This document provides an overview of performance coaching. It defines coaching as a dialogue between coach and coachee to facilitate learning and change through practical actions. Performance coaching focuses specifically on improving work performance. The document outlines key aspects of coaching including how it differs from other approaches like mentoring or consulting. It also discusses the coach and coachee roles, benefits of coaching, and tools coaches can use like questioning, listening and challenge. Models for structuring coaching conversations are presented, including the GROW model which outlines setting a goal, understanding current reality, exploring options, and agreeing on actions.

1. Performance Coaching E-learning
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3. CONTENTS
WELCOME TO PERFORMANCE COACHING…………………………………….4
WHAT IS COACHING/PERFORMANCE COACHING……………………………5
PERFORMANCE COACHING……………………………………………………...6
HOW COACHING DIFFERS FROM OTHER APPROACHES……………………...7
THE MANAGER AS COACH……………………………………………………….8
BENEFITS OF COACHING………………………………………………………....9
HOW COACHING WORKS………………………………………………………10
THE ELEMENTS OF PERFORMANCE COACHING……………………………...11
SILENCE……………………………………………………………………………12
LISTENING………………………………………………………………………....13
QUESTIONING……………………………………………………………………14
THE PRECISION MODEL…………………………………………………………15
THE GROW MODEL……………………………………………………………....16
NOTE SHEETS:
WHEN CAN I USE COACHING………………………………………………….17
EXAMPLES OF COACHING………………………………………………………18
POTENTIAL PITFALLS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM…………………………....19
PRACTICE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT…………………………………………..20
NEXT STEPS………………………………………………………………………..21
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4. What is Coaching?
What is Performance Coaching?
Coaching gets its name from a town where carriages were made – a coach became a faster way to get to a
destination.
Modern coaching is about moving forward through learning and change, and getting to a destination (a goal).
Coaching is a dialogue between coach and coachee (the person receiving coaching), followed by practical
actions.
It is led by the coachee- the coach facilitates (helps the coachee come to conclusions), rather than directing.
Dialogue
=
New Understanding
+
Actions
=
Change
(Setting clear goals,
removing barriers)
Performance coaching focuses on improving performance at work. It enables the coachee to
perform a task, reach a decision, or make changes.
It is:
A practical approach – developing skills and behaviour through actions
Solution focused- looking at what will work rather than dwelling on any problems
Focussed on outcomes – the purpose is always to move forward from the starting point.
Coaching suits all levels of performance, because there is always a requirement for further
improvement as demands and responsibilities at work change.
The next page gives a picture of performance coaching
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5. Performance Coaching
Coachee
Coach
Coachee sets the destination and has
the map.
Coach drives the process (structures
sessions)
(has a clear goal and the means to get
there)
Coach has confidence that the
coachee can get there.
Coach asks questions to check that
the goal is clear.
Coach sets tasks and gives feedback
on how the coachee is doing
Coachee
Coach
Barriers
Coach asks questions to discover
barriers and helps coachee plan to
overcome these.
Lack of knowledge or skill
Limited Thinking
Coach notices barriers in the
coachee’s thinking and challenges
these.
Behaviours
Tasks enable coachee to learn and
make real changes
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6. Coachee
Coach
Goal
The outcomes
Coaching is the means of getting here
Improved performance
Observable behaviours
Business / service outcomes
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7. How Coaching Differs From Other Approaches
Coach
Helps coachee improve. Aids with
goal setting. Asks questions to
increase coachee’s understanding.
Lets coachee find own solutionsasks more than tells. Focuses on
developing skills and attitude for a
specific task or role.
Counsellor
Mentor
Is the expert. Offers advice and
examples from own experience.
Mixture of ask and tell.
Takes individual ‘under their wing’.
Helps individual develop broad
potential.
Helps client become well. Looks to
the past to understand problems.
Advises and supports to solve
problems.
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8. Traine
r
Consultant
Input of knowledge to advise on
processes and approaches. Provides
solutions.
Input of knowledge to advise on
processes and approaches. Provides
solutions.
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9. The Manager as Coach
As a manager, coaching your member of staff is slightly different to coaching someone you don’t line
manage.
So what are the realities of coaching your staff?
What is expected of you as a manager?
Traditional style of
Management
Direction of travel
Manager asks
questions so
individuals can
understand the
situation and solve it
for themselves
Manager’s team smaller in past,
emphasis on technical skills of
manager, narrower
responsibilities
Manager
Staff not empowered, manager
unable to delegate, even as
demands of role increase
Coaching skills
give you more
choice in the
way you
manage
Typically, you will
manage a larger
number of diverse
people – one
approach will not
fit all.
