The Coaching Question (The Coaching Question Podcast)
Explorez tous les épisodes de The Coaching Question
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
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| 04 May 2021 | Why is a Chemistry Session Important and What Might One Look Like? | 00:22:13 | |
In this episode we discuss the importance of a chemistry session in coaching and what one might look like. Chemistry sessions are the (usually free) meetings that a coach and potential client will have to determine whether or not there is a good fit between both parties. It answers the question; ‘Can we work well together?’ We share our experiences of what makes for effective and ineffective chemistry sessions and explain a model supplied by John Whittington, which has the acronym – STANCE. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 25 May 2021 | We Discuss the Great Training Robbery. Would Your Money Be Better Spent on Coaching? | 00:27:29 | |
In this episode we discuss the Great Training Robbery and whether training or coaching is a better investment. If you’ve only got so much money, how should you be splitting your budget to get your best return? What is the Great Training Robbery? The Harvard Business Review article ‘The Great Training Robbery’ states that in 2012 U.S. corporations spent $164.2 billion on training and education. Overwhelming evidence and experience shows, however, that most companies are unable to transfer employee learning into changes in individual and organization behaviour or improved financial performance. A meta analysis of many training studies finds that only 10% of training programs are effective. The authors’ main premise is that a system must be changed before individual behavior can be changed through training programs. The article present a list of ‘silent killers’ questions and if the answer to any of these is ‘yes’, the idea is that you shouldn’t start with training, but consider a coaching led intervention first. We share these questions in the episode. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 22 Jun 2021 | What is the Role of Psychometrics in Coaching? | 00:34:32 | |
In this episode we discuss the use of psychometrics in coaching. We use the Myers Briggs Type Indicator quite a lot to illustrate our points, as we believe the MBTI is one of the most popular tools in use in coaching. Other psychometrics mentioned include Insights Discovery™ and the Hogan Development Survey (the Dark Side tool). Oftentimes, coaches are selected because they are trained in how to use a particular psychometric. An organisation might have a preference for a particular tool and this becomes part of the language of that organisation, and so it helps to be able to understand and share in this as a coach and be able to use this to add value to the coaching relationship. This also helps in team dynamics. You can argue that a coach and coachee investing time at the start of the coaching relationship taking a deep dive into the coachee’s personality is time very well spent. It helps explore self-awareness and generally inform the goals for the coaching. We share when it is appropriate to use psychometrics in coaching as well as our top tips! Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 29 Dec 2020 | How Does the Organisation Benefit from Career Coaching? | 00:20:44 | |
In this episode we talk about the organisational benefits of career coaching. Listen to this episode if you are interested in learning more about why organisations might want to offer their people the opportunity to access career coaching. Organisations want to support and be seen to support valued members of staff to find the next role internally or to be supported to leave well and find a role in another organisation. A career conversation can be an integral part of transition coaching when someone is ready, or nearly ready for that next promotion. We discuss how organisations offer support. Bigger organisations might have career paths or structured promotional criteria. The world of work has changed from a clear hierarchical career path to much more of a matrix approach and the way people are developing their careers has changed quite a lot. Individuals need to take responsibility themselves in terms of how they navigate their career, being more career activists and organisations can support them in this. A clear way that organisations support people in career transitions is typified by ‘First 90 days’ coaching. Organisations don’t always invest enough time pre-transition and then have to spend more time post-transition. This is often when a coach is brought in, maybe 6-12 months down the line. Power-hour, or drop-in coaching sessions, mean that career coaching can be available for everyone and not just reserved for high potentials. One of the benefits for the organisation is that coaches can report back on the developmental themes that have arisen whilst respecting confidentially. This informs how we can support the careers of our people, given our line managers aren’t career coaches. Drop-in coaching delivers huge benefits in terms of employer brand and development of people. People really feel valued and taken care of. Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 01 Jun 2022 | How do we best end coaching engagements? | 00:13:54 | |
In this special episode, we chose to reflect on endings in coaching. Gregor was one of four coaches who contributed to an article on this topic for Coaching At Work, and we wanted to take the opportunity to think this through together on our podcast. We talk about the emphasis that is placed on the start of coaching engagements, and the importance that is placed on the results that are achieved. Yet, ending a coaching engagement well is a topic that appears to have received less attention, but is crucially important. Listen in if you’d like to learn more about how we can best end coaching engagements. About the article: Further to a webinar on ‘Ending Well’, organised by APECS (The Association for Professional Executive Coaches and Supervisors) in November 2021, there was a general recognition that very little had been written on practices related to ending with coaching clients. Wanting to address this topic further, four coaches who had attended the webinar penned an article for Coaching At Work. This has now been published in the May 2022 edition. The intent of the article was to start an inquiry, which may lead to further research that could define and propose best practices within the profession. Resources: Coaching at work - https://www.coaching-at-work.com/ APECS - https://www.apecs.org/ | |||
