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matrix vision newsletter 
Coaching Issue
Oct/Nov, 2010 - Vol 3, Issue 10/11
In This Issue
Coaching?
GROW Model
OCSOBER - Barry does it!
Coaching Competencies
360 Feedback
Quick Links
 
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Story of the Month

It is said that when filming the biblical epic The Greatest Story Ever Told, the director George Stevens was trying to encourage extra passion from John Wayne when delivering the highly significant line, "Truly, this was the Son of God."

 

"You are talking about Jesus - think about it," said Stevens, "You've got to say it with awe."

 

For the next take John Wayne duly summoned his most intense feelings. He paused dramatically, and said:

 

"Aw, truly this was the Son of God."

Coaching Quotes

 

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will."  

Vince Lombardi

 

"If you deliberately plan on being less than you are capable of being, then I warn you that you'll be unhappy for the rest of your life."  

Abraham Maslow

 

"Who exactly seeks out a coach? Winners who want even more out of life."  

Chicago Tribune

 

 "The goal of coaching is the goal of good management: to make the most of an organisation's valuable resources."  

Harvard Business Review

 

"I absolutely believe that people, unless coached, never reach their maximum potential."  

Bob Nardelli

 

"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year."

 

John Foster Dulles

 

"People who are coaches will be the norm. Other people won't get promoted."  

 

Jack Welch

 

"I have learned that people will forget what you said; people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."  

Maya Angelou

 

 

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."  

Mahatma Ghandi

 

"You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it within himself."  

 

Galileo Galilei

 

"Coaching is unlocking a person's potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them ."  

 

Timothy Gallwey

 
 
Greetings!
Welcome to the matrix vision newsletter for October/November. Unfortunately we were unable to publish our newsletter in October due to technical difficulties. This month's newsletter is focussed on Coaching

This newsletter explores the topic and provides some tools and tips that can help us be more effective in developing the people who work with us.

The newsletter presents several articles and ideas.
  • Definition and discussion of Coaching
  • The various types of Coaching
  • Coaching Competencies
  • The GROW Model the most effective coaching model

In addition read about 360 degree feedback (a powerful coaching tool) and how I successfully completed OCSOBER.


Enjoy your reading and as always your feedback would be welcome!

If any of the information interests you and if you would like to find out how it can help you please contact us.  We would love to talk with you.

Barry
Coaching?

Yelling Coach

Apparently, the first use of the term coaching to mean an instructor or trainer arose around 1830 in Oxford University slang for a tutor who "carries" a student through an exam. The first use of the term in relation to sports came in 1831.

 

Historically the evolution of coaching has been influenced by and enhanced through by many other fields of study including those of personal development, adult education, psychology (sports, clinical, developmental, organisational, social and industrial) and other organisational or leadership theories and practices. Since the mid 1990's, coaching has developed into a more independent discipline and professional associations have helped develop a set of training standards.

 

A coach is a person who helps an individual in improving certain skills and achieving certain goals. Many organisations encourage internal staff to develop coaching skills and employee external coaches to help their employees to perform well. Coaching is also sought out at individual level for professional and personal reasons.

 

There are two methods of coaching, directive coaching and non-directive coaching. In directive coaching, a coach guides the individual by actively teaching him or her various skills and strategies to achieve success. On the other hand, non-directive coaching is a method where the coach guides the individual not by teaching, but by asking questions through which the individual would find out the answers or solutions and move towards his or her goals.



Different types of coaching 

 

Coaching can be used for various purposes.

 

Performance coaching. Coaching activities here are aimed at enhancing an individual's performance in their current role at work, to increase their effectiveness and productivity at work. Generally, performance coaching derives its theoretical basis and models from business and sports psychology as well as general psychological theory.

 

Skills coaching. This form of coaching focuses on the core skills an employee needs to perform in their role. Skills coaching provides a flexible, adaptive, 'just-in-time' approach to skills development. Coaching programmes are tailored specifically to the individual and are generally focused on achieving a number of skill development objectives that are linked to the needs of the organisation.

 

Career Coaching. Coaching activities focus on the individual's career concerns, with the coach eliciting and using feedback on the individual's capabilities as part of a discussion of career options. The process should lead to increased clarity, personal change and forward action.

 

Personal or life coaching. This form of coaching provides support to individuals wishing to make some form of significant changes happen within their lives. Coaches help individuals to explore what they want in life and how they might achieve their aspirations and fulfil their needs. Personal/life coaching generally takes the individual's agenda as its start point.

 

Business coaching. Business coaching is always conducted within the constraints placed on the individual or group by the organisational context.

 

Executive coaching. One to one performance coaching is increasingly being recognised as the way for organisations and individuals to improve performance. By improving the performance of the most influential people within the organisation, the theory goes that business results should improve. Executive coaching is often delivered by coaches operating from outside the organisation whose services are requested for an agreed duration or number of coaching sessions.

