COACHING CONVERSATION

Objective: to practice and develop your coaching skills

Two students, A & B, take it in turns to coach each other. A as coach coaches
B as coachee for 15 minutes; then B as coach coaches A as coachee for 15
minutes.

Min time for each coaching conversation: 12mins

Max time for each coaching conversation: 15 mins

Output = a 12-15 minute recording of A coaching B, and a 12-15 minute recording of

B coaching A.

Each coach is responsible for submitting their recording of them as coach to

Blackboard.

Each coach is assessed (pass/fail only) on their skill in implementing the T-GROW
process and making use of core coaching competencies (International Coaching
Federation – ICF, 2019 - core competencies). Each coach is given written
feedback on their coaching skills.

The coachee is not assessed. The focus of assessment of the recording and of the
reflective essay is the coaching skills of the coach. The content of the coaching
conversation is confidential and it is not to be disclosed in the reflective essay.

Record the conversation using MS Teams. Coach and coachee to be visible and
audible throughout the conversation.

The topic for the coaching conversation is decided by the coachee.

KEY ACTIONS

1. Students form coaching partnerships to support each other in practicing and

developing coaching skills.
2. Each coachee identifies a real topic that matters to them and that they are
comfortable discussing with a coach. Topics could be about motivation, activities,
and outcomes at work, about learning and development, or about career
development. The key is for each coachee to choose a topic that is relevant to
them.
3. Before the recorded conversation, the partners to the coaching conversation set
the foundations:
a. Agree to work together on a private and confidential basis and agree not to
disclose any details about the content of their conversation to anyone else.
Note: academic staff only review the recorded conversation on a
confidential basis; and, in the reflective review the coach only
reflects on the coaching process and does not reflect on what the
coachee has said.
b. Each coach establishes a confidential coaching agreement with their
partner, the coachee. This includes discussing the topic the coachee
would like support with from the coach and the goal for the 15 minute
recorded conversation.

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c. Each coach practices working with the key elements of the T-GROW
model, with the coachee providing a topic and agreeing a goal to work on
in the 15 minute recorded conversation. Through skilful listening,
questioning, and clarifying each coach practices:
i. affirming the confidentiality of the coaching conversation and the
establishment of a coaching agreement and the topic the
coachee would like the coach to help them with
ii. inviting the coachee to set their goal - the coachee’s goal -for the
coaching conversation
iii. checking and raising the coachee’s awareness of the reality of
their situation right now
iv. enabling the coachee to find their options – alternative
strategies, solutions, potential answers – relevant to the coachee’s
goal
v. getting the coachee to exercise their will in committing to a
specific action plan to achieve their goal, which may not be the goal
set at the outset of the conversation.
Note effective coaches support coachee’s in exploring their – the
coachee’s – situation and as a result the coachee develops a
deeper understanding and insights into their situation. From a
deeper understanding a different goal can emerge that is more
meaningful and helpful to the coachee.
4. Each coach in preparing for the recorded coaching conversation reviews their
skills in setting foundations, co-creating a positive coaching relationship,
communicating effectively, and facilitating the coachee’s learning and results.

NOTE: to achieve a pass each coach must demonstrate they have engaged the
coachee in the five elements of the T-GROW process:

1. Topic
2. Goal
3. Reality
4. Options
5. Will

In feedback on the recording of the coaching conversation coaches will get feedback
on the ICF competencies and on the five elements of the T-GROW process.

Coaches are expected to make selective use of this feedback in their reflective
essay, e.g., reflecting on what they did well and what they could improve on in
demonstrating active listening and in asking powerful questions.

During the coaching conversation each coach is encouraged to use the

checklist of questions for the T-GROW process.

The coachee should expect to speak for about 70% of the time; the coach
should ensure they speak for less than 30% of the time.

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T TOPIC Affirm confidentiality, coaching agreement, and coaching topic.
Questions need to be appropriate to each individual in their unique situation.
The questions in bold below have a high probability of value to the coachee (Alexander & Renshaw, 2005)
G GOAL Get coachee to set goal for this particular coaching conversation.
 What would be the most valuable goal to focus on?
 To what extent is this within your own control?
 In what way is the goal positive, desirable, challenging, attainable?
 When you get up out of your chair, what outcome would be most valuable to
you?

R REALITY Check & raise awareness of the coachee’s situation right now
 What is the current situation?
 How is that helping you move towards your goal?
 What have you learned from what you have done to move towards your goal?
 What are the barriers to moving towards your goal?
 What action have you taken to overcome the barriers?
 What other factors are relevant?
 Who else is involved?
 What is their perception of the situation?

O OPTIONS Enable coachee to find alternative strategies, solutions, answers for the
their goal.
 What could you do to address the situation?
 What else could you do?
 If you could do anything, what would you do?
 What alternatives are there to that approach?
 Tell me what possibilities for action you see. Do not worry about whether they are
realistic at this stage.
 Who might be able to help?
 If time was not a factor, what could you do?
 If resources were not a factor, what could you do?
 What would happen if you did nothing?

W WILL (and WHAT, WHEN, by WHOM) Test coachee’s commitment to their

goal, & supporting coachee in making concrete, realistic plans to reach it.
 If you could only take the one option that you believe would add the most
value, what would it be?
 What are the implications of taking this action?
 What will you do, and when?
 Is this an effective use of time?
 How does this help you to achieve your goal?
 How will you know when you have reached your goal?
 Who else needs to know about your plan? How will you inform them?
 Who else could help and support you in your plan? How will you get their support?