coaching for the pgclthe
DESCRIPTION
Abstract: Since the 1990s the field of coaching has grown in professionalism, and now affects most business sectors. Having taught in Higher Education since 1998, in 2009 I trained as a life coach. Drawing upon the work of Kerslake, Whitmore, Parsloe & Leedham, and Draper this presentation offers a reflective consideration of implementing coaching practices. With a particular interest in facilitating group work in seminars, the presentation considers how exploiting learning and personality styles, and offering encouragement, improves student engagement with the process.TRANSCRIPT
COACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: HOW TRAINING AS A LIFE COACH HAS AFFECTED THE WAY I TEACH
Dr Bex [email protected]
Coming Up…
What is coaching? What defines a
successful coach? Effect on Self
Encouragement Commitment &
Responsibility
Group Work Learning Styles
Facilitating Group Sessions Thinking Hats
Techniques Active Listening Questioning Silence
What is (life) coaching?
“Life coaching gives you the opportunity to step back and take a look at your life, allowing focused time out to analyse your motivations and dreams, tuning into the possibilities and defining action plans for direction in life, with accountability to your life coach”
http://drbexl.co.uk/life-coaching/what-is-life-coaching/
“The Learning Organisation” “Most of us, at one time or another, have been part
of a great ‘team’, or group of people who functioned together in an extraordinary way – who trusted each other, who complemented each other’s strengths and weaknesses and compensated for each other’s limitations, who had common goals that were larger than individual goals and who produced extraordinary results. I have met many people who have experienced this sort of profound teamwork – in sports or in the performing arts or in business. Many say they have spent much of their life looking for that experience again. What they experienced was a learning organisation.”
Parsloe & Leedham, 2009, 62-63
Mentor vs Coach
Mentor More experienced in the subject they are giving
your advice on, likely a long-term relationship Focus on the person, their career, giving support
for individual growth “Off-line help from one person to another in
making significant transitions in knowledge, work or thinking”(Clutterbuck, 2004, 13)
Coach Elicits ideas to help coachees reach their potential,
doesn’t need to be an expert in that field, likely a short-term relationship
Draw out the expertise from the coachee
Greater Awareness & Responsibility
Whitmore, 2009, 54
The Traits of a Successful Coach They are interested in
people They truly want to help They are determined,
committed, and willing to learn
They are flexible and resilient
They see the best in people – even when others don’t
Brilliant Coaches
Authenticity Empathy Insight Curiosity Ability to listen Courage and willingness to offer feedback Ability to use (appropriate) humour Ability to tolerate ambiguity Ability to confront others Respect for self and own boundaries Respect for others and tolerate their differences
Brian Draper: “Spiritual Intelligence” “So what kind of story will people tell at
your funeral? What kind of story will those who have worked with you, lived with you, loved you, really tell about the way you have lived and loved? You have the chance – before that funeral! – to craft something much richer, deeper and more beautiful than the usual script; but only if you dare to awaken to the possibilities – and to the harder fact that you are, at the moment, asleep.” (2009, 11)
Being open to experimentation
Experiment Aim for excellence
rather than perfection
Prepare Turn Up Do Your Best Evaluate
Start from where you are
You can’t change who you are now…So what do you want to improve for the next stage?
Encourage Students
Where possible, don’t GIVE solutions.
If possible reaffirm solutions already given. “You mentioned x,
a really good idea... Do more of that”
Commitment Based Teaching I will do whatever it takes! I will do it unless/I will do it until I’ll try I don’t really care (but I’ll act like I do to
‘play the game’)
Results or relationship focused?
Individuals? Groups?
Learning Styles
Visual (65%)
Take numerous detailed notes Sit at the front of the class Like to see what they are learning Benefit from illustrations & presentations that
use vivid colours Are attracted to written & spoken language rich
in imagery, including mind maps Need to use ‘big’ questions then chunk down Find something to watch if they are bored “I see what you’re saying”
Auditory (30%)
Sit where they can hear, but needn’t pay attention to what is happening in front
May not co-ordinate colours or clothes, but can explain why they are wearing what they are wearing and why
Acquire knowledge by reading aloud Remember by verbalising lessons to
themselves. Hum or talk to themselves or others when bored “I hear what you’re saying”
Kinaesthetic (5%?)
Learn by imitation/practice May be slower to learn, but retain knowledge Need to be active and take frequent breaks Speak with their hands and with gestures Remember what was done, but have difficulty
recalling what was said or seen Communicate by touching, appreciate physical
encouragement, e.g. pat on the back Find reasons to tinker or move when bored “I feel bad about that”
In practice…
Break up Sessions Provide a range of
activities Lectures Visuals on slides YouTube Discussions Practical
Facilitating Group Sessions
Role of the Facilitator
The facilitator’s job is to support everyone to do their best thinking. To do this, the facilitator encourages full participation, promotes mutual understanding and cultivates shared responsibility, By supporting everyone to do their best thinking, a facilitator enables group members to search for inclusive solutions and build sustainable agreements.