| 27 Apr 2021 | Is it Good Business to Offer Coaching to Everyone? | 00:21:56 | |
In this episode we are joined by Jo Taylor, MD of HR Consultancy Let’s Talk Talent, to discuss drop-in coaching. Let’s Talk Talent’s function is to make organisations irresistible by unlocking their people potential, ensuring organisations thrive at every level, along any time-frame. Jo and Gregor discuss whether it is good business to offer coaching to everyone. Gregor met Jo when she recruited him as part of a cadré of coaches, who not only coached executives, but also took part in ‘drop-in’ coaching and that’s what this episode is about - something that is close to both of our hearts - making coaching available to everyone and not just a select few at the top. Sarah has coined the term - a Power Hour, and that’s certainly what drop-in coaching is all about. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 07 Dec 2021 | Bonus Episode – Season 1 Highlights | 00:28:59 | |
Welcome to this bonus episode, where we reflect on changes that have occurred since our recording on these topics and some insights we’ve had since. We started Season 1 in November 2020 when Covid cases were rising rapidly again with lots of uncertainty and we’d finished recording before Christmas and it was after this that cases took off in the UK so things have developed a lot since our initial episodes. Some of the things we look at include: How a return to work - or not is impacting on our clients - and the issues of the so-called great resignation. Since we talked about team coaching, there’s been some interesting data that comes from The Team Coaching Studio, which we look at. We also look back at mental health with some interesting data coming from McKinsey and Microsoft. Resources: YouGov Survey on Returning to Work - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58559179 The team coaching studio - 6 Team Coaching Trends for 2021 - https://teamcoachingstudio.com/6-team-coaching-trends-for-2021/ McKinsey - Returning to Work: Keys to a Psychologically Safer Workplace - shorturl.at/aiAG2 Microsoft - The Work Trend Index - shorturl.at/vwER4
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| 19 Nov 2020 | How does Maternity Coaching Benefit Returning Parents and the Organisation? | 00:24:55 | |
In this episode, Sarah Turner, an experienced maternity coach and diversity and inclusion expert talks about how maternity coaching works in practice and why it matters. We examine the fundamental changes that a woman experiences during this time and the value of coaching in supporting a new mother as she adjusts her motherhood mindset to the realities of working again. This is often a time when women lose confidence, and coaching can provide a safe space for women to adjust, explore and work through this transition. Maternity coaching is a valuable retention tool for any organisation that cares about having an inclusive work culture that enables diversity to really, truly thrive. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 20 Apr 2021 | How Do We Deal with Feedback in Coaching? | 00:27:38 | |
In this episode we discuss how feedback might show up in coaching. Feedback can be such a provocative topic. People find it difficult to give constructive feedback and they worry about how others will respond. There are many models out there providing guidance on how to structure your message, but it can often be much more complex than just applying a model and hoping that the conversation goes well. As coaches, we will offer feedback to our clients in the moment, which can lead to increased self awareness. We might also support our clients in giving and receiving feedback at work. We touch on models and approaches you might try, and explore how we support clients to have feedback conversations in a skilful way. Organisational culture plays an important role in how feedback is given and received. We explore how psychological safety is key to creating the right conditions and examine what we can learn from the world of sport and our work with teams. Listen in if feedback is something you grapple with in your role or organisation! Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 15 Jun 2021 | Why Should a Head Teacher Invest in Coaching? | 00:23:07 | |
In this episode we are joined by the massively experienced coach Kim Gregory to discuss why a head teacher should invest in coaching. Kim Gregory has been coaching in education since 2009. She works with all sorts of leaders, typically Directors and CEOs in Not-for-Profits, but she especially enjoys working with Head Teachers and Senior Leadership Teams. What matters most to her is to work with clients who yearn to grow and learn; who are seeking effective challenge and support and who want to broaden, deepen, consolidate and grow their range of leadership capability and thinking capacity around complexity. This is an area that neither of the hosts have any experience in so it was enlightening to hear about what coaching can bring to this area that is of so much importance to so many. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 01 Jun 2021 | How Does Coaching Support Diversity and Inclusion in Organisations? | 00:34:10 | |
In this episode we are joined by Sasha Scott and Jen Morris of Inclusive Group to discuss how coaching can support Diversity and Inclusion in organisations. The role coaching might play in supporting behavioural change in organisations is a relatively new development, and one that is still taking shape. Listen to this episode if you’d like to learn more about the difference between Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging and the different kinds of coaching that can support this work. We explore why many organisations fail to make meaningful progress in this space and examine the role coaching can play in supporting and embedding behavioural change. As Sasha highlights, mindset is key. We talk about growth mindset, reverse mentoring, leadership, role modelling psychometrics and more. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 24 Nov 2020 | Why is Team Coaching Needed More Than Ever in Today’s World? | 00:26:10 | |
