©
Courseware approved by:
KCS Coach Leaders Guide
Beth A. Haggett v5.2
©Beth Haggett 2012
COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
Preparation
Buy chocolate for breaks
Put agenda on flip-charts
Write out definition of a coach (see below)
Choose quotes and write on white board
Prepare papers for human continuum exercise
Prepare Helium Sticks
Check on Internet availability if you choose to use video clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFz-FMj-9Ps : Elephant and Dog video
Agenda/Workshop Overview
Day One
What is a coach?
Do I have what it takes to be a good coach?
Why coaching?
ROI for coaching
The value of feedback
What motivates people?
Boundaries
BABR
Exercise in Reflection
Handling Objections
Day Two
Working as a team
Tools of the trade
Logistics of coaching
The challenge of change
Engaging the process
Remote coaching
Reflection on what you have learned
Quotes (Can choose one or two to write on board)
© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
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“He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier
still.” –Lao Tzu
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead
“The ground of authenticity is always present. When we ignore it, we are buffeted by the
winds of circumstance. When we claim it, return to it, come from it, play with it, this
ground supports and empowers our actions every step of the way.
As we prepare to do our work, we connect with the physical ground, or place. We also
attend to the ground of our actions-how we show up, what we believe to be true, how
we shape our intention, and how we frame what will unfold.” –Susan Szpapowski
“Life expands in direct proportion to one’s courage.” –Anais Nin
“That which we persist in doing becomes easy, not that the nature of the thing has
changed but that our power to do has increased.” –Heber J. Grant
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© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .....................................................................6
Acknowledgements ........................................................6
FOUNDATION OF COACHING .....................................................7
Story of The Water Hyacinth ..........................................7
Creating a KCS Culture ....................................................7
Reflection Exercise .........................................................7
WHAT IS A COACH? ................................................................8
The Coaching Paradigm ..................................................9
Characteristics of a Coach ...............................................11
Coaching ROI ..................................................................11
Value of Coaching in the World of Work .........................11
Reflection on Significant Person .....................................12
Attributes of an Effective Coach: ....................................14
The Role of a Coach ........................................................15
The Case for Coaching ....................................................18
SKILLS FOR COACHING .............................................................21
Poem: The Cookie Thief .................................................21
The Importance of an Open Mind ...................................22
Four Key Coaching Skills .................................................23
What Motivates People? ................................................29
BABR: Looking Beyond Behaviors to Underlying Beliefs ..34
Dealing with Objections .................................................35
THE COACHING PROCESS .........................................................37
Choosing Coaches...........................................................38
The Three Categories of Users ........................................38
Principles & Logistics of Effective Coaching.....................39
Ethics of Coaching ..........................................................39
ABC’s of Coaching ...........................................................39
© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
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Artificial Opening ........................................................... 40
Time Allocation for Coaching ......................................... 40
Practicing Your Coaching Skills ....................................... 42
Planning Coaching Sessions............................................ 43
Article Quality Index ...................................................... 44
The Challenge of Change ................................................ 44
Coaching in the Workflow .............................................. 45
Remote Coaching ........................................................... 45
REFERENCES ......................................................................... 46
Recommended Reading List ........................................... 47
References ..................................................................... 47
About the Author........................................................... 47
APPENDIX ............................................................................ 49
Coach Self Assessment ................................................... 49
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© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
Acknowledgements, pg ii
This Leader’s Guide and companion Coach’s Guide is a culmination of studying many
wonderful books and articles on coaching by authors such as Thomas Crane, Thomas
Leonard, James Flaherty & Jeffrey Auerbach, practicing coaching skills, and delivering
coach workshops over a period of 12 or more years. I have learned first hand the value
of coaching from those who have both cared about and inspired me in my life to be
better than I thought I could be. There are many!
The latest version of the KCS Coach’s Guide had the gracious contribution of
suggestions, edits, formatting and input from valued friends and colleagues in the field
of Customer Support: David Kay, Cheryl King, Patrice Ficociello, and Kelly Murray.
