I recently completed The Anatomy Foundational Coaching Course through Grayden, which teaches participants how to be more coach-like in the way they speak to others.
Our course ran over two consecutive weekends, and throughout those two weekends we learned skills, and then built on those skills as we practiced what we were learning.
What did this course look like?
Starting with an introduction to what coaching is, then recognizing where you are on a spectrum of understanding of what coaching is. We then explored the role of a coach and understanding that a coach’s role is to ask questions, not provide answers or problem solve, and recognizing that the coachee has all the answers, and is capable and whole. We discuss different contexts for using a coaching mindset, which could be a formal coaching relationship, having a coaching conversation, or simply being more coach-like in your everyday life.
Following the introduction, prior to teaching us any strategies the instructor did a demonstration of a coaching conversation. My role was to be the coachee, and the other students listened to the conversation, and made notes about what they noticed.
We then had a discussion about what I noticed and felt as a coachee, and what the other students noticed in their observations.
At this point we started learning the different strategies and types of questions you can use in coaching conversations. As well as, the best ways to navigate having these conversations with a coaching mindset, versus trying to give advice or problem solve for the coachee. Throughout the course we were given opportunities to practice our skills as we learned them, and they continuously build on previous skills to come together as a holistic approach to the conversation.
So why was it memorable?
This course was memorable for a few reasons.
Firstly, it has made me a better teacher, and a better person in general. When I’m developing lessons I keep this framework in mind, which helps guide students to finding the answers, and also gives me something to lean into when a student just wants me to tell them the answer.
One of the lessons we learned was that “why” questions inherently are judgmental, even if that is not your intention. Asking a “why” question can lead to the person you are talking to closing themselves off to you because they can feel this judgment. As soon as I flipped my responses to people from being “why” questions, and asking in a more curious way, my difficult conversations became much more meaningful, productive, and I find that people are much more willing to open up and get to the root of the issue.
Secondly, being coached was something I never would have thought I needed, but going through the process while my fellow participants were practicing helped bring clarity to aspects of my life I didn’t realize I was unsure about.
Finally, it built really strong relationships with some of my colleagues that I haven’t previously worked closely with because we were doing this process together. Which I recognize isn’t always the case, but I was really lucky that the course was put on by my department head who is a certified trainer for Grayden, which meant the participants were all colleagues within our organization.
I recommend this program to everyone, especially those in leadership roles, or who work with people on a day to day basis. It truly has changed how I look at conversations and interact with everyone, every single day.
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