Coaching Essential: Keeping a Future Focus

Ensuring a Future-Focused Outcome

Having first ensured a comfortable and confidential place to hold the conversation, your role is to clarify what your team member would find helpful, then establish an agreed outcome to ensure the conversation is future-focused and has a positive goal. For example:

Then check:

How much time you have. If the topic is big, agree a smaller ‘chunk’ for this conversation
You have clearly identified, agreed and contracted for the issue to be worked on (and it is their agenda not yours)
You have a clear, shared understanding of what needs to change or be different (positively stated)
You are both engaged with the coaching conversation, as evidenced by eye contact, a positive tone and stance, and other cues both verbal and non-verbal
There is a sense that working on this issue will support the team member in getting somewhere they want to go

You could say:

“So, we have 20 minutes now, and as I understand it, you want to make progress on ‘x’, and success would look like this… Have I understood that correctly?”

Some people can easily describe what they want in detail whilst others instinctively hold a broader idea of success. During the conversation your role is to keep it on track, heading in the desired direction by asking:

“How would you describe where you are now with the issue, compared to when we started the conversation?”

Look out for signs that you might be off track such as the other person seeming disinterested, disengaged, showing a drop-in energy when they talk, or apparently wanting to focus on another aspect of the issue.

If it feels like they are not engaged, check by asking:

“I notice that you don’t seem to be very motivated about this, would that be the case?”

“If that isn’t what you want, what would be useful to talk about now in relation to this issue?”

“What is your commitment or confidence to sorting this issue?”

Together with these questions, you may wish to use the G.R.O.W. or O.S.C.A.R. coaching models. (See ‘Coaching at Work: Structuring the Conversation’ as a guide to help your team member develop a picture of success that is both vivid and specific)

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References

Skidmore, K. (2018) The Purpose of Coaching in the Workplace Has Changed www.flashpointleadership.com/blog/the-purpose-of-coaching-in-the-workplace-has-changed

Starr, J. (2011) The Coaching Manual Pearson Education

The Institute of Leadership & Management (2018) Spotlight ‘Coaching Skills and Techniques’

The Institute of Leadership & Management (2019) Spotlight ‘Structuring the Conversation’

Whitmore, J. (2009) Coaching for Performance (Growing Human Potential and Purpose) Nicholas Brealey