Coaching in the workplace has been gaining traction over the past decade with a proven 30+ year track record, and has the potential not only in fostering a productive workplace but in developing solid leadership in every level of an organization. The challenge is not so much in learning the skills of coaching, but rather embracing the needed mindset to wield those skills effectively.
This website is my way of honoring the spirit of the NYU IT Core Beliefs by sharing various skills and toolsets I have found helpful and effective in my own coaching and in cultivating a coaching mindset. It’s also my humble attempt at advocating for a strengths-based culture organization-wide. It requires practice and a willingness to make mistakes. My own biggest takeaway during my certification process was to appreciate the value of embracing my vulnerabilities in order to take risks and remain curious and present while coaching. If you are a manager, I encourage you to mindfully practice coaching with your peers (who are ideally also learning these skills) before applying them to your team so that you can share feedback. In fact, establishing peer practice groups was so valuable during my certification that after graduation many of us continued this peer support where we could practice and experiment in a mutually supportive environment.
The material in this guide is broken into three sections: Mindset, Skills, and Tools. I recommend working with each section individually in that order since each section relies on a certain level of competency in the preceding sections.
If enough employees at NYU are interested, I would be happy to set up some practice sessions. I ask, however, that managers do not force people into seeking this option since it is important that attendees have made their own decision to further their development, and thus be an active contributor.
Note: I may sometimes refer to the recipient of coaching (coachee) as the “client.” This is just a force of habit for me since my training was as a professional coach. The “client” can be staff, peers, management – basically anyone you choose to apply coaching skills with during your interactions. Coaching need not be a formal session or “thing,” but a simple conversation. These skills help build productive relationships and encourage leadership. Finding ways to use these skills in all your interactions will up your game immensely.