Coaching is most often a one-to-one focused relationship that is bespoke to the individual coach and coachee. The coach leads the way in establishing the coaching relationship, but the content and pace of each session will be very much led by the coachee.
The relationship provides an opportunity for the coachee to reflect and think differently in a safe space and consider alternative/more creative solutions in order to realise their potential. At its core, professional coaches aim to facilitate the growth of an individual’s capabilities with a particular emphasis on building self-awareness, resilience, and solution-finding.
As the coachee’s skillset grows, so does a heightened sense of how their own behavior impacts individuals and teams, boosting team functioning and organisational culture.
As the coachee’s skill set grows, so does a heightened sense of how their own behavior impacts upon individuals and teams, boosting team functioning and organisational culture.
In brief, coaching is often perceived as the single most effective development intervention that a leader in the NHS can access, comprising:-
- A relationship which often has a set duration
- Sessions, which are structured and regularly scheduled
- In depth exploration of specific development areas, issues and goals
Line managers and clinical supervisors may be in a position to provide informal coaching support as part of their leadership role and this will vary from person to person.
Qualified coaches provide formal coaching support that is not dependent on hierarchy, organisational intelligence, or knowledge of the coachee’s job role.
Remember: For formal and independent coaching, the coach does not need
direct experience of your role.
Schein (2013) has written about “humble enquiry” – the gentle art of asking questions. We might think that we already know how to ask questions of each other but to truly help an individual to discover their own answers; the questioner must be willing to listen to the answers with humility and without judgment.