Their time and efforts are greatly appreciated. This project would never have been done
without the sense of humor, vision, and project management skills of Greg Oxton, of the
Consortium for Service Innovation. –Beth Haggett 2012
Introduction Unit, pg vi
Section 1: Getting Started, pg i-2 (Provided)
Section 2: Maximizing Your Learning Experience, pg i-5 (Provided)
Section 3: About HDI, pg i-7 (Provided)
Section 4: bout the Coach Training for Success in Knowledge Centered Support
(KCS) course, pg i-13 (Formerly titled Introduction)
This guide is intended to be a development resource and a reference for
Facilitators teaching the 2-day KCS Coaching workshop for individuals in the
role of a KCSsm (Knowledge-Centered Support) Coach. It provides a perspective
and supports an understanding of the KCS Coaching practices for those who
wish to be trained as KCS coaches or earn the KCS Coach Certification offered
by the KCS Academy (www.thekcsacdemy.net).
KCS is a methodology developed and maintained by the members of the
Consortium for Service Innovation (www.serviceinnovation.org). KCS has
evolved, based on the members’ experience, to become a rich collection of
practices and techniques. Coaching is a critical element in the successful
adoption of KCS. The methodology is described in the “KCS Practices Guide”
which can be downloaded from the Consortium site. This guide is meant to
complement the “KCS Practices Guide.”
This guide addresses coaching in the specific context of KCS. There are lots of
great resources on coaching and motivation and you will find some of our
favorites on the reading list in the resource section at the end of this guide.
KCS is a service mark of the Consortium for Service Innovation
© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
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Unit 1: Coaching Fundamentals
Foundation of Coaching
Story of The Water Hyacinth
Jeff Olsen from The Slight Edge tells the story of the water hyacinth, which is a beautiful
delicate little plant that floats on the surface of ponds in warm climates around the world.
This plant is one of the most prolific plants on the earth. It reproduces by sending out
runner stems that produce new plants. If a pond’s surface is fairly still and undisturbed,
the water hyacinth may cover the entire pond in thirty days. On day one, only one new
plant shows up on the water’s surface. You may have to search hard to even notice the
plant for the first several weeks. On day 20, most of the way through the month, the
water hyacinth only covers a small square of the ponds surface. On day 29, half of the
pond is still unaffected by this miraculous but subtle effort. Imagine on day 30, the water
hyacinth again doubles itself and expands to cover the entire surface of the pond. This
is the power of compounding effort. (Olsen, 1990).
Creating a KCS Culture
Like the growth of the Water Hyacinth, creating a KCS culture in your organization is a
similar feat. It begins with recognizing that the little things you do every single day bring
about the necessary changes, and doing the little things right is critical to success.
Reflection Exercise
I would like you to do a Knowledge Base (KB) search of your mind. Imagine entering a
search statement, relationships. Think of all of the people in your life that you have a
relationship with. Your personal knowledge base might return with some of the
following: bosses, co-workers, doctors, dentists, grocery clerks, friends, family,
neighbors, etc. How many knowledge objects come up for you? Are there 1000,
perhaps 2000?
Now imagine adding an additional search statement, relationships that I care most
about. Think of those people in your life that you care most about. What relationships
show up in this imaginary search? Children, parents, spouses, siblings, friends,
colleagues, co-workers, bosses…now how big is your search? Most likely you have a
smaller subset of the first search, perhaps 100 or more?
Narrow your search by adding a statement, relationships that I would like to improve
in some way. How many people come up in the KB of your mind? Consider for a
moment how you would like to improve these relationships and what you might do.
Choose one that is most important to you and imagine dedicating some time and energy
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© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
and positive intention to that relationship. This is the basis for the coaching relationship
as well. Being a coach is having a sense of stewardship that ignites a desire to serve
and an intention of making a difference for someone. In the case of a KCS Coach, it
involves setting a clear intention to help those you coach become proficient at KCS and
feel supported and confident in their efforts to become certified as a Publisher.
The skills you learn and practice that will help you be an effective coach are the same
skills that will make you a better parent, spouse, friend, and manager or supervisor.