Kaner, S et al, 2007
Facilitating Group Sessions
Identifying Observed Behaviours Underlying Motivation Suggestion for positive impact
Quiet/Shy Participant Overly Talkative Participant Overly Negative or Argumentative
Participant ‘Multiple Conversation’ Participant
http://www.fao.org/docrep/X0185E/p041.gif
Quiet/Shy Participant
Sitting back Listening more
than speaking Quiet Looking
down/away Not engaging
Quiet/Shy Participant: Solutions Ask direct questions Smile/eye contact Pair work – ask them to
summarise group discussions
Name games Warn will ask questions
after break – maybe take to one side over the break
Recognise contribution positively & ask for more.
Overly Talkative Participant
Talks more than listens
Animated Not aware of
other’s needs Not necessarily
relevant to discussion point
Tunes out when others are talking
Overly Talkative Participant: Solutions
Ask them to hold that thought Stop and ask for relevance Give them 10 words to summarise their
point Small groups – get groups to
resummarise each others arguments Ask them to allow space for others after a
break – recognise they have great contributions to make
During pause for breath – speak/restate agenda, look at watch, emphasise relevant points/time limits, refuse to catch their eye
If they look like they’re about to speak, invite someone else into the discussion (say you may come back to them)
Overly Negative or Argumentative Participant
Argues Plays ‘Devil’s
Advocate’ Can’t seem to see
the positive in any points
“Yes, but…” “Why am I doing
this?”
Overly Negative or Argumentative Participant: Solutions
Find a relevant example for their arguments Help them find their own goals Empathise (defuse) Ban the word BUT Thank them for the comment and ask them
how we would turn that into a positive statement.
Paraphrase and recap in objective terms. Find merit, express agreement and move
on. Respond to comments, not the attack. Open discussion of their comments to the
group. Mention – time constraints – will ‘park’ for
the next meeting.
‘6 Thinking Hats’ (Edward de Bono)
http://mappio.com/mindmap/ajwilcox/six-thinking-hats-by-edward-de-bono
‘Multiple Conversation’ Participant Mobile Usage Not listening to
everyone else Not engaging Clock-watching Looking around
room Staring into space Distracting others
‘Multiple Conversation’ Participant: Solutions
Do something unexpected to catch their attention
Draw attention to them if they are being disruptive
Give a look Use them as a focus to bring them in
positively. Keep them engaged – show them the
value and set up rules of engagement. Ask them to share their ideas with the
group Walk near them Restate a recent point and ask them
for their opinion
Techniques
Active Listening: Listening for ‘the total message’
Benefits for the Speaker The speaker feels understood The speaker has opportunities to express thoughts more
clearly and concisely without having to rush The speaker has opportunities to correct
misunderstanding Benefits for the listener
The listener will obtain a wealth of information about the speaker’s thoughts , ideas and failings
The listener will be accepted and trust more readily by the speaker
The listener will actually get to know and understand the speaker as an individual
Recognising Poor Listening
Faking attention whilst thinking about something else Showing impatience or irritation (doodling, etc) Distracted by what’s going on around you Being put off by another’s appearance, accent, choice of
words, etc. Being too pre-occupied with getting own ideas across, so
don’t hear what other is saying Impatience, no time to listen Switching off whilst mentally rehearsing a response Trying to finish a sentence before the other has finish
speaking Switching off
Questioning
Use a wide variety of questions, divergent/convergent
Respond and acknowledge Provide positive reinforcement Interrelate previous comments Restate discussion goal periodically Equitably select those to question Select volunteers and non-volunteers to
answer questions “5 levels of why”
Sitting with the Silence
Allow people time to reflect If you’re too preoccupied with keeping a
flow going and filling all the gaps (with questions, etc), the other person doesn’t have time to reflect and work things out
Three Second Rule Question clarification? Extended if necessary – trust intutition
Bibliography Professional Coaching Certification Programme,
ICF Accredited, The Kerslake Company, 2008-9 Clutterbuck, D. Everyone needs a mentor:
Fostering talent in your organisation CIPD, 2004 (4th Ed)
Draper, B. Spiritual Intelligence Lion Hudson, 2009
Minter, T. ‘Personal Effectiveness’, CIPD, 2007 Parsloe, E. and Leedham, M. Coaching and
Mentoring: Practical Conversations to Improve Learning Kogan Page, 2009 (2nd Ed)
Townsend, J. & Donovan, P. The Facilitator’s Pocketbook Management Pocketbooks, 1999
Whitmore, J. Coaching for Performance Nicholas Brealey, 2009 (4th Ed)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
QUESTIONS?