable good decisions and develop skills to inspire and motivate others”

I would like to contact anyone who has run the ILM courses in Management Coaching & mentoring to compare notes. It would be useful to see how and where coaching has been implemented in the workplace and if organisations have used internal or external coaches, or both. It would also be interesting to gain knowledge of the impact coaching has had on the workplace and if there are any hard facts and statistics available to back up the bottom line results of coaching.

I have helped to deliver these courses over the past four years both in the private and public sector. The diverse groups have been both challenging and motivating - from the Fire Service, The Education Sector and NHS to IT companies, manufactoring and law firms. This book will be a great challenge and keep me very busy for the next eight months or so. I am excited about the project and hope that you will get in touch with your experiences and case studies. Any contributions will be acknowledged.

Next week on 15th Feb in Brighton we are delivering an action packed workshop “One Day Introduction to Coaching” Do come along if you are able as this is the lowest price it will ever be at £80 + one free place to a second booking. We aim to make it fun and you will go away with real coaching skills to try out in the workplace.

Jackie Arnold