They will also make you more hirable. A book on business strategy suggests to
employers: “Hire for relationships and train for skill.” (Beckwith, H., 2003, pg. 238).
You are in this workshop to be trained as a KCS coach. This means that you will be
learning certain principles, skills and tools that help you in your work as a coach, and
easily transfer to many other areas of your life.
Here is to your success in guiding and influencing others in their growth and learning!
Sincerely caring about them and wanting them to be successful is the foundation of
being an effective coach.
What is a Coach?
Write out ahead of time on flip-chart page
"Coaching is an ongoing relationship between the professional coach and the
client which focuses on the client taking action toward the realization of their
vision, goals or desires. Coaching uses a process of inquiry and personal
discovery to build the client's level of awareness and responsibility and provides
the client with structure, support, and feedback."
–International Coaching Federation
“A trusted role model, advisor, wise person, friend, Mensch, steward, or guide – a
person who works with emerging human and organizational forces to tap new
energy and purpose, to shape new visions and plans, and to generate desired
results. A coach is someone trained and devoted to guiding others into increased
competence, commitment, and confidence.”
–Frederic Hudson, Founder of the Hudson Institute
In the context of KCS then, a coach is someone who is “trained and devoted to guiding
others into increased competence, commitment, and confidence” in the understanding
and use of Knowledge-Centered Support.
This is probably like NO other workshop you have ever attended
Background and Introductions
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Offer a brief self-introduction
Housekeeping
Start and end times, breaks, bathrooms, cell-phones, investment in learning
You may be wondering if you have what it takes to be an effective coach. There are
skills and tools that can help you be more effective. Having a strong desire to help
others is key. If you are reading this, you most likely possess some of these skills and
qualities. There is a YouTube video that is a wonderful illustration of some of the
characteristics of a good coach. You may want to show the youtube video of a story
about “The Animal Odd Couple.” It exemplifies one of the most fundamental
characteristics of a coach in a surprising and delightful way. The example is of a dog
and an elephant who bond and care for each other. You could not find a more diverse
friendship. Although their perspective must be quite different, the animals seem to have
empathy for each other that help them understand and care for one another. The story
offers hope for people from different backgrounds to overcome differences and make a
difference in each other’s lives.
Workshop Overview/Agenda
Review agenda as previously written on flip-chart: review at beginning of each
day, what will be covered and review at end of each day what has been covered
for the day.
Draw following diagram on white board or flip-chart and explain
The Coaching Paradigm
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© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
As you take on the role of a coach, you gain a new and different perspective of people.
The stewardship that comes along with the coaching role can enable you to see, speak,
and behave in ways that allow you to be more effective as a coach. Ideally you will see
the people that you are coaching in an entirely different way than you would see them
before. You will also have a different language for engaging with them that will allow for
their greatest learning and development and you will learn to behave in new and more
effective ways that will enhance your coaching relationships. Ideally you will begin to
practice seeing, speaking and behaving in different ways that will enhance your own
learning. “These three dimensions are interdependent and whenever you effect a
change in one dimension, you effect a change in all three” (Covey, 2006, pp. 38-39).
Model adapted from Stephen M.R. Covey, The Speed of Trust.
For example, before you became a coach, the guy in the next cubicle was just a guy
that you saw in the break room occasionally, or heard talking on the phone and “tuned
out” so you could focus on your work. Now, you are his coach so you begin to see him
differently. As his new coach, you have a new sense of stewardship, which creates a
desire to see him be successful. You take notice now of his countenance, expressions,
and body language which might show discouragement or distraction. You care to know
that his wife just had a baby and he is struggling to keep up with his workload because
he is not sleeping at night. You think of him occasionally during the day and wonder how
you might help him to progress towards the publisher role. You wonder what inspires or
motivates him to do his best and how you might encourage him. You take the time to
stop and ask how things are going for him. You want his feedback on how you are doing
as his coach and what you might do to improve. You are now seeing him differently,
speaking to him differently, and behaving differently towards him because of your role
as his coach.
Can add a personal story or example or share the example below.