In this episode we talk about team coaching and discuss the difference between team coaching and team facilitation. We share some stories about how team coaching can help teams be more effective. Examples that may indicate a team needs coaching include things like, a team being dysfunctional, not getting the results needed or finding that decision making is problematic. Peter M. Senge, the author of The Fifth Discipline says “It is amazing how often you come across teams with an average intelligence of over 120, but the team at a collective intelligence of about 60.” So it’s rare that you come across a leadership team that won’t benefit from coaching. We discuss why team coaching can be so powerful in shifting the performance of an organisation. It has been said that team coaching is the future, and we reflect on how coaching an entire leadership team – getting them really aligned around their purpose and working effectively together – can help shift an organisation more quickly than coaching individuals separately. We touch on some of the norms that it is regularly productive to work on, such as operating rhythm, decision-making and accountability and some simple exercises that any team can adopt. We also explore how HR might identify the need for and justify the investment for team coaching. We also look at the practicalities of team coaching. One or two coaches? Does the team coach work with the individuals in the team? Is there specific training and accreditation? Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 22 Feb 2022 | Should we really bother about things like birth order in coaching? | 00:22:42 | |
In this episode we look at how concepts like birth order theory can be a gateway to insights into how we’re all shaped by our family of origin, which is where we learn to take on certain roles. We look into how valuable it is to explore the hidden dimensions that are playing out in our relationships at work. We’re not interested in ‘doing’ therapy with clients, but we are interested in how the decisions made in early childhood are unconsciously playing out now. These will have worked for us in the past, but there’s a very good chance that these same decisions, programming, roles that we play, are no longer beneficial. We need to bring them into our awareness in order to make different choices. Resources: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith - shorturl.at/gmFN4 How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen - shorturl.at/kuwF8 Esther Perel How’s work podcast - https://howswork.estherperel.com/ | |||
| 11 May 2021 | Why Does Mindset Matter in Coaching? | 00:35:51 | |
In this episode we are joined by Charlie Warshowski, a coach and coach-trainer and founder of Love Your Coaching to talk about growth mindset and why it matters in coaching. This is an episode that should not only be of interest to coaches and HR, but also to any parents who are interested in how to best enable their children to be successful in what they do. We both met Charlie through the Guildford Coaches Group where he ran a session on Mindset and confirmed how important this concept is for coaches, HR and leaders. What is mindset? Carol Dweck, the originator of Mindset has a much-viewed TED talk; ‘The Power Of Believing You Can Improve’, which is a quick and easy introduction. Her book Mindset, should in our humble opinion, be required reading for every teacher, educator and parent. It’s an easy read. Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganisation. This phenomenon is central to Mindset. One definition of Mindset is “The established set of attitudes held by someone”. When presented with a big failure, those with a growth mindset go on. Those with a fixed mindset ‘retire themselves’ or blame others. Here is a quote that exemplifies a growth mindset: “That we believe that rejection is feedback rather than failure. That we’re up for a challenge. That we gleefully rub our hands together when we find out something is tough” Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 17 Nov 2020 | Career and Talent Development - How Does Coaching Help? | 00:24:50 | |
In this episode we talk about how coaching can help career and talent development. We discuss the transitions that people make within organisations, whether that is the first step up to management or taking over leadership of a whole function or business unit. So often talent decisions are made on the basis of knowledge, skills and experience. In our experience, utilising the Leadership Pipeline model to inform these decisions can be transformative as it asks us to consider the shift that is required of that individual in terms of values, identity and time in addition to knowledge, skills and experience. The Leadership Pipeline is seen as one of the most influential leadership models. Built around the common leadership ‘passages’ all leaders go through, it helps nurture leadership through a six-step leadership pipeline model. We explore how this model can provide a shared language for HR and Executive coaches when defining the transition that individuals need to make. As coaches we are often asked to support a client as they step up to take on management responsibility, lead a bigger team/function and the leadership pipeline offers a useful framework for examining the shift that is required across values, time application and skills. Oftentimes managers and leaders are put on a training programme to help them acquire the leadership skills required, but a training programme cannot help a leader work through the shifts in work values and identity and time management that is required as they transition into a different role. So many organisations want to develop their own talent internally rather than needing to recruit externally, and they may have an established talent management and succession programme to support this. Join us as we share stories and examples of how the Leadership Pipeline can provide a simple, but effective perspective on talent development. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 17 May 2022 | What coaching skills do leaders need? | 00:29:09 | |
In this episode we consider the relevance of leaders integrating coaching skills into their day-to-day work. We reflect on coaching as a mindset and an approach, which can be seen in the way they behave. We discuss some examples of coaching skills that a leader may begin to introduce to their repertoire, such as developing a coaching presence, creating space for others to think, active listening and demonstrating curiosity. Coaching is highlighted by McKinsey as the number one skill citizens will need in the future of work. Listen in to this episode if you are interested in learning more about cultivating a coaching style of leadership in your organisation. Resources: Mckinsey article - “Defining the skills citizens will need in the future world of work”: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/defining-the-skills-citizens-will-need-in-the-future-world-of-work Logical levels of learning: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/lead/logical-levels.html Reference for Nancy Kline’s Time To Think Pairs process: https://cdn.southampton.ac.uk/assets/imported/transforms/content-block/UsefulDownloads_Download/BE99E9F85CF5447B8537AE3625B93814/Instructions-Thinking-Pairs.pdf WAIT acronym - Why Am I Talking? | |||
