The Coaches Corner

13,607. That is the number of words in Edward Everett's Gettysburg oration "The Battles of Gettysburg." Everett, considered to be one of the best orators of his time spoke at Gettysburg on Thursday, November 19, 1863 for just over 2 hours. After a musical number then president Abraham Lincoln, in stark contrast stood and spoke only 271 words and solidified one of the most impactful messages in US history.  In roughly two or three minutes Lincoln cut to the point and delivered a message that is still memorized by grade-school children all over the country.  Lincoln's brevity can be a lesson for us in our coaching. Say less, ask more. Talk less, observe more. Speak less, communicate more. Below are a few principles to keep in mind: Say Less, Ask More . Questions are more important than the rambles of the un-organized mind of the coach. When planning your coaching plan your questions first.  Talk Less, Observe More . Observation skills are far too underdev...

Most people never become master coaches simply because they chose to be only part time coaches. Coaching mastery takes time, commitment and practice. Use the following questions to determine if you are a part time coach: You only coach when there is a problem You avoid coaching situations/conversations when you see that the topic could be emotionally difficult and/or awkward at first You take a "wait and see" mindset to your business hoping the current problem will fix itself You fail to practice your approach in one or more of the following situations Praise and reinforcement  Development and teaching Correction and redirection Group facilitation and thought leaderships discussions Practical, executable guidance conversations Performance evaluations Extremely effective coaches take a "full time" approach. They utilize every opportunity to develop others. Essentially great coaches have created a strong habit of coaching. Before you can master co...

One of the oldest sayings I know is "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line." I can think of no better adage for today's coaching topic - be direct. You've heard it and I'm sure have done it far too many times. When coaching you beat around the bush, give confusing and conflicting messages and fail to be direct. Later, you wonder why your coaching was so ineffective. Remember that direct communication in coaching is crucial to ensuring: The person being coached understands where he or she stands What is clearly expected and  What parameters are being measured on the way to success Below are three keys (and a bonus suggestion) to improving your direct coaching: Get right to the point . Don't start the coaching with small talk. "Jane, the purpose of our meeting today is to discuss your current performance that has dropped below standard. You have missed your sales quota for three months at an aggregate of 10%." ...

How bad does a negative situation need to get before you address it? Recently I heard someone justify their "behind the back" negativity by saying "well, you just can't be direct with people these days for fear of retaliation." I totally disagree. As a leader, coach and friend I think the costs of avoiding direct communication are too high not to. Let's look at a few tools to help you stop being a coward and address issues more quickly. Write out a clear objective first. For instance I could write "I want to address my concern, create a combined strategy and  improve the relationship through respectful and direct communication.  Follow the 3 step process of emotion, need and strategy.  "I feel  sad that this happened. Here is how I see it." "I need  to feel a sense of connection and alignment. I'm hoping we can communicate in a way that will fulfill that need." "I'm open to the strategy and how we solve th...

Even the best coaches can get easily sidetracked and lose credibility by leaning too hard on assumptions. Below are 3 of the risks we face when we assume along with tools to prevent these risks from turning into reality: Risk 1: Loss of credibility . Entering a coaching conversation assuming we know the full picture ahead of time causes us to lose credibility with those we coach.  Tool 1: Assume good intent . If you are going to assume then assume the other person has good intent in why they did what  they did. Assume he or she made the best decision they knew how in the timeline.  Tool 2: Ask open ended questions to truly understand . Ex. "I want to make sure I see the full picture here. This is what I'm seeing. Can you fill in the gaps for me?" Risk 2: Loss of valuable time . In relationships slow is fast. Lack of understanding when coaching will slow down the overall process by potentially putting the other person on the defensive.  Tool 1: Plan out ...

Many leaders and coaches were once either athletes or participated in some sort of activity that required significant practice (i.e. dance, painting, acting, gaming etc.). One of the biggest challenges I see with coaches who were involved in athletics or activities is that they forget the practice related work ethic it took to become successful in their chosen activity. A great baseball pitcher would never be able to throw fast and accurate without practice. The same principle applies in coaching.  Practicing coaching skills (not on those you coach) is THE most effective way to improve. Consider the following: Schedule Practice - The best coaches are those that have regular practice in the calendar in a "practice" and feedback rich environment. Break it Down - What specifically do you want to improve? Break down the system of coaching and be intentional for 2-4 weeks on improving that one area. Create a 6 month plan for skill development. Train The Nervous Syste...