Manager asks questions to
understand the situation or problem
– in order to give the answer,
instruction or hint about how to
move forward
Emphasis on appraising staff
and telling them what to do
New style of
Management – manager
as coach
There are still
times when you
will need to
direct or ‘tell’ –
coaching is
another tool you
can use, when
appropriate
You are not
expected to have
all the answers all
the time.
You don’t need to be an expert
to use a coaching approach with
staff. As a minimum, you need to
have completed this e-learning
and visited the coaching and
mentoring website.
Emphasis on appraising staff and also
developing them – Managers need a
broader ‘toolkit’ of skills.
Staff expect to be developed in their
roles, and the organisation needs to
deliver more through developing
staff and retaining talent
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10. Benefits of Coaching
Benefits for Managers
Cost effective, just in time
and individualised staff
development
Improve your team’s
performance
Develop own people
management skills
Able to delegate more
Enhance working
relationships
Free up time for other
priorities
Identify and retain talent
Staff are:
More self-reliant
More motivated
More productive
More responsive to
feedback
Better able to cope with
change
Involved in decisions
Benefits for the
organisation
Development of staff
to higher roles
(succession planning)
Retention of staff
(talent management)
Increased productivity
Quality outcomes
Staff identify more
with organisational
goals
Develops culture of
learning and
continuous
improvement
Reduced costs of poor
performance
Staff feel valued by
the organisation
Enhances relationships
Develops skilled
managers
Facilitates
organisational and
cultural change
Cost-effective and
targeted form of
development –
enhances other forms
of development; e.g.
training
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Benefits for Coachees
Cost effective, just in
time and
individualised staff
development
Increased
confidence
Achieve your goals
at work
Enhanced personal
performance
Improved
communication
skills
Better team working
Better people
management skills
Improved work/life
balance
Improved job
motivation
Better able to deal
with change
Comfortable in role
– less stress
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11. How Coaching Works
The 2 key elements of coaching are the relationship and the actions:
Relationship
Coach
Coachee
Supports the coachee – actively
listens to them
Is interested in the coachee – asks
questions
Has confidence in the coachee –
demonstrated through letting the
coachee find their own solutions
instead of telling them what to do.
Suspends judgement of the coachee listens
Helps the coachee gain insight – by
listening, questioning and
challenging them
Is clear about what they want to
achieve
Is open to change
Is open to feedback
Is open to being challenged about
their habits, thinking and
behaviours
Is accountable – owns their own
goals
Asks for help where needed
Coachee
Actions
Coach
Is accountable – owns their own
goals
Is open to trying things out
Reflects on what they have
learned
Is persistent in trying to make
changes
Helps the coachee to set goals through
questions
Uses experiences to help coachee
learn rather than blame
Suggests tasks and activities to help
the coachee develop
Follows up on tasks - asking what
was learnt
Incorporates development planning
into the IPP process
Observes the coachee and gives them
feedback
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12. The Elements of Performance Coaching
Coaching is
Coaching is
Learning and change is at the heart of the
coaching process – to achieve these is the
purpose of coaching.
Supportive
structured
Coaching dialogue is
Coaching dialogue is
Supportive
Learning and
change takes
place
Coaching is
Key Coaching Tools:
★
Silence
★
Questioning
★
Challenge
structured
Coaching is
structured
Coaching dialogue is
Supportive
Coaching dialogue is
Coaching is
Supportive
These key tools of coaching will be covered
in detail in the next section of this e-learning
module.
structured
Supportive
It is essential that coaching is supportive. It
helps individuals achieve their goals, and
applies to all levels of performance.
Coaching is tightly structured to ensure it is
focused and an effective use of time (it’s not
a chat!). Whether you are having a short adhoc coaching dialogue in a corridor, or a
longer coaching session, we recommend
using the GROW model to structure
sessions. This will be covered later in this elearning module.
High support together with high challenge
are ideal for creating the most change- this is
the coaching relationship you should aim to
develop.
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13. Silence
Silence is a key tool for a coach. It is very simple to do, but often we feel a need to fill silence.
The real progress in coaching comes from changes in the coachee’s perception, as they think
something through - just because a coachee isn’t talking doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking!
If they are constantly being bombarded with questions, they miss out on time to think.