| 11 Jan 2022 | Why Does Menopause Coaching Matter for Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing? | 00:33:39 | |
This episode’s question is “Why does menopause coaching matter for diversity, inclusion and wellbeing?" We explore what menopause coaching can look like, the ethics around menopause coaching and of course learn more about the experience of menopause itself. We found this episode fascinating and great fun to record with the energetic Kate Usher. She’s an experienced coach and change strategist with a specialism in menopause and gender equality. Kate’s also an internationally published author with a book called Your Second Phase: reclaiming work and relationships during and after menopause. She was shortlisted for the business book of the year award 2021. Menopause is a life phase that's going to affect 50% of the population directly and the other fifty percent indirectly. Because menopause has for so long had this taboo around it we need some help in how to have productive conversations. The confirmed statistic at the moment is that 10% of all women leave paid employment altogether because of menopause. However, it could be as high as 25% of all women leaving paid employment altogether because of it. Menopausal women are the fastest growing workforce demographic so menopause has huge implications for not only diversity and inclusion but business performance overall. The business case is clear. Resources: Kate’s email: kateusher@outlook.com Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateusher/ Kate’s Website: https://secondphase.co.uk | |||
| 22 Mar 2022 | How does onboarding coaching work and why is 1st 90 days coaching important? | 00:34:23 | |
Onboarding is an area in which coaching can play a crucial role in supporting the successful transition of a senior leader. So often, organisations focus on the selection and assessment of the new hire, but the importance of setting that new hire up for success can be easily overlooked. In this episode we interview Gillian Frame, an executive coach who does a lot of work in this space. There are many insights and observations that Gillian shares about the process of joining a new organisational culture. The key things for leaders to consider as they adjust to the demands of the role, the expectations of stakeholder and themselves and the way in which they establish themselves in the role. Listen in to this episode if you are interested in how coaching can support transitions, specifically onboarding and a successful first 90 days in a new role. About Gillian Frame: Gill has been coaching in business for over 20 years. She works regularly with people who are preparing themselves to move into a new role or new organisation. Aside from coaching, she has a long standing bread-making habit and likes to feel creative by practicing her silver jewellery making and taking photographs, particularly of mushrooms and fungus. Resources The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins - https://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Days-Updated-Expanded-Strategies/dp/1422188612
HBR – Onboarding a new leader – remotely: https://hbr.org/2020/05/onboarding-a-new-leader-remotely
HBR When do we really need face-to-face interactions: https://hbr.org/search?search_type=search-all&term=Michael+watkins+hybrid | |||
| 01 Dec 2020 | What can we Learn About Change from Covid-19? | 00:21:55 | |
In this episode we discuss what we can learn about change from Covid 19. We reflect on how people’s need for structure is severely impacted by not having an office environment, and that structure is really important as a psychological need. The boundaries that were present in our physical office routine are no longer there. We explore how structure relates to Certainty, part of David Rock’s SCARF model from the field of neuroscience. It’s clear that as coaches we can help leaders model clear boundaries. We use Kübler-Ross’s change model as we look at denial and a key benefit of this model is it helps us name feelings. We also apply William Bridge’s model of Transitions, how it makes a distinction between changes and transitions, and the model’s simplicity of new beginnings, no man’s land and endings. We further explore how a leader can use SCARF as a lens, and by applying this lens see how people can be in an away state or a towards state (in simplicity, moving away from punishment and towards reward) and use this lens to practically help their people. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 17 Nov 2020 | Selecting an Executive Coach - What's Really Important? | 00:23:36 | |
In this episode, we reflect on what we believe are the important things to consider when choosing an executive coach, and we dig a little deeper into what we feel really matters when selecting a coach to work with. We identify five different criteria which, in our experience, are the things that any experienced coach would be able to demonstrate to a potential client. Part of our conversation is sharing examples of how we co-create coaching conversations with our clients, check in with different stakeholders to ensure we are all aligned around the goals for the coaching and keeping HR connected with the process when working with organisations. Join us as we guide you through the process of finding a great coach to work with. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 21 Dec 2021 | Bonus Episode – Season 2 Highlights | 00:23:50 | |
Welcome to this bonus episode, where we reflect on changes that have occurred since our recording on these topics, this time in Season 2, and some insights we’ve had since! When we came back to look at Season 2, we noticed a theme around investment in time, effort & money. Some of the things we look at include: How the UK’s performance in recent Olympic games has benefited from the above mentioned investment. This relates to how making coaching accessible to everyone, or at least more of the population can get a great return. One of our reflections from both seasons 1 & 2 is that the future, and the situation with Covid is uncertain, so coaching can prove an even more useful tool (as opposed to interventions like training). Leaders need to develop agility and resilience, another reason people need coaching to help them navigate uncertainty. The Environment section of John Anderson’s Performance Coaching model, which he has used so well with Olympians. How we missed diversity of thought when it comes to Diversity & Inclusion agendas and this was reflected in a recent government report. Resources: PinkCast on FeedForward - https://www.danpink.com/pinkcast/pinkcast-4-13-this-is-how-big-time-performers-get-the-feedback-they-need/ Linking Developmental Action Logics to Transformational Leadership Behaviours - shorturl.at/djnC0 | |||
