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Diane Sweeney video An Introduction to Student-Centered Coaching

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Diane Sweeney video An Introduction to Student-Centered Coaching

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An Introduction to Student-Centered Coaching

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What is an Instructional Coaching Cycle?

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Jim Knight Resources / Instructional Coaching Group

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Jim Knight Resources / Instructional Coaching Group

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Instructional Coaching Group | Progress Through Partnership

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Instructional coaches partner with teachers to help them improve teaching and learning so students are more successful. To do this, coaches collaborate with teachers to get a clear picture of current reality, identify goals, pick teaching strategies to meet the goals, monitor progress, and problem s…

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This tailored curriculum provides instructional coaches with tools and strategies that support their 1:1 interactions with educators. The curriculum is designed to be completed sequentially (e.g. follow the lessons in the order they are listed).

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Please Note: With the transition to our new online course platform, this free online course will be going away in December 2023. Thank you for your support and interest in our coaching model. You can view our new online course website at: www.courses.dianesweeney.com. Questions? email us anytime at [email protected].

In this free mini course, you will be introduced to the framework for Student-Centered Coaching. You will also learn how to use Learning Labs as a student-centered approach to professional learning. Lastly, you will hear examples of how schools have tackled implementation.

Hi, I'm Diane Sweeney. I'd like to welcome you to the course! As the author of The Essential Guide for Student-Centered Coaching, Student-Centered Coaching from a Distance among other books. I look forward to working with you!

Show All Lectures

Check your inbox to confirm your subscription

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Free Mini Course: Student-Centered Coaching

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Please Note: With the transition to our new online course platform, this free online course will be going away in December 2023. Thank you for your support and interest in our coaching model. You can view our new online course website at: www.courses.dianesweeney.com. Questions? email us anytime at [email protected].

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Diane Sweeney introduces Student-Centered Coaching which puts the needs of students’ front-and-center.

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Best-selling author and coaching expert, Elena Aguilar, brings weekly tips, tools, and wisdom to educators with one goal: to help you thrive.

Best-selling author and coaching expert, Elena Aguilar, brings weekly tips, tools, and wisdom to educators with one goal: to help you thrive.

Must Listen

I can't say enough how grateful I am for the time and intention that Elena Aguilar and the entire Bright Morning Team put into their work. As a school leader, this podcast provides a sense of grounding and purpose when I listen. I always leave with actionable takeaways, questions, and ideas to implement the very same week. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

You are a gift!

Elena, you are a such a gift to the world. Thank you for your gentle yet powerful spirit and deep analysis on transformational coaching. While I don't work in the education space, I am career, leadership, and executive coach and I learn so much from you every episode. I especially love your coach demos. Thank you thank you thank you!

Growing on my drive to work!

Elena, I look forward to listening to your podcast on my drive to and from work. Coaching can be lonely, and your podcasts are always timely and provide me with actionable steps that I can put into practice in my coaching practice. I was recently asked who I most admire as a leader in education today, and I told them it is you, Elena! You model leading yourself first, you help us create conditions for transformation, and you are a student-focused advocate. Thank you for help me grow as a person and a coach.

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‎The Bright Morning Podcast on Apple Podcasts

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Best-selling author and coaching expert, Elena Aguilar, brings weekly tips, tools, and wisdom to educators with one goal: to help you thrive. Best-selling author and coaching expert, Elena Aguilar, brings weekly tips, tools, and wisdom to educators with one goal: to help you thrive.

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Host Kasey Bell, is an edtech leader, international speaker, author, blogger, and digital learning coach for K-12 teachers. Kasey helps teachers learn how to meaningfully integrate technology in the classroom through her expert presentations, on-air coaching calls, and powerful interviews with educational leaders and discussions with student guests. Learn how to integrate technology and digital learning tools, grow as a leader, refine your instructional strategies, and transform your classroom. Kasey is also an expert in Google for Education and G Suite tools, as well as Google Certifications. If you're looking for PRACTICAL ideas that you can use in class tomorrow, look no further. The Shake Up Learning Show will help you become a more dynamic teacher and Shake Up Learning in your classroom!

Host Kasey Bell, is an edtech leader, international speaker, author, blogger, and digital learning coach for K-12 teachers. Kasey helps teachers learn how to meaningfully integrate technology in the classroom through her expert presentations, on-air coaching calls, and powerful interviews with educational leaders and discussions with student guests. Learn how to integrate technology and digital learning tools, grow as a leader, refine your instructional strategies, and transform your classroom. Kasey is also an expert in Google for Education and G Suite tools, as well as Google Certifications. If you're looking for PRACTICAL ideas that you can use in class tomorrow, look no further. The Shake Up Learning Show will help you become a more dynamic teacher and Shake Up Learning in your classroom!