Jack Kornfield shares this illustration from Tibetan teachings, in his book The Art of
© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
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Forgiveness, Lovingkindness and Peace:
“Imagine walking along a sidewalk with your arms full of groceries, and someone
roughly bumps into you so that you fall ad your groceries are strewn over the ground. As
you rise up fro the puddle of broken eggs and tomato juice, you are ready to shout out,
‘You idiot! What’s wrong with you? Are you blind?’ But just before you can catch your
breath to speak, you see that the person who bumped into you actually is blind. He, too,
is sprawled in the spilled groceries, and your anger vanishes in an instant, to be
replaced by the sympathetic concern: ‘Are you hurt? Can I help you up?’ Our situation is
like that. When we clearly realize that the source of disharmony and misery in the world
is ignorance, we can open the door of wisdom and compassion”(Kornfield, 2002, p. 36).
Characteristics of a Coach
A longitudinal study was done that followed 698 children for more than 30 years, from
birth into adulthood. A subgroup of this cohort was studied to discover what helps
certain children succeed at different stages of life. This group of children had serious
problems at the time of their birth. They had parents with low levels of education and
had several adversity factors such as poverty, mental illness, marital discord, divorce,
alcoholism, or drug-addiction. Some of these children (approximately one fourth of
them) not only survived but went on to thrive and become “competent, confident and
caring young adults who excelled in one or more areas of their lives.” One thing that
this group of children appear to have in common is that they all had at least one
significant person who was there for them in a supportive way. This person seemed to
have accepted the child without conditions and been a source of emotional support and
acceptance. (Lopes, 1993). This is a prime example of the impact a good coach or
mentor can make in a person’s life.
Can add a personal example if desired
Coaching Return on Investment (ROI)
Industry research shows that when training is combined with coaching, individuals
increase their productivity by an average of 86% compared to 22% with training alone.
A survey of 100 executives, conducted by Manchester Inc., found that coaching
provides an average ROI of almost six times the cost of coaching. (Jan 4, 2001,
Businesswire: URL:http://www.businesswire.com)
Value of Coaching in the World of Work
There is a push for more coaching in today’s work world, which is based on the results
of research studies. Organizations are not only hiring coaches to coach their
executives, but they are making the investment to develop coaching skills in their
supervisors and managers in order to realize various benefits including:
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COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
 More productive and motivated work groups
 More consistent, replicable bottom-line results
 A work environment characterized by flexibility, innovation, and loyalty
Reflection on Significant Person
Take a moment to reflect…
Think about someone who has been on the path of your life, either your career or your
personal life, who has impacted it in a profound way. Is there someone who has
influenced your life significantly? What did they do? How did they do it? How did they
make you feel? What did you do differently in your life because of their influence?
Ask: would anyone be willing to share an example with the group?
Now, think of someone you have been a coach to, either in your career, or personal life.
Perhaps it is with your own children, or coaching a sports team or in some other role.
Who have you influenced significantly? How did you do it? What did you do? How did
you feel about the other person? How do you think they perceived you?
Share a personal example or ask if anyone is willing to share with the group.
These types of coaching relationships have the greatest capacity to make a difference
in someone’s life. It would be easy to minimize the role of a KCS Coach and decide that
it is only “work” and not “life,” but work often consumes a major portion of one’s day and
therefore, one’s “life.” If as a Coach, you can create a meaningful relationship it will be
the foundation for greater success in KCS and as an added bonus, work becomes more
meaningful and more enjoyable for both the Coach and the Knowledge Developer (KD).
Can share a personal example or modify the one below
As a coach, counselor, parent and educator I have had many such relationships that
add meaning and value to my work and my life and in which I feel I have made a
difference. One relationship that stands out is one I had with a young girl for whom I
provided counseling for several years beginning when she was about 15. Meeting with
her each week demonstrated that I truly cared about her well-being. I listened intently to
her thoughts and feelings, and asked her many questions to help her discover the
answers that would serve her best rather than just telling her what to do. I helped her
discover and focus on her strengths rather than her mistakes. Several years after we
completed her therapy, she called me to tell me, “I want to be just like you and help
other young girls the way that you helped me.” She asked my help to figure out what
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college courses she needed to take so that she could help other young people. Even
many years after our professional relationship had ended, the care and concern I had
shown to her continued to benefit her life.
