Not everyone wants to be a leader, to take charge of the group or situation and be the "coach." It requires a certain personality, some training, and coaching experience. But, even more difficult is the challenge of learning how to be coached. Can you listen to others? Can you take direction and feedback and be a good participant, if you're not the coach? In this presentation, Larry goes through tips on How to Coach and How to Be Coached.

1. HOW TO
Be

2. The skills required to be a coach are very
different than being coached.
Did you know that listening is a
vital skill both for coaching and
for being coached?
Did you know that a different kind of listening is
required for each? We’ll dive into the tips and skills
that you may need for both instances. Life is all
about coaching, and we’ll show you why and how.

3. Whether you are new to coaching or are an established one,
it is always good to stay current with coaching strategies and
remain in a mentality of constant learning. The following are
essential elements to effective coaching.

4. CURIOUS
LISTENING
As with any form of communication, listening is vital when
coaching. The people you’re coaching need to know not just that
you hear what they are saying but also that you are interested in
what they have to say.
Display curiosity in your expressions and reactions.
Instead of thinking about your response while they speak, actually take
in their comments and listen for anything helpful that you may not have
considered before.

5. INTERESTED
REFLECTION
After they have had their chance to speak, it can
often help to briefly reflect on their ideas so that they
know you heard, understood and valued their input.
Whether you do it by restating something they said or boiling it
down to the main idea, they can at least see that
you truly were listening carefully.

6. THOUGHTFUL
QUESTIONS
Coaching is rarely about simply providing answers for people.
More often than not, people want to feel as though they have
worked to arrive at the answer.
When they come up with their own answers
and solutions, they tend to act more quickly and positively
when it is their own idea.
Asking well-crafted questions is an effective way to lead people
toward an answer without giving it to them outright.
Additionally, you show them that you trust their own ability
to solve the issue and thereby promote self-worth.

7. CONSTRUCTIVE
FEEDBACK
Providing feedback is usually the part that feels the most like
coaching. It’s when, after having listened carefully to your
protégés, you finally get to supply them with some helpful advice.
This is not, however, a time for you to give negative criticism;
that time should never come.
Constructive criticism is what they need. Your suggestions should
be complete so that they know what to do and encouraging
so that they feel adequate to do it.
The best feedback leaves them feeling empowered.

8. MULTIPLE
PERSPECTIVES
A pitfall for many would-be coaches is a limited perspective.
It’s important for coaches to see issues from multiple
perspectives. Your perspective may not be the best one
for the clients you’re coaching, so try to understand
their perspective as best as possible, and then
hone your guidance respectively.

9. SIGNIFICANT
GOALS
Whenever you are coaching people, there must always be an end goal.
Do your best to discover the goals of the people you’re coaching and
consider whether they need to be adjusted. If the goal is too high and
lofty to start with, perhaps it needs to be lowered
so that it is attainable.
You also may need to raise the goal if you think they aren’t
challenging themselves. In either case, ensure that the goal is significant.
When they achieve it, they need to feel accomplished.

10. Coaching is a two-way street. For the best results, you need
not only a skilled coach but also someone who is coachable.
While some people are naturally coachable, others may need
some help with how to be coached. Here are a few essential
things to do in order to be as coachable as possible.

11. LISTEN CLOSELY
By seeking out instruction, you are inherently asking to be a listener.
Don’t spend the whole time talking and giving rebuttals.
your coach is there to help you,
so there’s no need to defend yourself.
If coaches feel like you aren’t interested in their counsel,
you will likely alienate them.

12. FOLLOW ENTIRELY
When you’re being coached, remember that you would not have
sought out help if you didn’t need it. In light of that, allow your coach
to take complete leadership. In this given instance, you will
benefit most from following, not leading.
This instills confidence in coaches
because they will be able to see that you are choosing to
trust them and their direction.

13. FOLLOW EAGERLY
In addition to following your coach,
it is also important to do it eagerly.
Reluctant followers don’t make good followers.
The formula is generally pretty simple: If you are eager to be
coached, your coach will be eager to coach you; if you are reluctant
to be coached, you coach will be reluctant to coach you.

14. COMMUNICATE
CLEARLY AND COMPLETELY
When it is time to communicate what you need help with, be sure to
tell your coach everything you know about the issue and be sure to
express it clearly. If you leave out details or are vague and unclear,
you’re likely to get coaching that is unspecific and less helpful.
Openness yields the best results.

15. LEARN INTENTLY
Your coach has hopefully tailored his advice
to you and your needs, so take in as much of it as you can.
Treat the advice you get as precious.
Get as much wisdom from your coach as possible,
and when you feel like you’ve grasped everything, ask your coach
questions to draw out even more insight.

16. SHARE FREELY
Imitation is the highest form of flattery,
so you can show your coach admiration for the help you received by
passing along that advice to anyone else who might need it. If the
coaching truly worked, you now have your own personal success story
to add to the instruction and make it even better.

17. Visit Fun Team Building’s Website.
www.funteambuilding.com
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to be a coach and how to be coached.