 

Team facilitation. Coaching in its role as facilitator is particularly valuable during the budget and strategy planning season. And coaching a team before a presentation can dramatically improve performance - as well as self confidence.

 
Work shadowing. As well as being a means of identifying an individual's behaviour and performance, work shadowing is an excellent method of getting immediate feedback on behaviour, with a discussion of alternative ways of handling future such situations.

 

 

There are a few ideas in this newsletter that can assist you. However if you would like some help in developing coaching skills for yourself or members of your team, give us a call.

 

CLICK HERE

 

 

GROW Model
Mountain Climb

The GROW model is useful in performance management and coaching to help a person clarify what they want to achieve and how they will achieve it.


GROW was developed out of the Inner Game theory developed by Timothy Gallwey, Gallwey was a tennis coach who noticed that he could often see what a player was doing incorrectly but that simply telling them what they should be doing did not bring about lasting change.

This is often illustrated by the example of a player who does not keep their eye on the ball. Most coaches would give instructions such as: 'Keep your eye on the ball' to try and correct this. The problem with this sort of instruction is that a player will be able to follow it for a short while but be unable to keep it in the front of their minds in the long term. This means that progress was slow. The result was that coaches and players grew increasingly frustrated at the slowness of progress but no one had better system of coaching.

 

So one day, instead of giving an instruction, Gallwey asked the player to say `bounce' out loud when the ball bounced and `hit' out loud when they hit it.

 

The result was that the players started to improve without a lot of effort because they were keeping their eye on the ball. But because of the way the instruction was given they did not have a voice in their heads saying 'I must keep my eye on the ball.' They were simply playing a simple game while they were playing tennis. Once Gallwey saw how play could be improved in this way he stopped giving instructions and started asking questions that would help the player discover for himself what worked and what needed to change. This was the birth of the Inner Game.

 

In 1992, Sir John Whitmore, a motor racing champion, published "Coaching for Performance" where he developed the most influential model of coaching - the GROW model. 

 

 

GROW

 

Goal

 

The first step is to establish and agree the goal. This answers the question 'What do I want to achieve?'

Goals, as described here, are also known as objectives, key results, targets, performance outcomes, and a host of other euphemisms. The bottom line can be define in defining success as the 'delivery of value to someone'. Value happens when that someone makes use of what you deliver to them.

 

In establishing goals, ensure they are SMART. Ask questions such as:

  • Who is it for? Who are your end customers?
  • What do they really want? What is the benefit for them? What would make them happy?
  • What do you need to deliver so they get what they want?

Also include considerations of time, cost and quality as appropriate.

  • When do they want it? How long might it take to deliver? Is this feasible?
  • How much would they be prepared to pay? What would be competitive pricing? Is this feasible?
  • What will look for when you deliver it? What would make them unhappy? What would delight them?
  • Who else needs to know about the plan? How will you inform them? 

Goals are not always about delivering things to other people. For example you could be your own customer in delivering some personal improvement. Goals can also be about getting other people to do something. Whatever it is, develop a goal description by which you can clearly tell when the goal has been achieved.

 

Reality

 

The next stage is to examine the current reality. If the goal statement tells where you want to go, then the reality check describes the starting position. The gap between these two then constitutes the work that is to be done.

 

It is a trap to think that the work is relatively easy, and that you are closer to the goal than you think. It is also trap to think that it is too far away and out of sight.

 

Get a clear description of the current reality, including as appropriate relationships, attitudes, skills, processes, available tools and so on. In understanding reality you may also find resources and tools that you had not thought of as being potentially helpful.

 

Questions to ask include:

  • How busy are you?
  • What is the current situation like?
  • Who is involved? What are they like?
  • What's working and not working?
  • What keeps you awake at night?
  • How easy is it to get things done?
  • Why haven't you reached this goal already? What is really stopping you?
  • Do you know anyone who has achieved this goal? What can you learn from them?

Options (and Obstacles)

 

When you know where you want to go (goals) and where you are (reality), then the third stage is to consider possibilities about ways of getting from one to the other.

 

A common approach is to look for the 'one right way'. In reality, there are often many different ways to get to where you want to go, and a creative 'options' approach can come up with some very useful ideas.

 

Options start with strategic big-picture overall approaches and then descend into the tactical and operational detail. Comparing options should start at the high level in order to save time. The final few options may be considered in greater detail.

 

The time, cost and risks of each option may be compared when choosing the main option to follow. Other options may still be kept in the back pocket in case the main option becomes troublesome.

 

Some of the questions you can ask include:

  • How could you go about doing this?
  • How else could you go about doing it?
  • What could go wrong with that approach?
  • How long would it take?
  • What resource and expenditure would be needed?
  • What are the risks in each option?
  • What criteria will you use to select the main option?
  • What could you do as a first step? What else could you do?
  • What would happen if you did nothing? 