Appreciative Inquiry Exercise
Pair Up with someone you know the least well.
Introduce yourself:
1. Share your story about person who influenced you.
2. Share experience you had being a coach in some way.
3. Without being humble, share qualities you possess that will help you to be a
good coach.
Instructions: Take time to interview each other using the questions in your workbook.
Be a generous listener. Do not dialogue; rather take turns actually conducting an
interview. If you need more information or clarification, ask additional follow-up
questions. Use the sheet in your workbook to record the results of your interview.
When your interviews are complete, you will present the results to the larger group.
Before you conduct the interview, take a minute to read the questions and decide how
you will personally answer them. Make a mental note of your response and then
proceed with the interview, paying full attention to your partner rather than to your own
story. (Exercise: 20 minutes total. Allow 10 minutes for each person)
Flip-Chart
Introduction Task: Introduce your partner to the group, sharing what struck you about
their coaching experience and the qualities they possess that will help them to be a
good coach. You don’t have to share everything, but just the pieces that struck you, or
that are okay to share. Make sure you have their permission to share with the group.
(List qualities on flip chart)
Large Group Exercise
o
Brainstorm together as a group: What additional QUALITIES do the
people possess in the various stories that allowed them to impact you
in such a profound way? (Add to qualities already listed above on
board or flip-chart).
How does one develop these qualities? Are they inherent, or are they skills that can be
learned?
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COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
You most likely possess many of these qualities amongst yourselves already, which is
why you were invited to be a coach. We are going to focus in on, reinforce, and increase
awareness of several of these qualities over the next two days that will help you in your
new coaching responsibilities.
Attributes of an Effective Coach:
The following list is a compilation from many coaching and leadership workshops in
which attendees brainstormed the attributes of an effective coach. Be familiar with
these in case you need to add to the list.
A good coach (is):
 Patient
 Open and honest: provides direct
feedback
 Pushes you; has high
expectations
 Adapts to your learning style
 Approachable and trustworthy
 A good listener
 Recognizes my ability and
opportunity to grow
 Sees those coached as peers
 Wants your success
 Provides objective, constructive
feedback
 Improves me–but doesn't make
me feel bad






 Challenges me
 Shows confidence in those they
are coaching
 A good leader
 Unconditional
 Knowledgeable
 Competent
 Knowledgeable
 Leads by example




Not authoritative
Open to input—approachable
Genuinely interested in me
Holds me accountable (in a
positive way)
 Supportive
Motivational
Open-minded
Empathetic
Compassionate
A good communicator
Trustworthy and trusting
 Dependable
 Reliable
 Helpful
 The most technical people are
only very rarely the best coaches
How does one develop these qualities? Are they inherent, or are they skills that can be
learned? Which of these qualities or skills do you already possess? Just being aware of
them and seeing yourself in the role of a coach allows you to cultivate them and use
them more proactively.
You most likely possess many of these qualities already, which is why you were invited
to be a coach. Becoming a coach will give you opportunities to focus on, reinforce, and
© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
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increase awareness of many of these qualities that will help you in your new coaching
responsibilities.
Do you have a role model for coaching? Someone whom you admire that has many of
the qualities you would like to acquire or improve in yourself? Often just the awareness
of this person and a desire to be more like them can help you to improve your own
abilities more easily. As humans we are primed to model our behavior after others. This
is how children learn language and how they are supposed to act, by modeling their
parents or other caregivers. When we have a person in mind as a model we can more
easily adopt their characteristics and ways of doing things. Even thinking of the easy
rapport and supportive relationship we have with animals can be a source of inspiration
for us as coaches.