| 19 Apr 2022 | When is it best to use actors and why should coaches be interested? | 00:33:44 | |
In this episode we sit down with Anna Carus-Wilson of Frank Partners. Anna is a professional actor who works with leaders in business and we wanted to talk to her about the work that she does, and explore the parallels with our work as coaches. Frank Partners are a team of highly skilled facilitators and coaches who bring the practical, playful, resilient and creative nature of the rehearsal room into the business world. They have a particular specialism in helping people to become more confident, brave and skilled communicators through their workshops and one to one work.Given that much of our work as coaches is about working with our clients to develop their impact, presence, credibility, leadership and communication, we knew there would be some similarities in the work we do. We share stories as we explore how both actors and coaches create safe environments in which people can experiment and rehearse conversations, receive feedback and deepen their self awareness. We also conclude that just as actors are often improvising in the moment, coaches dance in the moment with their clients moving alongside them wherever they go - also a form of improvisation. As coaches there is much that we can learn from actors, and for HR practitioners, there is huge value to be gained from moving towards more experiential and challenging behaviour change programmes. About Anna Carus-Wilson: Anna is one of the founders of Frank Partners alongside Neil Bett, and like all of the Frank team is a professional actor by background and training. She works with clients like Nike, Vodafone, Dyson, Burberry and News UK to create bespoke programs that help people communicate better. Resources: Patsy Rodenberg - 2nd Circle: https://youtu.be/Ub27yeXKUTY | |||
| 22 Dec 2020 | What can I Expect from Career Coaching? | 00:25:19 | |
In this episode we talk about what to expect from career coaching. If you are interested in understanding the role of coaching in your career development, then listen to this episode! We help to clarify the difference between a career coach and a careers guidance professional and we share examples of where career coaching has come up as part of another coaching engagement where the topic of ‘what do I want to do next in my career?’ is addressed. Sarah started her coaching in the area of career coaching and we both outline exercises to increase self-awareness in this area. For example, what motivates you and what interests you? Both of us work with strengths, and values – really digging into what is important to people. We both also look at peak career experiences. Most career books will have set lists of values, but working with a coach allows values to be tested and placed in a hierarchy and it is this that allows clarity on values to be even more useful. Boundaries are really critical in career coaching and we share the acronym PERTH as a checklist re boundaries. We ask about CVs and LinkedIn profiles and what people should be doing there. We also refer to Krumboltz theory of planned happenstance – which indicates how we should be more open to possibilities, such as interviewing for jobs even when we are happy in our current role. This theory encourages us to keep an eye out for opportunities. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 13 Apr 2021 | Performance Coaching - Lessons Learned by an Olympic Gold Medalist and Performance Director | 00:28:03 | |
In this episode we are joined by Olympic Gold Medalist and Performance Director John Anderson to talk about performance coaching. John Anderson MBE came to coaching with a background in high performance sport. Drawing on 20+ years experience working with world class athletes, John has developed a model of performance coaching designed to support the performer to get better at doing the things they need to do to get the results they want to achieve – more frequently and consistently. He talks about team GB in the Olympic games in Atlanta in 1996 where the team finished in 36th position with just one gold and an overall total of just 15 medals. This was GB’s lowest ever numerical ranking. It was following this experience that John started coaching his athletes to think and act differently. His performance coaching model presents five performance parameters that he has drawn from Olympic and Paralympic sport, and in this episode we explore the importance of all five of these. John particularly emphasises the significance of wellbeing, mindset and context to performance. He highlights how talent alone is not enough, and that one of the most crucial changes they made in team GB was to hire a lifestyle coach to support the athletes in managing their lives around their training in order to improve performance. This has interesting implications for organisations as they think about how to manage their talent, and the need to think beyond just knowledge, skills and abilities into context, culture, wellbeing and mindset. We examine how this model can be applied in organisational settings, and we discuss how organisations will need to focus on getting out of survival mode due to covid-19 and back into high performance mode in order to succeed. John’s model offers both a framework and a set of coaching tools that can be hugely valuable to both individuals and teams as they start to focus on driving performance post the pandemic. John has kindly given us permission to share the top level framework of his model. If you would like to to find out more or to become trained in how to use this model yourself/in your organisation, please do get in touch. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 08 Jun 2021 | Adult Vertical Development - A Different But Critical Perspective on Development | 00:40:02 | |