It's good, y'all!

Kasey is doing a great job with this show! My favorites are the coaching episodes.

Most useful podcast out there

I absolutely love Kasey Bell and want to be her when I grow, although I am already older than her. Her style and simple tips and ideas help me as an Ed Tech Coach keep up and Kerri relevant with all that is out there. Thank you Kasey for all you do for education and I can wait to actually bet you sometime. @1dimiller

Awesome podcast

This is a great podcast. Kasey is always sharing great ideas and resources that I can implement with students of all ages! No matter a teachers comfort with technology there are still things you can learn from this podcast.

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‎Shake Up Learning Show on Apple Podcasts

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‎Host Kasey Bell, is an edtech leader, international speaker, author, blogger, and digital learning coach for K-12 teachers. Kasey helps teachers learn how to meaningfully integrate technology in the classroom through her expert presentations, on-air coaching calls, and powerful interviews with educa...

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Roles of Instructional Coaches- Instructional Coaches Academy

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Roles of Instructional Coaches- Instructional Coaches Academy

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Roles of Instructional Coaches - Google Docs

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Instructional coaches, does this sound familiar?
How am I supposed to improve teaching I keep getting pulled to put out fires?
How can I support resistant teachers when they're not letting me in the door?
I'm not even entirely sure what my role as a coach is supposed to be...and my principal doesn't seem to get it, either.

If you're feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and isolated, you are not alone. Instructional coaches everywhere are feeling this same exact way. In this podcast, we have real conversations about all of this and more. Welcome to Buzzing with Ms. B: the Instructional Coaching Podcast where Chrissy Beltran brings you real talk and practical, easy to use ideas for instructional coaches and literacy coaches who are figuring out how to do the hard work of supporting teachers and growing students. Listen in on honest conversations about getting organized, managing your time, communicating with teachers and administration, and realistic approaches for coaching teachers on your campus.

Coaching is hard, but you don't have to do it alone. Get the encouragement, tips, and next steps you need to coach with confidence!

Instructional coaches, does this sound familiar?
How am I supposed to improve teaching I keep getting pulled to put out fires?
How can I support resistant teachers when they're not letting me in the door?
I'm not even entirely sure what my role as a coach is supposed to be...and my principal doesn't seem to get it, either.

If you're feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and isolated, you are not alone. Instructional coaches everywhere are feeling this same exact way. In this podcast, we have real conversations about all of this and more. Welcome to Buzzing with Ms. B: the Instructional Coaching Podcast where Chrissy Beltran brings you real talk and practical, easy to use ideas for instructional coaches and literacy coaches who are figuring out how to do the hard work of supporting teachers and growing students. Listen in on honest conversations about getting organized, managing your time, communicating with teachers and administration, and realistic approaches for coaching teachers on your campus.

Coaching is hard, but you don't have to do it alone. Get the encouragement, tips, and next steps you need to coach with confidence!

Every Coach Needs a Coach

Chrissy talks about real topics instructional coaches are facing in today's schools as they lead teachers. These episodes are practical and full of tips IC's can implement immediately. Great show!

Excellent Resource

I am so excited to have a podcast that is geared towards my specific job! I'm learning so much with every episode, and so excited to learn and grow more!

Hooray!

Our job is truly an island. It's a breath of fresh air to have some who understands the pressures and the rewards of such a position.

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buzzing with ms. b: the coaching podcast

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‎Buzzing with Ms. B: The Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts

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‎Instructional coaches, does this sound familiar? How am I supposed to improve teaching I keep getting pulled to put out fires? How can I support resistant teachers when they're not letting me in the door? I'm not even entirely sure what my role as a coach is supposed to be...and my principal doesn't s...

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Greg and Jenny are elementary instructional coaches in Iowa. Join them as they discuss topics of importance in education around teacher leadership, student achievement, best practices, climate and culture, and school leadership. For show resources and listener mail please visit www.instructionalcoachingcorner.com

Greg and Jenny are elementary instructional coaches in Iowa. Join them as they discuss topics of importance in education around teacher leadership, student achievement, best practices, climate and culture, and school leadership. For show resources and listener mail please visit www.instructionalcoachingcorner.com

Love this podcast!