The output of this stage is a plan, or at least the bones of one that will be developed later.

 

Will (Wrap up, Way Forward)

 

Finally, now that you have a plan of how to get from reality to goals, the big question if everyone involved has the energy and motivation for the journey.

 

Questions that can help include: 

  • Are you ready for this? Does it light your fire?
  • Is there anything stopping you from committing whole-heartedly to this?
  • Who else needs to buy in to it?
  • What needs to happen to enthuse people?
  • What rewards for completion would help?
  • How committed are you to this goal? 

 

If you would like to know more about the GROW Model and how it could be used in your organisation, give us a call - CLICK HERE

 
OCSOBER - Barry does it!

Barry signed up for the OCSOBER challenge and as you may be aware he successfully remained alcohol free during the month
 

What is Ocsober?
 

OCSOBEROcsober is a fundraising initiative that encourages people to give up alcohol for the month of October.


The money raised goes to Life Education, the organisation behind the iconic educational mascot, Healthy Harold. For 30 years, the loveable giraffe has been teaching Australian children how to enjoy a healthy lifestyle by resisting participation in drug and alcohol abuse. This year, Ocsober aims to raise $1 million to help Life Education and Healthy

Harold go into even more schools across Australia.


Ocsober is also an important opportunity to highlight the growing danger of binge drinking and alcohol abuse, particularly among young Australians.


Many readers of this newsletter have already shown their support to this great cause and their encouragement to Barry by sponsoring his efforts up front.  This has shown tremendous faith and Barry is extremely grateful for that support.  It is not too late to join them!  Some of you may have held off, not believing that Barry would be successful. Please reward Barry's effort and help support the kids by making your donation at his fundraising page.



                                No Beer!      No Spirits!       No Wine!       Yes,Water! 

. 
Coaching Competencies

Sydney Swans Coach - Paul Roos

 

These 13 Coaching Competencies form the basis of the American Society of Training and Development Coaching Training Program. They represent areas in which you need to excel in order to fulfill your coaching role successfully.

 

 

Communicating Instructions. Showing the person you are coaching how to accomplish the task and clarifying when, where, how much, and to what standard it should be done.

 

The role of coach often involves teaching a skill or procedure to another person. The ability to break down a task into easy-to-understand steps that you can articulate to another is vital to being an effective coach.

 

Providing Feedback. Carefully observing performance on individual tasks and sharing these observations in a nonthreatening manner.

 

Effective coaching sometimes starts with pointing someone in the right direction. First, you work with the person to set broad goals; then you become very specific in agreeing on desired outcomes and how they will be measured.

 

Setting Performance Goals. Collaborating with others to establish short- and long-term goals for performance on particular tasks.

 

Giving others feedback on their task performance is critical to improving their performance. In order to do this effectively, you have to observe the person performing the task, noting what the person is doing well and what can be improved. Then you work with the individual to ensure he or she understands your feedback and uses it developmentally.

 

Rewarding Improvement. Using a variety of means to provide positive reinforcement to others for making progress on the accomplishment of important tasks.

 

Timing of rewards is important. Don't wait until you see either perfection or failure on the task. Look for growth in task accomplishment and reward that soon after you observe it. Although coaches don't always control formal rewards (pay, perks, or promotions), they can make frequent and effective use of informal ("pat on the back" or other nonmonetary recognition) ones.

 

Dealing with Failure. Working with others to encourage them when they do not meet expectations. 

 

When an individual demonstrates an inability or unwillingness to perform a task according to expectations and standards, you need to be able to deal with the result. This can mean encouraging, reprimanding, redirecting, retraining, or otherwise affecting his or her ability or willingness. Patience can be a virtue or an enabler of more failure. Use it wisely.

 

Working with Personal Issues. Listening empathically and without judgment and offering emotional support for nonwork difficulties.

 

In general, coaches are not expected to function as counselors or psychotherapists. Few are qualified to carry out such responsibilities, and the context of the organisational relationship might preclude this type of interaction. Faced with an individual whose personal situation is interfering with his or her performance, however, you need to be able to intervene. A good rule of thumb is that whenever you feel "in over your head," you are. Be prepared to refer the person to appropriate sources of professional assistance and adjust the coaching process to support getting through the situation humanely.

 

Confronting Difficult Situations. Raising uncomfortable topics that are affecting task accomplishment.

 

Coaching often involves situations in which performance has not met expectations. Unmet expectations often lead to fingerpointing, denial of personal responsibility, and other dysfunctional behaviors. Talking about these issues can make people uncomfortable. Good coaching requires the ability and willingness to confront difficult and uncomfortable situations head-on, but with tact and diplomacy. When the best interests of all concerned are at heart, the honesty and courage to confront difficult situations are welcomed.

