Coaching Conversation Methodology

The coaching conversation can either be asking or telling. While we strongly promote asking rather than telling as a coaching philosophy, however there are times when telling is an appropriate and useful way of approaching situations.

Method 1 - Positive Feedback

Purpose: Reinforce, Method: Tell

The purpose of positive feedback is to reinforce behavior. The most effective way is to simply tell people what they have done or are doing well.

Method 2 - Performance Debrief

Purpose: Reinforce, Method: Ask

The performance debrief is an incredibly helpful and insightful coaching conversation. The purpose is to find (uncover) actions that your staff have been pursuing, including what actions you want to positively reinforce to achieve performance outcomes. The method to use is an asking/inquiry-based technique.

Method 3 - Corrective Feedback

Purpose: Correct Behavior, Method: Ask

As a performance coach, it is important to correct people's behavior when it goes off track. This method is one of asking rather than telling. It is about having a dialogue with the other person versus a monologue. You are including them in their own performance-based conversation.

Method 4 - Impact Statement

Purpose: Correct Behavior, Method: Tell and Ask

There are times when you need to correct behavior and asking questions is not as relevant. In this coaching technique, we are going to explore four simple and highly effective steps to get a person back on track. This is a method of telling.

Method 5 - Skills Coaching

Purpose: Reinforce or Correct, Method: Show Visually

Our skills coaching is an incredibly helpful and powerful framework that will show you how to help someone improve very quickly with little or no correction. It is a visual feedback-based technique that adds to the impact of the coaching.

Method 6 - Guide Conversation

Purpose: Support and Develop People, Method: Ask

Developmental coaching is a key part of a person's career (sense of purpose) and a great skill for you as a leader to have. Developmental coaching is a goals-focused coaching technique that is used to support the growth of people. It is an asking/inquiry-based coaching method. Developmental coaching is ongoing, as you coach people to move from where they are to where they want to be in relation to their goals. The GUIDE model is a key component of developmental coaching.

GUIDE Model

Goal - What do you want to achieve?

Understanding - What is currently happening?

Investigate - What can you do to get there?

Decide - What is to be done, when, and by whom?

Evaluate - How are we tracking? What are the next steps?