Coaching was designed as a response to the neurobiological mechanisms of our brain. The coaching approach is designed to calm the amygdala located in our brain and responsible for defending the body, and activate the prefrontal cortex responsible for analysis and creativity. It is worth paying attention to areas that are or could be a strength of the employee/team.
Finding ways to better utilize an employee’s talents will help increase their effectiveness and job satisfaction. Instead of looking for the causes of a problem and the people responsible for it, it is better to focus on finding a solution. It is better to focus on the future and the effects of actions. Be open to discovering the goals, values, and desires of your employees. Pay attention to what is important to them and ask them about it. Listen carefully to what they have to say.
Engage in dialogue, ask, and listen. Do not try to impose your own desires and values. If you do not understand what your employee really cares about, you will not be able to motivate them in a way consistent with their actual needs, desires, and values.
What coaching questions can you ask an employee during a conversation? You will find some examples below.
- What problem would you like to solve during this session?
- What would have to happen for you to leave feeling that this time was well spent?
- What would you like to happen/not happen, and what is not happening right now?
- What is happening right now? In what way is this problematic for you?
- How do you know this is true?
- When does this happen? How often does it happen?
- What have you done so far to solve this problem?
- What could you do to change this situation?
- What approach/action have you observed in others in a similar situation, or used yourself?
- Who might be able to help you?
- What are the pros and cons of these options?
- What will be the first next action you take?
- When should you check the progress of the actions? Daily, once a week, monthly?
- Who: What support do you need? How and when will you get this support?
- Which team members, co-workers, or stakeholders should be involved?
- What support do you need from them? What support do you not need from them?
- How will you onboard them?