Christmas wish: please give us more of the guided reading series!! It renewed my love for small group instruction. I'm out literacy lead teacher at our school and this is an excellent resource for sharing with my team. Thank you!

Renewed love of learning to help learners

I stumbled across this podcast and CANNOT stop listening to the Guided Reading Series. After years of Professional Development, I can say I've gotten so many practical tips and sound theory by listening to the series. This podcast has spurred questioning and encouraged me to learn more as a teacher. Thank you Jenny, Greg and guest speakers!

Informative

Great podcast. I will be new to this position next year. The podcast provided me with some useful information regarding my new role.

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‎Instructional Coaching Corner on Apple Podcasts

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‎Greg and Jenny are elementary instructional coaches in Iowa. Join them as they discuss topics of importance in education around teacher leadership, student achievement, best practices, climate and culture, and school leadership. For show resources and listener mail please visit www.instructionalco...

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Math teacher educator Pam Harris and her cohost Kim Montague answer the question: If not algorithms, then what?Join them for ~15 minutes every Tuesday as they cast their vision for mathematics education and give actionable items to help teachers teach math that is Figure-Out-Able. See www.MathisFigureOutAble.com for more great resources!

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Math teacher educator Pam Harris and her cohost Kim Montague answer the question: If not algorithms, then what?Join them for ~15 minutes every Tuesday as they cast their vision for mathematics education and give actionable items to help teachers t...

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This tailored curriculum provides instructional coaches with tools and strategies that support their 1:1 interactions with educators. The curriculum is designed to be completed sequentially (e.g. follow the lessons in the order they are listed).

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An Introduction to Being a Technology Coach

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So you want to be a technology coach? Learn what it takes with these Instructional Coaching podcasts and blog posts from TeacherCast!

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The Leader Of Learning podcast explores transformational leadership in education. It is where educators can come find inspiration to transform education through effective leadership. It is a community where educators can realize their leadership potential regardless of their position or title. More information can be found at https://leaderoflearning.com

The Leader Of Learning podcast explores transformational leadership in education. It is where educators can come find inspiration to transform education through effective leadership. It is a community where educators can realize their leadership potential regardless of their position or title. More information can be found at https://leaderoflearning.com

Helping Educators Be Leaders

Every single educator is a leader, yet where do they learn leadership skills? Dan's amazing podcast fills this void. His topics are not only insightful, but his guests provide practical skills to help educators be better leaders. He realizes that educators are role models for not only their students, but their peers and their community. And since leadership is multifaceted, the variety of guests touch on a broad array of subjects that help build leadership skills. A must listen!

Dan K

Very down to earth. No frills. Professional, sincere, obviously very dedicated.

Just okay

Wide variety of topics. There are nuggets of valuable insight here, but you may need to wade through 20-30 minutes of chatter to find them. Lots of self-promotion among the host and guests. I wish the episodes were more concise.

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dr. dan kreiness - education podcast network

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‎The Leader Of Learning podcast explores transformational leadership in education. It is where educators can come find inspiration to transform education through effective leadership. It is a community where educators can realize their leadership potential regardless of their position or title. More...

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Tired of school change efforts that stall, or worse, never get off the ground? If you're a principal, assistant principal, or instructional coach who is ready have a transformative impact on the teachers you serve then School Leadership Reimagined is for you. Each week, Robyn Jackson will share counterintuitive strategies to help you dramatically improve instruction. You'll discover how to motivate your teachers, help them be accountable, overcome toxic cultures, and transform your school. No more pulling teeth with resistant teachers. No more constantly fighting fires. No more running out of steam mid-year. Regain your time, Reignite your passion, and Rethink what's possible. Stop settling for status quo. It's time to reimagine school leadership. Visit SchoolLeadershipReimagined.com to download the free resources that come with each episode

Tired of school change efforts that stall, or worse, never get off the ground? If you're a principal, assistant principal, or instructional coach who is ready have a transformative impact on the teachers you serve then School Leadership Reimagined is for you. Each week, Robyn Jackson will share counterintuitive strategies to help you dramatically improve instruction. You'll discover how to motivate your teachers, help them be accountable, overcome toxic cultures, and transform your school. No more pulling teeth with resistant teachers. No more constantly fighting fires. No more running out of steam mid-year. Regain your time, Reignite your passion, and Rethink what's possible. Stop settling for status quo. It's time to reimagine school leadership. Visit SchoolLeadershipReimagined.com to download the free resources that come with each episode

Every day is a PD day!

