Coaching
for
performance
This presentation has been taken from The Coaching Toolkit 
Shaun Allison and Michael Harbour, (SAGE) 2009.
Objectives for the session
• To understand the principles behind
coaching and why it is useful in working
with students and adults
• To clarify the differences between
coaching, mentoring and counselling
• To use coaching skills and experience the
benefits of coaching
Coaching helps us to:
• Identify and clarify issues
• Solve problems
• Commit to action
• Develop skills, motivation, confidence
and self-esteem …
• … and that includes coaches!
Why coaching?
‘Holding onto core beliefs about the people you coach is at the
heart of what makes coaching so powerful as an agent of
change. When you communicate confidence and trust in another
person’s ability to make choices, their performance goes up.’
(Thomas W. and Smith A. (2004), Stafford, Coaching Solutions.
Network Educational Press.)
‘… there is a much better chance of learning from someone in
the next classroom than from someone 20 … miles away’
(Reynolds D. (2003) News & Opinions, TES 20 June.)
‘Training courses and workshops fail to make a long-term
impact on classroom practice.’
(Joyce, B. and Showers, B. (1995) Student Achievement through
Staff Development. White Plains, New York places: Longman.)
Why coaching?
1 __% of teachers will transfer a new skill into their
practice as a result of theory
2 __% will transfer a new skill into their practice
with theory and demonstration
3 __% will transfer a new skill into their practice with
theory and demonstration and practice within the
training
4 __% will transfer a new skill into their practice with
theory, demonstration, practice and feedback
within the training
5 __% will transfer a new skill into their practice with
theory, demonstration, practice and feedback
within the training, and coaching support in school
Why coaching?
5% of teachers will transfer a new skill into their
practice as a result of theory
10% will transfer a new skill into their practice with theory
and demonstration
20% will transfer a new skill into their practice with theory and
demonstration and practice within the training
25% will transfer a new skill into their practice with theory,
demonstration, practice and feedback within the training
90% will transfer a new skill into their practice with theory,
demonstration, practice and feedback within the training, and
coaching support in school
Beliefs
• We all have untapped potential to learn and to
improve what we do
• The solutions to each person’s professional
challenges are to be found within the school
• Those who share their skills as coaches will
inevitably improve what they do
• The limits to achieving our potential are
largely self-imposed.
Principles of coaching
•
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Confidentiality
Trust
Non-judgemental, non-critical support
A belief in the coachee’s capacity to learn,
develop and change
Recognising strengths; building and
maintaining self-confidence and self-esteem
Challenging the coachee to move beyond the
comfort zone
A belief that there are always solutions to
issues
Breaking down big challenges into
manageable steps
How is coaching different from other
helping processes?
No n -directive
Cou n sellin g
Coach in g
Facilitatin g
Ad visin g
Men torin g
Gu id in g
Directin g
Directive
Coaching
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A helping skill
Non-directive and non-judgemental
Focuses on solutions
Advice is not given
Belief that the coachee has the answers
Focuses on the coachee’s strengths
Commits the coachee to specific action
Enables the coachee to evaluate her/his
progress
• Promotes a high degree of independence
• Uses the skills of questioning, clarifying,
reflecting, observing and giving feedback
Counselling
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Looks backwards and at the present
Non-directive
Advice is not given
Not usually solutions focused
Tends to enable the client to understand
emotions and their source.(Why do I feel
as I do?)
• Belief that the client has the answers
• May promote a degree of dependence
• May use the skills of questioning,
clarifying, reflecting and observing
Mentoring
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Mentor has ‘expert’ knowledge or experience
Specific advice (and direction) given
Focuses on solutions
Mentor has the ‘real answers’
Belief that the teacher can learn
Commits the teacher to specific action
Mentor’s evaluation of progress is shared with
the teacher
• May lead to a degree of dependence.
• Uses the skills of questioning, clarifying,
reflecting, observing and giving feedback
The Skills–motivation matrix
High skills
Inspire
Walk with
(Confidante)
(Companion)
Low motivation
High motivation
Direct
Guide
(Personal trainer)
(Cox)
Low skills
(Adapted from: Powell, G., Chambers, M. and Baxter, G. (2001) Pathways to Coaching.
Bristol: TLO. P. 10.)
Coaching skills
• Listening
• Questioning
• Clarifying
• Reflecting
The FLOW Model for structuring
sessions
coaching
• Find the challenge
• Look at reality
• Open possibilities
• Win commitment
(Reproduced by permission of TLO Limited, from Powell, G. Chambers, M. and
Baxter, G. (2001) Pathways to
Coaching. Bristol: TLO.)
The STRIDE model
Coaching sessions focus on:
• Strengths – awareness of the colleague’s or student’s
strengths
• Targets – agree a focus and challenge to work on
• Reality – agree the present reality and what things
need to change
• Ideas and options – help the student/colleague to
weigh up the options
• Decide which is best and commit to action
• Evaluate:
– is this the best place to start?
– what has happened, over time, as the result
of the commitment?
Coaching helps people to:
 Clarify and identify issues
 Solve problems
 Commit to action
 Develop skills, motivation, self-esteem
and confidence