Coaching and mentoring require a set of specialized skills, particularly those that focus on enabling and empowering others, as well as building strong relationships. Whether you are a professional coach, a leader, or a manager who uses a coaching approach to help your team members grow, or you use your training skills in a less formal setting, there are some key abilities that will help you become an excellent coach. To become an outstanding coach, it is important to understand the skills needed to be successful. The International Coach Federation (ICF) has identified the core competencies that are essential for coaches to be successful.
These include active listening, powerful questioning, direct communication, creating awareness, and designing action plans. Active listening is the ability to listen deeply and attentively to what the other person is saying. Powerful questioning involves asking questions that help the other person gain clarity and insight into their situation. Direct communication involves being honest and open with the other person while also being respectful of their feelings.
Creating awareness involves helping the other person gain insight into their current situation and how they can move forward. Finally, designing action plans involves helping the other person create a plan of action that will help them reach their goals. In addition to these interpersonal skills, group life coaching also requires several logistical abilities. These include being organized and prepared for each session, having an understanding of group dynamics, and being able to manage time effectively. Being organized and prepared for each session involves having an agenda for each session and being able to stay on track during the session.
Having an understanding of group dynamics involves being able to recognize how different personalities interact with each other and how this affects the overall group dynamic. Finally, being able to manage time effectively involves being able to keep the group on track and ensure that all topics are discussed in a timely manner. The capacity to maintain a good presence as a coach is another skill that the ICF considers essential. This includes being present in the moment with the other person, being adequately sensitive and self-managing, and having an understanding of one's own emotions. Being present in the moment with the other person involves being fully engaged in the conversation and not allowing one's own thoughts or feelings to distract from the conversation.
Being adequately sensitive and self-managing involves being aware of one's own emotions and managing them in a way that does not interfere with the conversation. Finally, having an understanding of one's own emotions involves being able to recognize one's own feelings and how they may be affecting the conversation. Nobody is born with a complete set of training skills, but you don't need an eternity of experience to become an effective coach. Knowing the right types of questions and asking them at the right time is the key to a successful coaching process. Experience is often the best way to improve your training skills, but as Kolb would say, it's possible to speed up your progress by consciously practicing the relevant techniques.
Studies on coaching skills interventions have also used feedback techniques and emotional intelligence training to help leaders improve their approach. In conclusion, becoming an outstanding coach requires mastering a set of specialized skills that focus on enabling and empowering others as well as building strong relationships. These include active listening, powerful questioning, direct communication, creating awareness, designing action plans, being organized and prepared for each session, having an understanding of group dynamics, managing time effectively, maintaining a good presence as a coach, recognizing strengths in others, and having an understanding of one's own emotions.