While a commute to work can seem like a time waster, my daily commute has been one filled with learning and growth. Each of Robyn's podcasts are filled with valuable, actionable ideas to grow our practice as we work toward the shared goal of doing our best for every student, every day! Thank you, Robyn, for living your purpose and sharing your expertise!

Constant Promoting

I tried to listen to these podcasts, and I want to learn and grow more in these topics. However, she is constantly promoting her builder's lab. I feel like I'm listening to marketing efforts more than I'm actually growing within these topics.

Content great! Promoting summer builders lab...too much.

Great content that is relevant to my leadership experience. This podcast causes me to think critically and apply what is taught to practice. Please stop continually promoting builders lab. I would be more engaged and listen more if this wasn't constantly brought up for extended amounts of time.

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‎School Leadership Reimagined on Apple Podcasts

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‎Tired of school change efforts that stall, or worse, never get off the ground? If you're a principal, assistant principal, or instructional coach who is ready have a transformative impact on the teachers you serve then School Leadership Reimagined is for you. Each week, Robyn Jackson will share coun...

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RSU 22 Instructional Coach and Teacher Agreement

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RSU 22 Instructional Coach and Teacher Agreement

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IC and Teacher Agreement RSU 22 - Google Docs

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Bookstore and Special Offers - Instructional Coaching Group

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Our online bookstore has many books from our authors, including Jim Knight. For individual or group offers, contact us at (308) 496-4724.

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The Art of Coaching: Effective Strategies for School Transformation

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Buy The Art of Coaching: Effective Strategies for School Transformation: Read Kindle Store Reviews - Amazon.com

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Onward [Elena Aguilar, Eileen Stevens] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Onward

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''Michael Bungay Stanier distills the essentials of coaching to seven core questions. And if you master his simple yet profound technique, you'll get a twofer. You'll provide more effective support to your employees and co-workers. And you may find that you become the ultimate coach for yourself.''
- Daniel H. Pink, author of To Sell Is Human and Drive

''It takes courage to ask a question rather than offer up advice, provide an answer or unleash a solution. In this practical and inspiring book, Michael shares seven transformative questions that can make a difference in how we lead and support.''
- Brené Brown, author of Rising Strong and Daring Greatly

''This book is full of practical, useful and interesting questions, ideas and tools that will guide any leader trying to be better.''
- Dave Ulrich, co-author of The Why of Work and The Leadership Code

''A sharp, habit-forming leadership manual.''
''Bungay Stanier writes with verve, effectively incorporating humor, surprise, and parables.''
-Kirkus Review
''The book tailors its organization and length to time-pressed readers, who can finish it easily in a couple of hours or in 15-minute increments.''

'' The Coaching Habit is a succinct and practical handbook for getting the best from others and yourself.''- Nir Eyal, author of Hooked
- Bob Sutton, author of Scaling Up Excellence

''Among a plethora of books, studies and op-ed pieces about the importance of coaching and how to execute this most critical of development interventions well, it's easy to understand why students and practitioners of the craft feel confused or overwhelmed by the array of approaches, frameworks and systems extolled as ''the right way.'' Michael Bungay Stanier has expertly cut through this confusion with his new book in a manner that is simple to understand, realistic in its intention and ultimately effective to apply. I believe this book will establish itself as a powerful and useful toolset for the professional coach, the student learner and the people manager alike.''
- Stuart Crabb, Director Learning & Development, Facebook

''This is not just a book; this is the voice in your head, the person that sits on your shoulder--guiding you to greatness. Being a great coach is more than skill; it's a mindset, a way of being. Michael has a remarkable way of delivering that message through artful storytelling, practical examples and proven techniques. A must-have book for the coach who truly wants to make a difference.'' is a thoroughly enjoyable read that immediately inspired me to adopt new habits.'', Michael Bungay Stanier gives managers an extremely simple yet powerful tool (just seven questions!) to help them coach their teams to greatness, each and every day.''
--Sinéad Condon, Head of Global Performance Enablement, CA Technologies

''Where others can overcomplicate the purpose and practice of coaching, Michael Bungay Stanier provides a practical and unintimidating approach to this essential habit of great leaders. He succinctly articulates the research behind the art of respectful inquiry and its role in fostering an authentic partnership among colleagues who are committed to doing meaningful work together. The Coaching Habit
- Dana Woods, CEO, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses The Coaching Habit

'The magic of leadership occurs in daily conversations. With - Andrew Collier, Head of Leadership Development, Nestlé