In this episode we discuss adult vertical development and how an understanding of a leader's developmental stage can radically enhance/impact on their performance and what change that might make to the coaching you do. "Exceptional leaders in even moderately complex environments outperform their average peers by 225% " This was research by Mckinsey that confirms that the difference between average and top performing leaders becomes radically amplified as the challenge becomes more complex. We talk about Robert Kegan’s metaphor: Fill the Cup AND Expand the Cup and share Nick Petrie’s content about Vertical Leaders. Resources:
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| 08 Feb 2022 | What is this new thing called pairs coaching and why do we need it? | 00:39:09 | |
In this episode we look at a relatively new area of coaching - Pairs Coaching. The main focus of this work to date seems to be in the area of Boards and Exec teams where the importance of robust working relationships built on trust, confidence and good communication cannot be underestimated. Pairs coaching is an extremely effective way of building powerfully strong relationships between two leaders. Two coaches, highly trained in the Cape Cod model of Pairs coaching, work directly with two individuals to focus on the relationship between them. We are joined by a highly skilled practitioner, Lucy Ball and get her insights into this new area of coaching, which is likely to have a profound impact on coaching within organisations in the future. Resources: More about Lucy and her work in pairs coaching - https://www.executivepairs.com | |||
| 25 Jun 2024 | Using TA to help when people pleasing gets in the way | 00:26:40 | |
In this episode, we continue to delve into Transactional Analysis (TA), with our fictional client named Alicia. Alicia has brought two challenges to coaching; difficulty delegating and a tendency to please others. You’ll hear about the concept of behavioural drivers within TA, which are behavioural tendencies that we learn in childhood and carry with us into adulthood. In many ways they are a strength, but they can be over-pronounced which can lead to difficulties and stress. In Alicia’s context the behavioural drivers that have made her successful in the past are now getting in the way of her being successful. Listen to this episode to learn how, as Executive Coaches, we employ our knowledge of behavioural drivers along with other TA tools such as the Drama Triangle to support clients in increasing their self-awareness. | |||
| 18 May 2021 | What Really is a Coaching Culture and Why Create One? | 00:25:52 | |
In this episode we talk about coaching culture, what it is and the benefits of creating one. We share and discuss the five things that the coaching culture magazine says that are needed to create a coaching culture. “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” is a quote attributed to Peter Drucker and we agree. The only way you can be nimble enough to succeed in a VUCA world is to have a culture fit for it - and that means a culture where a coaching leadership style is valued. Simply training managers in coaching skills often doesn’t aid in transforming a culture and we talk about the changes that need to be made, including how we need leaders to model the attributes of coaching leaders. We’d like you to know that we offer Coaching Culture Programmes to help organisations transform in this area using our very own coaching cards. If this is of interest then please do get in touch for a conversation: info@thecoachingquestion.com Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 05 Jan 2021 | Why is Supervision Essential for Internal and External Coaches? | 00:25:24 | |
In this episode we are joined by two incredibly experienced supervisors, Eve Turner and Carole Davidson, to explore why supervision is so important in coaching. The ICF defines coaching supervision as a collaborative learning practice that continually builds the capacity of the coach through reflective dialogue for the benefit of both coaches and clients. Supervision provides coaches with a safe place in which they can reflect on their practice and receive coaching about their coaching approach and support with any challenges, difficulties or ethical considerations. We explore how critical supervision is for coaches working in organisations (it is starting to be used as part of the coach selection criteria), both for external coaches and those internal coaches who often face a challenge regarding boundaries as a result of working inside the organisation. About our guests: Eve Turner is an Accredited Master Executive Coach and Coach Supervisor, and co-founder of the Climate Coaching Alliance. She is also chair of APECS, founder of the Global Supervision Network and author of two books; ’The Heart of Coaching Supervision: Working with Reflection and Self-Care’ with Stephen Palmer, and more recently; ’Systemic Coaching: Delivering Value Beyond the Individual‘ with Peter Hawkins. Carole Davidson is an Accredited Supervisor and Senior Coach-Mentor Practitioner and Assessor with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and has extensive experience as a supervisor, especially of internal coaches. She is the author of the book Flying Solo Under 30’. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 09 Jul 2024 | Using TA when clients struggle to say no and delegate, getting close to burnout | 00:25:00 | |
In this episode of the Transactional Analysis series of The Coaching Question Podcast, we explore how we might apply TA in our coaching practice using a new fictional case study of a client called Adam. Adam has recently been promoted to his first 'Manager of Manager' role, struggles to say no, delegate, deal with poor performance and is at danger of burning out. Building on the previous episode, we explore his behavioural drivers and using his challenges as a lens, we illustrate the practical application of TA. We share how generating awareness of Driver behaviour leads to clients becoming more aware of the choices they have available to them, rather than sticking with automatic behaviour that their early experiences have taught them. Listen to this episode to understand more about how TA can add value to coaching challenges and reflect on your own possible triggers and beliefs. References:
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| 25 Jan 2022 | How can HR get the greatest return on investment from coaching? | 00:36:08 | |
