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