“The art of the coach is not to know when to be silent, but when to break the silence.” – Dr Angus
McLeod
Hand in Hand with silence goes the key skill of Listening…
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14. Listening
2
3
4
1
5
Level 2
Level 1
Giving our own experience
Waiting for our turn to speak
Coachee
I’m going on a course next week
Coachee
I’m not sure what to do about this
Coach
You won’t believe the meeting I’ve just been to
Coach
The last course I went on was really interesting.
What happened was….
How often have you experienced this level of
‘listening’? How valued did it make you feel?
How motivating is it?
How often have you given someone else this
experience?
There are times and places for Levels 2 and 3 –
giving advice and sharing your own experience
can be valuable in managing your staff but
these levels do not qualify as active listening, or
coaching.
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15. 2
3
4
1
5
Level 3
Level 4
Giving advice
Listening and asking for more
Coachee
I’m having trouble writing this report
Coachee
I’ve got so much work, I don’t know where to
start
Coach
What you need to do is use a template
Coach
Tell me more about that
There are times and places for Levels 2 and 3 –
giving advice and sharing your own experience
can be valuable in managing your staff but
these levels do not qualify as active listening, or
coaching.
As a coach, you should be operating mostly at
levels 4 and 5.
At level 5, the coach is reading between the
lines by observing the coachee and drawing on
their knowledge of them. Although this level of
listening is rare, and you can develop it with
practice.
At level 4, the coach has the coachee’s agenda
at heart and is interested in finding out more
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16. 2
3
1
4
5
Level 5
Intuitive listening
Coachee
I know I couldn’t get a promotion and I’m not
that interested really
Coach
Are you really not that interested or is there
something else going on here?
As a coach, you should be operating mostly at
levels 4 and 5.
At level 5, the coach is reading between the
lines by observing the coachee and drawing on
their knowledge of them. Although this level of
listening is rare, and you can develop it with
practice.
At level 4, the coach has the coachee’s agenda
at heart and is interested in finding out more
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17. Questioning
Coaching works by giving individuals new insights into barriers for improvement. Questioning is a
key tool to promote insight.
To be able to answer your questions, the coachee needs to access, organise and articulate their
thoughts. They are instantly involved because a question requires a response and causes them to
think.
Through questioning, the coachee discovers more choices for making a change. Because the coach
hasn’t told them the answer, the coachee has gone through a thought process, so that they own the
outcome.
Key points about coaching questions:
1. As a coach, your questions do not have to be elaborate, elegant or deeply profound – they just
need to get the coachee to think.
2. If you are catch yourself thinking about the next question you are going to ask, focus instead
on listening to the coachee – this is the best way to ensure that your questions are relevant
3. Remember the importance of silence, you don’t have to interrogate the coachee with constant
questions
4. Open questions tend to work best in coaching (e.g. ones that start with ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’,
‘where’)
5. The coachee should be thinking about and answering the question for their own insight, not
to please you and not to give you the ’right’ answer
6. Avoid leading questions ‘don’t you think you should?’ If you want to offer advice, it is much
better to just do so rather than manipulate the situation
7. Questioning is a skill you can develop like any other
8. You can download lots more information about questioning from the ‘downloadable
documents’ section of this website
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18. Challenge
Challenge involves noticing imprecise language and questioning it. The benefits of challenge are:
To establish clear goals and to ensure the goals are right for the coachee
To cause the coachee to think about where they might be limiting their own performance
through their thoughts and or behaviours
The model below shows some examples of what to look out for, and brief examples of how the coach
can challenge.
Verb
Coachee: I’m progressing on this project
Coach: What does ‘progressing’ mean for you
exactly? –
you and the coach might have different ideas
about this and you need to check what they mean
Comparison
Coachee: I’m not as good at this as some
other people
Coach: Not as good as who exactly? And
who says?
Noun e.g.
‘communication’/pronoun; e.g.
‘they’
Coachee: I need to improve my
communication skills
Coach: what exactly do you mean
by ‘communication’? What will
you be able to do if you improve
your skills?
Precision
Model
Coachee: They won’t support me
Coach: Who do you mean exactly?
Who are ‘they’
Self-Limitation
Coachee: I couldn’t do that
Coach: What would happen if you did? What
needs to be in place for you to be able to do
it?
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Generalisation
Coachee: Things never go right
for me
Coach: Is that true? Never? What
are you basing that on? Can you
tell me about a time when things
did go right for you?
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19. The GROW Model - How to Structure Coaching
R= Reality
What is the current situation?
Key questions:
What is the situation right now?
What have you done so far?
This stage is key in helping the
coachee gain new insights – challenge
is important here.
Key questions:
What are you basing that on?