In this episode we are joined by James Edgar, who comes with over 20 years experience in the HR field. We wanted to speak with James because he has the experience of being a user and commissioner of coaching as well as being an experienced coach himself. We talk to James about what advice he would have for his younger self and reflect on his experience of leading a global people function through Covid. We reflect on how the pandemic has emphasised the need for connection and clarity and explored the role of HR in the coaching relationship. Often it is the case that HR commits the budget for the coaching, but can become disconnected with the coaching that is taking place.. Unsurprisingly he feels contracting at the start is crucial, and getting clear on roles and responsibilities is key. Resources: James Edgar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesedgar25/ | |||
| 14 May 2024 | Coaching with Transactional Analysis (TA) - An Introduction | 00:26:05 | |
In this first episode of Season 4 of The Coaching Question, we introduce the theme of the season - Transactional Analysis (TA) and its application in coaching. We find that TA offers a valuable lens for coaching, and in this episode we briefly share some of the core ideas offered by TA and highlight how these can support clients to deepen their self-awareness and gain new insights. Listen to this episode to understand where TA is positioned in relation to other coaching approaches. We share our perspective on the nature of TA, which encompasses both psychodynamic and in-the-moment techniques. TA reflects the importance of how behaviours learned and decisions taken in the past influence our behaviours and actions in the present. Given that TA involves an element of acknowledging the past, we also clarify the distinction between coaching and therapy. You’ll learn how TA can be practically applied in coaching sessions as we introduce the concept of the Parent-Adult-Child ego states, and how, by raising awareness of these in coaching, clients gain insights into their patterns of behaviour. Transactional Analysis offers a very valuable framework for coaching, helping clients to gain self-awareness, challenge limiting beliefs, and develop new strategies for personal growth. | |||
| 28 May 2024 | A coach's favourite part of TA - The Drama Triangle | 00:23:42 | |
In this episode, we build on our introduction to TA by introducing the Drama Triangle. Explicitly using the Drama Triangle is a technique that is hugely valuable in supporting clients to understand the roles they play in relationships with others. Coaches love working with this tool because it is visual and easy to understand. We present the core idea that as human beings, we are relational, and in our relationships, we play what in TA is called ‘games’. Listen to this episode to learn about how, as human beings, we can find ourselves unconsciously caught up in relational dynamics that are unhelpful. We tend to interact with others in different ways to receive recognition, and we may find ourselves feeling surprised, irritated, frustrated or even angry following an interaction with another person. You’ll learn how insightful the drama triangle can be for supporting clients when they have brought some form of a relational challenge to coaching. | |||
| 15 Dec 2020 | Why Should We Bother with a Systemic Approach and Constellations in Coaching? | 00:20:34 | |
In this episode we ask the question - "Why should we bother with a systemic approach and constellations in coaching?” Listen in to this episode if you are interested in learning more about what systemic coaching is and how systemic constellations as a technique works in practice. You will be particularly interested in this episode if you are keen to understand how other factors in your life/work might be impacting you - how you feel and how you perform at work. We talk through some examples to demonstrate how constellations work in practice and we introduce a question “What is one step for better that would free up the system?” We talk about physical constellations or ‘sculpting’, which is also a very useful technique in coaching supervision, and how all sorts of things can be surfaced. In teams, we talk about the outside-in and future-back approach, using more systemic questions such as; Who does your team serve? What will they require differently from you in the future? What will you regret in two years’ time not having addressed? And one of Gregor’s favourite questions; When you are successful as a team, what will they (your stakeholders) be doing differently? We also explore when HR should be looking for a systemic approach from their coaches. Sarah reminds us how whiteboards on Zoom and Teams can be a great enabler and just because we can’t meet physically doesn’t mean that you can’t work systemically with constellations. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 11 Jun 2024 | Using TA to help clients become trigger aware and move toward autonomy | 00:24:21 | |
In this episode, we dive into the practical application of TA in a coaching scenario using a fictional character Alicia, who represents a typical client struggling with saying no, setting and maintaining boundaries, resulting in potential burnout. With Alicia as a fictional case study, we discuss how we might support her as Executive Coaches skilled in applying TA to our work. Building on the PAC model shared in an earlier episode, we use TA to identify possible triggers that might move Alicia into her child ego state when she feels lacking in confidence. We then talk about the importance of becoming trigger aware and managing one's state to shift into the adult ego state. We touch on the challenge of working with deeply embedded patterns and how this can be sensitively done within a coaching relationship. We mention the Feedforward process developed by Marshall Goldsmith and compared with feedback it is generative and focused on the future rather than the past. Listen to this episode to understand how the PAC model can be practically applied to a coaching topic, and how our client’s experiences earlier in life can affect their behaviour in the here and now. Resources: https://marshallgoldsmith.com/articles/try-feedforward-instead-feedback/ | |||
| 03 May 2022 | Why work with metaphors in coaching? | 00:27:58 | |
