Catalytic Coaching

Coach’s Guide to Coaching Input Sessions Set the scene. Ensure privacy by using a room with minimal windows/traffic and close the door. Plan sitting using comfortable chairs without a desk between the two of you. Prevent interruptions by forwarding or holding office calls and turn off cell phones. Listen! Consider this a conversation with notes. Your job is to understand, not judge, the person sitting across from you. This should be a 90/10 talk split, your direct report should do 90% of the talking. Make it a conversation. Ask natural questions that help you understand who the person is in front of you. Discover what motivates and demotivates them in a supportive and non-judgmental way. Don’t assume you already know. Ask. The answer might surprise you.

Coach’s prep: ❏ Reflect on their strengths, potential focus areas, and achievements ❏ Review your draft of the employee’s Blue Coaching Worksheet. If you don’t have enough examples of a Strength or Focus Area, plan to ask. Start the session: Break the ice with informal conversation (not work) for 1 - 3 minutes, then ask if they have any questions and are ready to get started. Once you’re ready, you can say something like this: Wrap it up: Watch the clock. When it’s time to close the meeting, you can say: “Thank you for the effort you put into preparing for and conducting this meeting. Your input is going to be very helpful to me in formulating my feedback for you. As you know, the next step of the process is for me to give you feedback based on your input and what I have been drafting for you on your Coaching Worksheet, which we will walk through together. How does that sound?” “As you know, this is your meeting. My job is to listen, ask questions, and take notes. Let’s do our best to take full advantage of the time we have budgeted. Go ahead, it’s your meeting. Why don’t you walk me through what you have prepared?”