''Fantastic . . . and Where was this book when I needed it?'' are the first thoughts popping into my head after reading this book. I ve read countless books on leadership and coaching over my career but few brought it all together like Michael Bungay Stanier's. I love the concepts of keeping it simple and practice, practice, practice, which are key to building your coaching habit. Michael makes what some leaders see as complex a simple process, whether you are an experienced or new people leader. Definitely a must-read book.''
- Monique Bateman, SVP, TD Bank Group

By Michael Bungay Stanier

Box of Crayons Press

Copyright © 2016 Michael Bungay Stanier
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-9784407-4-9

The leadership press has endless articles about it. Assorted gurus suggest that coaching is an essential leadership behaviour. The number of executive coaches seems to be multiplying according to Moore's Law. Even Dilbert mocks coaching - and there's no surer sign of mainstream success than that.

And remember, this was in the halcyon days of 2000, when email was still a blessing, not a curse, globalization was just warming up, and we hadn't yet sold our souls to our smartphones. My experience these days, working with busy managers around the world, tells me that things have, if anything, got worse rather than better. We're all stretched more thinly than ever. And while "coaching" is now a more commonly used term, the actual practice of coaching still doesn't seem to be occurring that often. And when it does, it doesn't seem to work.

You've Probably Already Tried. And Failed.

So, in summary: You're probably not getting very effective coaching; and you're probably not delivering very effective coaching.

My guess is that there are at least three reasons why your first go at developing a coaching habit didn't stick. The first reason is that the coaching training you got was probably overly theoretical, too complicated, a little boring and divorced from the reality of your busy work life. One of those training sessions, perhaps, where you caught up on your email backlog.

Even if the training was engaging - here's reason number two - you likely didn't spend much time figuring out how to translate the new insights into action so you'd do things differently. When you got back to the office, the status quo flexed its impressive muscles, got you in a headlock and soon had you doing things exactly the way you'd done them before.

The third reason is that the seemingly simple behaviour change of giving a little less advice and asking a few more questions is surprisingly difficult. You've spent years delivering advice and getting promoted and praised for it. You're seen to be "adding value" and you've the added bonus of staying in control of the situation. On the other hand, when you're asking questions, you might feel less certain about whether you're being useful, the conversation can feel slower and you might feel like you've somewhat lost control of the conversation (and indeed you have. That's called "empowering"). Put like that, it doesn't sound like that good an offer.

But It's Not That Hard. Really.

At my company, Box of Crayons, we've trained more than ten thousand busy managers like you in practical coaching skills. Over the years, we've come to hold these truths to be self-evident:

But why bother to change things up? Why would you want to build a coaching habit?

Here's Why It's Worth the Effort

The essence of coaching lies in helping others and unlocking their potential. But I'm sure you're already committed to being helpful, and that hasn't led to your coaching more often.

Circle #1: Creating Overdependence

Building a coaching habit will help your team be more self-sufficient by increasing their autonomy and sense of mastery and by reducing your need to jump in, take over and become the bottleneck.

Circle #2: Getting Overwhelmed

Building a coaching habit will help you regain focus so you and your team can do the work that has real impact and so you can direct your time, energy and resources to solving the challenges that make a difference.

Circle #3: Becoming Disconnected

Finally, you may be disconnected from the work that matters. My previous book Do More Great Work had as its foundation the principle that it's not enough just to get things done. You have to help people do more of the work that has impact and meaning. The more we do work that has no real purpose, the less engaged and motivated we are. The less engaged we are, the less likely we are to find and create Great Work.

Building a coaching habit will help you and your team reconnect to the work that not only has impact but has meaning as well. Coaching can fuel the courage to step out beyond the comfortable and familiar, can help people learn from their experiences and can literally and metaphorically increase and help fulfil a person's potential.

So you're up against the Bind, the Grind and the Resigned. And building a coaching habit is a way of breaking through to a better way of working.

The Seven Essential Questions

At the heart of the book are seven questions that will break you out of these three vicious circles and elevate the way you work. The questions work not only with your direct reports but also with customers, suppliers, colleagues, bosses and even (occasionally and, obviously, with no guarantees offered) spouses and teenage children. These questions have the potential to transform your weekly check-in one-to-ones, your team meetings, your sales meetings and (particularly important) those non-meeting moments when you just bump into someone between scheduled events.

