Practical steps to build coaching confidence
I was conducting a leadership coaching skills workshop recently, and I decided to poll the group to gather some insights about what actually keeps leaders from coaching their team members. There was a lot of input, but three reasons stood out among the rest:
- They didn’t want to appear too critical.
- They were afraid of the employee’s reaction.
- They didn’t want to make a big deal out of nothing.
The reality of it is that the research shows that only a fraction of leaders feel confident as coaches. In fact, one study indicated that only 12% of leaders do have confidence in their coaching skills. That’s unfortunate because coaching is one of the most critical roles of leaders. In healthcare environments, I believe, it’s particularly critical, especially those striving to improve culture and engagement.
So, how can you build your coaching skills? Here are several steps to take.
Steps to Becoming a Better, More Confident Coach
One of the most important things I would tell other leaders is that to be a good coach, you have to remain a student of coaching. That means continually learning, reflecting, and getting feedback on your style. Each coaching interaction is an opportunity to gain insights into your coaching style and effectiveness. In addition, I recommend:
Be an Avid Student of Coaching
Constantly read and listen to podcasts on leadership and, especially, on coaching. Expose yourself to new ideas and approaches from others who have mastered these skills.
Plan Ahead
Before you sit down with somebody to coach them, plan ahead. Planning is so important. When you set your intentions of how you want the interaction to go, it helps you to prepare your approach and your potential reactions. Planning ahead helps to get you in a coaching mindset.
Role Play
I encourage leaders to role-play coaching interactions if they can. Working with a learning partner or peer lets you try out new things and gain confidence in your coaching style. This gives you a chance to practice in a safe environment before having the real conversation.
Just Do It
Practice makes perfect, they say. And that’s certainly true when it comes to honing your skills as an effective coach. The best thing you can do—just do it! Don’t expect to be perfect every time, but once you plan for your coaching conversation, do it. Don’t just sit back and think about it. Actually do it. Taking action is the only way to truly improve.
Reflect
Once you’ve completed a coaching conversation, take the time to reflect- what went well, and what didn’t? What would you want to do differently? What do you think you did extremely well, that you’d want to incorporate into future coaching interactions? Remember, this isn’t about perfection, it’s about continuous improvement.
We’re not all natural coaches. In fact, if you think back to that 12% statistic, most of us aren’t! But we can build those skills through learning, practicing, and reflecting on our coaching interactions—those we have as a coach, and those we have being coached by others. The more confident you become, the more value you can provide to your team members.
Tags: becoming a better coach, coaching, coaching confidence, coaching healthcare teams, coaching skills, coaching your employees
