What is a coaching mindset ?
In one of my previous article, The Sublime art of Coaching, I had briefly touched up on what coaching is all about and as an coach what we need to do to create an effective coach-coachee relationship.
As I am traversing through this journey of coaching, I have come to a realization that having a professional coaching mindset is an essential toolkit of a coach and is a key ingredient to developing an effective coach-coachee relationship.
Before delving further on what exactly is a coaching mindset, let us revisit what is professional coaching is all about and why it is important when we are coaching teams or organisation.
As per International coaching federation (ICF), coaching is defined as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
Coaches honor their coachee as experts and believe that every coachee is competent, creative, resourceful and complete.
The key to remember is that as coaches we are partnering with the coachee and are helping them to be successful in the way they have defined success and not the way we have it in our mind.
Let’s explore a bit further.
No one like to be told what they need to do. As coaches especially when we are coaching teams, we can help them to show that they are empowered to take decisions on their career, work as well as on their success. This also in line with agile principles of working around motivated and self-organised teams.
In a way, we are helping in creating an environment, where the coachee is feeling empowered and taking ownership, responsibility and accountability of their work, actions and success.
So, where does coaching mindset fit in?
As a coach, if we have a coaching mindset, we will be able to display the following in our interaction and conversation with our coachee:
· Active Listening — Listen to understand
· Asking more questions rather than offering solutions
· Have the belief that the people are resourceful, competent and can solve their problem.
Someone with a coaching mindset will not try to fix people or organisation rather they see people as equal and not as someone who needs to be told what they need to do.
They will help empower people, teams and challenge them to move beyond their comfort zone as well as be supportive, empathetic, observant and encouraging which in turn help create and foster an environment of positivity.
Per my experience, I can humbly state that developing a coaching mindset is not so easy. Many a times I have myself jumped into solutioning mode and have provided fixes to the people, teams. It is an everyday learning, practice and journey of developing the right coaching mindset and creating a fine balance between different hats which we have to put in.
In my subsequent articles, I will be sharing my learning, experience of what it takes to develop a coaching mindset.
Would love to hear your experiences, learning and views on this.
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