A quick run through of my learnings on Coaching from a Coaching Workshop by Toby Sinclair & Amy Phillips (TestBash 2017) and a Mentoring Training by Dan Ashby, Mark Winteringham, Toby Sinclair (Software Testing Clinic, April 2017)

1. Coaching
Learnings from
● Coaching Workshop by Toby Sinclair & Amy Phillips, TestBash 2017
● Mentoring Training by Dan Ashby, Mark Winteringham, Toby Sinclair,
Software Testing Clinic, April 2017
Karo Stoltzenburg, May 2017

2. ● Coaching situations in our daily work
● Coaching encompasses (friendly, successful, respectful, happy)
conversations
● Can offer advice on
○ Listening
○ Questioning
○ Problem Solving
○ Triggering Perspective Changes
Why?

3. Gallwey, W. Timothy (1974). The Inner Game of Tennis
Watch the
ball!
How does the ball
move? How is it
spinning, where
will it go?

4. ● Focus on the coachee
● Topic by the coachee
● Questions. Listening. Silence.
● To Help:
○ Shift somebody’s perspective
○ Answer your own questions
What is Coaching?

5. ● Focus on the coachee
● Topic by the coachee
● Questions. Listening. Silence.
● To Help:
○ Shift somebody’s perspective
○ Answer your own questions
What is Coaching? What not?
● Teaching
● Mentoring
● Providing a solution
● Giving an answer
● Needing expertise or domain
knowledge
● Long term

6. Instruction Opinion Summary Use Silence
Advice Observation Ask Them
Directive Self-Directed
Scale of influence

7. 1. Not hearing a word
2. Thinking about something else
3. Waiting for them to finish
4. Listening, but thinking about how to respond
5. Listening to meaning w/ empathy
Levels of Listening

8. ● Unconditional positive regard (Carl Rogers)
● Suspend judgement, use empathy
Coaching Stance

9. ● Unconditional positive regard (Carl Rogers)
● Suspend judgement, use empathy
● Be comfortable with not knowing
● Answer lies inside the coachee!
● Have an open mind
Coaching Stance

10. ● Unconditional positive regard (Carl Rogers)
● Suspend judgement, use empathy
● Be comfortable with not knowing
● Answer lies inside the coachee
● Have an open mind,
● Be present
● Active listening -> What is said? Why is it said?
● WAIT -> Why am I talking?
Coaching Stance

11. ● One question at a time
● Targeted, focused on the problem
● Triggering perspective change
Good (coaching) Questions

12. ● One question at a time
● Targeted, focused on the problem
● Triggering perspective change
● Leave room for open answers (e.g. can you elaborate?)
● AWE -> And what else?
● Ask for clarification (“clean language”)
Good (coaching) Questions

13. ● One question at a time
● Targeted, focused on the problem
● Triggering perspective change
● Leave room for open answers (e.g. can you elaborate?)
● AWE -> And what else?
● Ask for clarification (“clean language”)
● What, How, When, Where, Who
○ How did you feel? What do you want to achieve?
● Avoid: Why
Good (coaching) Questions

14. ● It’s about the person in front of you.
● Listen.
● Learn to endure silence.
● Help the other person to answer their own questions
● Allow the other to do their own thinking -> quality of attention
Practical Tips: Do’s

15. ● Don’t coach a person that’s not in the room.
● Don’t jump to conclusions -> questions first can help here
● Don’t have a stake in it, don’t focus on being right, don’t be emotional about it.
● It’s not about the right answer, it’s about the other person
● It’s not about you, avoid “Leading the witness”
Practical Tips: Dont’s

16. ● Any questions?
Thanks!

17. ● Two groups please
● One volunteer on the hot seat to present a problem
○ Could be work related
○ Or about your annoying neighbour’s dog
● All others are asking questions, going round thrice
● The Coachee only listens
● And in the end reflects back on his experience
Coaching exercise