Alchemy for Managers Weekly Tip – guest post from Paul Matthews
You have probably heard that good managers are good coaches, and I would have to agree. The managers that I have enjoyed working for were always good at helping me when I got stuck and needed a helping hand. And yet they applied that hand with a light touch. They didn’t just tell me what to do; they coached me and as result I was more successful, more fulfilled and so I enjoyed what I was doing so much more.
So what is coaching in the workplace, and is there a way to structure it; a process to help you get it right? There is, and it’s called the GROW model.
The GROW model is easy to apply in practice and it ensures that you cover all of the important bases in your coaching conversations. It is flexible,easy to follow and can structure either a short or longer coaching interaction.
The acronym stands for:
G = Goal Setting
R = Reality
O = Options
W = Will
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Article by Paul Matthews
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An easy read for learning the GROW model (and some quality coaching fundamentals) is
“Coaching for Performance” by John Whitmore
This was one of the course texts on Advanced Diploma in Professional Coaching and I would highly recommend it.
Thanks for the recommendation. It sounds like a worthwhile book to get.
That’s a great question, Henry.
Given the number of companies we see now looking to develop an internal coaching resource, I believe the trend will be for companies to develop a coaching culture in their management team.
This will, of course, require a very different style of management in many organisations. I think there will need to be more emphasis on feedback and the use of tools like 360 feedback to help managers become more self-aware as they make this transition.
The role of external coaches will be critical in this as well – as in senior positions, it is often quite difficult to be completely transparent with an internal coach if sensitive issues need to be discussed.
I’d love to hear what others think.