What’s stopping you?
You may need to go back and adjust
the goal in the light of this discussion.
G= Goal
Start by establishing the coachee’s overall goals
Key questions:
What would you like to achieve? What
specifically do you want?
Then establish the goals for this coaching
conversation.
Key questions:
What would you like to focus on now?
How can I support you right now?
Ensure that the coachee is motivated by the
goal.
R
O
G
W
W= Will
What are the actions required?
Key questions:
What will you do first?
Will that get you what you want?
What might get in the way?
How committed to this action are
you on a scale of 1-10?
O = Options
What are the options for change?
Key questions:
What could you do?
And what else?
What support do you need?
The coach can offer ideas here, but only
after the coachee has finished.
The coach needs to follow up on
actions through observing and
feedback or through discussing the
coachee’s progress.
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20. When can I use coaching?
As coaching is about learning, the coach should ensure that the coachee follows each stage of the
learning cycle. For more information, see the downloadable documents on learning styles on the
website.
Some examples of where you can start to use coaching are shown below.
Plan
Make Links
Improve on high
performance
Repeat success in
other situations
Raise awareness of
impact of
behaviour
Challenge poor
behaviour
IPP development Planning
When delegating tasks
New to role
New skills needed
As a result of change
To develop high performers
To improve current
performance
Plan to meet targets
Share best practice/ new skills
Reflect
Do
Delegate tasks and
follow up
New tasks
More complex /
strategic /
challenging tasks
Develop
confidence by
trying tasks out
Develop skills by
trying tasks out
After a mistake
After a success
After training/ learning
At IPP review
At regular intervals, e.g. in
supervision or one to ones
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21. Examples of Coaching
Using the grow model to discuss critical feedback:
Your member of staff has received some critical feedback and you want to support them to ensure
they can improve.
G
Goal: Obviously the goal is to learn from the feedback or mistake and not repeat
it. It is best to get the coachee to interpret what this actually means for them:
example questions:
What do you see as the key issue here? What do you need to be able to do
differently? What’s the outcome you want?
R
Reality: What caused the issue and how likely is it to happen again? What are the
current positives and negatives?
Example questions:
What resources do you currently have that will help here? What do you need to
develop? What might get in the way?
O
Options: The more the coachee comes up with options themselves, the more
likely they are to actually go away and make them work.
Example questions:
What are your options? What else could you do? What will get the best result?
Which is most practical?
W
Will: This is all about planning actions. Find out what they will do and check
their motivation to do it. Some follow up with you needs to be planned here.
Example questions:
What will you do first? And then? What support do you need? When shall we
meet to review how it’s going?
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22. Potential Pitfalls and how to avoid them
It has been said that it is much easier to understand coaching than it is to do – so what are the pitfalls
and how can you avoid them?
Lack of time
Coaching is an investment in time
and will eventually pay off when
you have developed confident and
motivated staff.
Sometimes things do come up, but
not finding time for something in
the long run shows that it’s not a
priority for you and you don’t value
it – think about the message you
are sending your staff by always
being too busy for them. Plan to
coach and protect the time. Share
responsibility for organising and
following up with the coachee.
Judging
8
You should never use ‘weaknesses’
revealed by the coachee to form a
judgement, or you will quickly lose
their trust. Coaching is about
openly discussing positive and
negative performance and moving
forward, not being judgemental.
Part of your role is to appraise the
performance of your staff, and this
will be more formal than a
coaching approach.
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23. Telling
“It may be harder to give up instructing
than it is to learn to coach” - Sir John
Whitmore.
A major pitfall! Sometimes telling is
appropriate, but remember that a
solution is far more effective and
embedded if the coachee has come
up with it themselves. It is also far
more likely to work. Get in the
habit of not telling when you have
your coaching ‘hat’ on.
Coachee agrees actions then
does nothing
Check coachee is actually
motivated by the actions (they
might have agreed to them because
you are their line manager!).
Check coachee is able to carry out
actions – more coaching or other
forms of support might be needed.
Bring patterns you spot out into
the open, e.g. if the coachee says
they never have time to complete
their actions, challenge them “I’ve
noticed that you say you want to
progress, but you don’t seem to be
making time to actually do what
we’ve agreed” What do you think
about that?”
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24. Next Steps
Visit the Performance Coaching and Mentoring Website – for more on coaching and mentoring,
including downloadable documents to support you and recommended reading.
Book on Performance Coaching for Managers – one day course – beginner/intermediate level
www3.hants.gov.uk/learningzone
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