 

Responding to Requests. Consulting with others on an as-needed basis. Responding to requests in a timely manner.

 

Timely response to requests is a tangible indicator of respect. To build and maintain a healthy coaching relationship, make sure your responsiveness reflects a high level of priority.

 

Following Through. Keeping your commitments. Monitoring outcomes of the coaching process and providing additional assistance when necessary.

 

Trust is a critical component of any coaching relationship. Keeping your commitments helps build and maintain trust. Showing an ongoing commitment to the long-term success of the person you are coaching also builds a strong relationship.

 

Listening for Understanding. Demonstrating attention to and conveying understanding of others.

 

Listening is another indicator of respect. It requires keeping your mind open to what others say, attending well to both the content of what they say and the feelings they may be expressing (sometimes unconsciously). Listening effectively almost invariably involves checking your understanding of others' messages by reflecting what you hear, using such phrases as, "What I hear you saying is..." and, "You seem to be concerned about...."

 

Motivating Others. Encouraging others to achieve desired results. Creating enthusiasm and commitment in others.

 

The right button to push to help motivate another person differs widely. There are no hard-and-fast rules to what motivates anyone. You can be effective by knowing what motivates the person you are coaching and tying his or her desires and goals to the task at hand. This requires continual assessment and reassessment of the person and situation. "Reading" the person can be inaccurate. It's better to ask what is important to him or her and how the task at hand relates.

 

Assessing Strengths and Weaknesses. Identifying root causes of individual performance. Probing beneath the surface of problems. Keenly observing people and events. Defining and articulating issues effectively.

 

Properly identifying the abilities and interests of the person you are coaching directs your coaching efforts to the most critical areas. This involves keen observation and attention to detail. It also means distinguishing between symptoms and root causes of problems. Without accurate assessment, your coaching efforts might all be spent on addressing the wrong problem or a nonexistent one.

 

Building Rapport and Trust. Showing respect for others. Acting with integrity and honesty. Easily building bonds with others.

 

Making others feel their concerns and contributions are important. Rapport and trust are the cornerstones of an effective coaching relationship. The person you are coaching needs to trust that you have his or her best interests at heart so he or she can be honest with you regarding shortcomings. There also needs to be a bond of mutual respect so the advice, teaching, and counseling of the coach will be more readily accepted.

 

 

American Society for Training and Development 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
360 Feedback
 
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Matrix Vision is a value added reseller and a user of the most powerful and versatile feedback software tool available today.
 
People need an efficient, confidential and anonymous vehicle for giving feedback to each other. State-of-the-art software can simplify the process of collecting multi-source (360) feedback for anyone in your organisation.
 
20/20 Insight GOLD is the world's most versatile feedback tool. With this system, we can set up surveys to collect virtually any type of feedback-ideas, opinions, impressions, ratings - from any number of people about the performance of an individual, a team or even your organisation as a whole.organisation.
 
 
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POWERFUL
 
Our software contains everything you might need - for everyone involved in the feedback process:
  • More than 1,200 items in a massive library - easily customised - or we can incorporate your competencies.
  • Approximately 300 survey items in leadership categories.  Each one has an associated document for the learner that contains:
    • What a low rating in this item might mean
    • Specific recommendations for improving in this area
    • Recommended resources
  • Ability to not only collect open-ended responses at the end of the survey but also get optional explanatory comments for each item rated, providing extraordinary coaching and personal growth material.
  • Dozens of powerful reports can be generated.  Compare previous to current results to measure improvements.  Produce consolidated reports with summary data for the entire organisation.
  • A 31 page booklet and online performance analysis tool for each feedback recipient to help them create and implement a personal development plan.
 
CUSTOMISABLE AND FLEXIBLE
 
We can tailor almost any aspect of a feedback project - add your competencies, use or modify ours - or any combination.  With this unprecedented flexibility, we can provide many different types of surveys for your organisation.  A few examples:
  • All "soft-skills" training to provide a baseline of behaviours, feedback to participants and measureable results to management
  • Leadership and individual skill development
  • Needs analysis
  • Team and organisational effectiveness
  • Climate surveys and customer feedback
EXPERT SERVICE
 
Feedback is one of our specialities.  We have the experience and expertise to handle all your feedback and survey administration needs.  We take time to find out exactly what you need, and we create the survey according to your specifications.
  • Save valuable internal staff time for other priorities
  • Get efficient and very cost effective services
  • Relax, knowing that all feedback is kept confidential and stored securely off-site
  • Make it easy and fast for participants with an internet connection to access their assessments from anywhere in the world.
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To learn more about the power of 20/20 Insight Gold click on the image.
 
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To talk with us about how you can use feedback to help improve your organisation, please
 
 
 

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In December the theme of the newsletter will be "Christmas Again".

All the Best,

Barry Signature
Barry McMaster
Matrix Vision Pty Limited