In this episode we explore how we can use metaphors in coaching and how this wonderful tool, that is actually ever present in our language, can help coaches, their clients, leaders and organisations. Metaphors offer us a symbolic language that goes beyond the limitations of the english language and provides us with a completely different way of expressing ourselves. This can be hugely powerful in coaching when, as a coach, we may offer our client feedback in the form of a visual representation of what we are seeing and/or hearing, or for a client to use as a way of expressing what they are feeling and experiencing. This can open up new learning and insights for the client, and enable them to shift their perspective and achieve transformational change. We share some stories from our coaching practice and reflect on the use and value of metaphor in our coaching sessions with clients. Listen in to this episode if you are curious about the role of metaphor in coaching or if you’d like to learn how metaphor can facilitate change. | |||
| 08 Mar 2022 | When is a coach qualified to coach and how do you know? | 00:29:29 | |
In this episode we have a really open discussion about our experiences developing as coaches and reflect not only on the journey we have both been on to date, but the journeys we continue to be on. Many coaches, when they first start out, can be quite focussed on particular models, frameworks or niches, but over time they learn through practice and their approach is always evolving. This is similar to Carol Dweck’s work on growth mindset - the concept that there is always more to learn. We also reflect on our experiences of supervision, coaching, accreditation, mentor coaching, reflection and learning. Developing as a coach requires us to constantly learn, put our learning into practice, reflect on our practice, take our experience to supervision and learn some more. Listen in to this episode if you are a coach keen to understand how you can continue to broaden and deepen your practice, and for organisations hiring coaches, listening may help you to decide how best to select coaches to partner with. | |||
| 05 Apr 2022 | What is imposter syndrome and why is imposter psychology important in coaching? | 00:28:57 | |
Imposter Syndrome often comes up in coaching, but it isn’t always labelled as such. It may show up as a lack of confidence, or self-esteem, self-belief or a drive for perfectionism. In this episode we reflect on how, in our experience, imposter syndrome can show up in coaching. We share some of the ways in which we might work with a client who brings this to their coaching session. Listen in to this episode if you’d like to learn more about imposter syndrome and take away some practical steps to help yourself or support a colleague for whom this may be a challenge. Resources: Meditation I have a body but I am not my body I have thoughts but I am not my thoughts I have physical sensations but I am not my sensations I have emotional feelings but I am not my feelings I have beliefs but I am not my beliefs I play many roles but I am not my roles I am the self, the watcher who when present can choose in full consciousness Loving kindness meditation - https://self-compassion.org/ How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith - https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Women-Rise-Habits-Holding/dp/1847942245 What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith - https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Got-Here-Wont-There/dp/1846681375 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome by Gill Corkindale - https://hbr.org/2008/05/overcoming-imposter-syndrome Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z29ptSuoWRc Brené Brown video - it's not the critics who count - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-JXOnFOXQk | |||
| 08 Dec 2020 | How does Coaching Help with Stress and Mental Health? | 00:22:38 | |
In this episode we discuss how coaching can help with stress and mental health and where coaching stops and counselling starts. We explore how boundaries can be helpful in managing our stress levels and we share a great quote from Brené Brown: “Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even if we risk upsetting others.” Listen to this episode if you are interested in learning about some of the resources we share with our clients; such as the four wellsprings of wellbeing, which can be useful in determining where to draw energy from; emotions in action, which uses zones to examine how balanced your life and work is in terms of stress levels; Harvard Business Review articles, checklists and apps. We talk about the evolution of shadow and the different stages we go through. We share a key coaching question that helps with one of the most important stages and a quick checklist Gregor likes to go through just to check that we haven’t forgotten the simple physical elements: Sleep; Alcohol; Caffeine; Hydration. We also talk about Mindfulness Apps and mention a great Harvard Business Review article – ”Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time”. Resources:
Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||
| 23 Jul 2024 | A TA perspective on leading former peers, performance management and conflict avoidance | 00:23:21 | |
In this episode we continue our exploration of the application of Transactional Analysis in coaching. We build on the previous episode with our fictional case study of Adam. Adam has moved into a management role where he is managing colleagues who were once teammates, and he is finding it hard to manage their performance. We share various coaching techniques we might employ to support Adam, enabling him to understand how best to work with other people. The transition into managing colleagues who were once teammates is one that often comes up in coaching, and we explore how valuable TA can be in understanding how our unconscious drivers can influence our behaviour. Listen to this episode to learn various coaching techniques that coaches might employ such as using the ‘allowers’ approach in TA, reframing, non-violent communication, somatic coaching and unpacking beliefs. | |||
| 29 Jun 2021 | How Can Coaching Stop Leadership Derailment? | 00:23:56 | |
In this episode we discuss how coaching can stop leadership derailment. If you are interested in understanding how increased self-awareness of blind spots can help prevent leadership derailment - listen to this episode. We explore how the use of tools such as the Hogan Development Survey (HDS) (the Dark Side tool) can provide insight into how strengths can be overused such that they become a hindrance to effective performance. Used as part of a coaching programme HDS, alongside other tools in the Hogan suite, can provide valuable insight and depth of understanding of why clients behave in the way they do, and why, when under pressure, their behaviour might negatively impact those around them. Email us at info@thecoachingquestion.com | |||