The Kickstart Question is the way to start any conversation in a way that's both focused and open. The AWE Question - the best coaching question in the world - works as a self-management tool for you, and as a boost for the other six questions here. The Focus Question and the Foundation Question are about getting to the heart of the challenge, so you've got your attention on what really matters. The Lazy Question will save you hours, while the Strategic Question will save hours for those you're working with. And the Learning Question, which pairs with the Kickstart Question to make the Coaching Bookends, will ensure that everyone finds their interactions with you more useful.

Shall We Begin?

Are you ready to go? I'm sure you're keen to get to the Seven Essential Questions, but before we go there, we're going to take a short detour into the nitty-gritty of how to change your behaviour. There's no point in giving you useful tools unless you can put them into action. The next chapter, on the New Habit Formula, helps with that. In it you'll learn why the starting place for a new habit isn't the new behaviour after all, why sixty seconds matter so much and how the New Habit Formula can be your engine for focused behaviour change.

Breaking the Ice

A good opening line can make all the difference. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ..." "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ..." "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"

One of the reasons managers don't coach more often than they do is that they don't know how to start. There's that nagging sense that if you could just get going, you'd be fine. But how do you get going? And if you've ever felt stuck in a conversation that seemed a little superficial or boring or simply not that useful, then one of these three situations might be at play: the Small Talk Tango, the Ossified Agenda, or the Default Diagnosis.

The Small Talk Tango

The Ossified Agenda

This situation is commonly found in standing meetings - same time, same people, same place, same agenda. It becomes a dreary recitation of facts and figures, a report that sheds little light and seems to drain energy from the room. The agenda might have been perfect a week, a month or a year ago, but now it's putting process in front of what really matters.

The Default Diagnosis

The Kickstart Question: "What's on Your Mind?"

An almost fail-safe way to start a chat that quickly turns into a real conversation is the question, "What's on your mind?" It's something of a Goldilocks question, walking a fine line so it is neither too open and broad nor too narrow and confining.

Because it's open, it invites people to get to the heart of the matter and share what's most important to them. You're not telling them or guiding them. You're showing them the trust and granting them the autonomy to make the choice for themselves.

And yet the question is focused, too. It's not an invitation to tell you anything or everything. It's encouragement to go right away to what's exciting, what's provoking anxiety, what's all-consuming, what's waking them up at 4 a.m., what's got their hearts beating fast.

And once you've asked it, you can use a framework I call the 3P model to focus the conversation even further. But before we go on to the 3P model, it's useful to understand the difference between two types of coaching.

Coaching for Performance vs. Coaching for Development

Some institutions distinguish between coaching for performance and coaching for development. Coaching for performance is about addressing and fixing a specific problem or challenge. It's putting out the fire or building up the fire or banking the fire. It's everyday stuff, and it's important and necessary. Coaching for development is about turning the focus from the issue to the person dealing with the issue, the person who's managing the fire. This conversation is more rare and significantly more powerful. If I ask you to think back to a time when someone coached you in a way that stuck and made a difference, I'll bet that it was a coaching-for-development conversation. The focus was on calling you forward to learn, improve and grow, rather than on just getting something sorted out.

The 3P model is a straightforward way to create focus, make the conversation more robust and (when appropriate) shift the focus to the more powerful level that's coaching for development.

Deepen Focus with the 3Ps

The 3P model is a framework for choosing what to focus on in a coaching conversation - for deciding which aspect of a challenge might be at the heart of a difficulty that the person is working through. A challenge might typically be centred on a project, a person or a pattern of behaviour.

A project is the content of the situation, the stuff that's being worked on. It's the easiest place to go to and it will be the most familiar to most of us. We spend our days finding solutions to challenges, and our eyes are almost always on the situation at hand. This realm is where coaching for performance and technical change tends to occur. Often, the art is in knowing how to start here and then seeing whether the conversation would benefit from including one or both of the other two Ps.

When you're talking about people, though, you're not really talking about them. You're talking about a relationship and, specifically, about what your role is in this relationship that might currently be less than ideal.

Here you're looking at patterns of behaviour and ways of working that you'd like to change. This area is most likely where coaching-for-development conversations will emerge. They are personal and challenging, and they provide a place where people's self-knowledge and potential can grow and flourish. And at the moment, these conversations are not nearly common enough in organizations.

It's not always appropriate to be having a conversation with this focus. Often enough, having only a project-focused conversation is exactly the right thing to do.

(Continues...) Excerpted from The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier . Copyright © 2016 Michael Bungay Stanier. Excerpted by permission of Box of Crayons Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Amazon.com: Coaching Habit: 9780978440749: Bungay, Michael Stanier: Books