The Role of a Coach
Trust
What is trust? Think about a person that you trust. What is it that you feel about that
person? Most likely you have the feeling you can count on them, they have your best
interest at heart, they care about how you are doing and want you to be successful. You
probably feel confident that if you tell them something sensitive they will not go blab to
others about it. Their offers of help are sincere and you know they will go out of their
way to help you out if needed. These are the same feelings and thoughts one should
have about a good coach. A coaching relationship is built on trust. Without trust the
goals of coaching will not be accomplished. The greatest value of coaching comes from
knowing that someone is actually invested in your success. It is no wonder the ROI of
coaching is typically about 6 to 1. In what other work relationship do you feel so
supported?
Trust is increased, as people know each other on a more personal level. This seems to
be a critical ingredient for trust. When people know each other on a work basis only,
with little personal interaction, trust levels are typically low. The more people know each
other as whole human beings, the more potential there is for trust.
Stephen M.R. Covey (2006) in his book The Speed of Trust writes, “There is nothing
faster than the speed of trust.” Having a good coaching relationship in place can speed
up the learning and project implementation process considerably. He expounds on this
by explaining:
“As you think about behaving in ways that build trust, keep in mind that every
interaction with every person is a ‘moment of trust.’ The way you behave in that
moment will either build or diminish trust. And this opportunity is geometric….By
behaving in ways that build trust with one, you build trust with many.” (Covey,
2006, p. 135)
“The only relationships in this world that have ever been worthwhile and enduring
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© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
have been those in which one person could trust another.”
–Samuel Smiles, British author, and biographer
Authority
As a coach, how much authority do you have? The answer is none. A coach has no
authority over those that they coach. The manager has authority and the hope of a good
coach is to have influence versus authority. Sometimes influence is a more powerful
motivator than authority. As you can see from the following diagram, the coach and the
knowledge developer are equals and the manager or leader has a role of authority over
both. Additionally it is the manager’s job to create demand for KCS and the coach’s job
to support the knowledge developer in fulfilling that demand. How are coaches and
managers different? The coach has no authority, but does hold the knowledge
developer accountable. A coach creates accountability by:
o Establishing a coaching contract up front that makes expectations and outcomes
explicit
o Monitoring trends and paying attention to engagement and participation rates of
those they coach
o Scheduling regular coaching sessions, showing up on time and being consistent
and reliable
o Regularly reviewing knowledge articles and supporting growth and learning
o Creating a safe place for the knowledge developer to learn without feeling
criticized or judged
o Checking their own value and contribution by asking for feedback regularly about
how helpful they are to those that they coach
Draw the following diagram on the white board
© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved
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In essence, it works like this:
It is the leader’s responsibility to set expectations and requirements for how KCS will be
implemented and how participation will be recognized or rewarded. It is also part of the
leader’s role to promote knowledge developers to the publisher role and to demote them
in the case that it is necessary.
The coach recommends to the leader or manager when a knowledge developer is ready
to be licensed as a publisher and may have to eventually share the bad news that a
knowledge developer is not participating or has not developed the necessary skills to
assume the publisher role. However, the coach will not be the one making those final
decisions. This relieves the coach of the authority over those they coach and allows
them to remain on equal footing and to maintain the role of the encouraging mentor or
steward rather than someone to be feared or avoided. It is also the responsibility of the
leader or manager to remove licenses if that is ever necessary.
The coach helps the knowledge developer fill the demand created by the organization
through the manager. The knowledge developer learns KCS and becomes a publisher
of quality content.
As the organization matures, the value of the knowledge base, the improvement of call
times, and the ease of finding answers and solving customer problems creates a natural
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COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
dependence of the KDs on the Knowledge Base. There begins to be peer pressure
from those who are engaged and using KCS, creating a powerful force for change in the
organization.
There may be times when it is appropriate to bring the manager into the conversation.
There may also be some reporting that the manager requires of the coach to monitor
progress of KD’s towards certification. This is different than sharing sensitive, personal,
or confidential information that the KD has shared with you, which is inappropriate.
Ask the group to describe the Benefits of KCS for the business, the employees and
the customers.
o The business sees increased operational efficiency, decreased cost of customer
service and product improvement.
o The employees see their redundancy decrease, their confidence in the accuracy
of solution articles increase and they are recognized and rewarded for learning
and helping others to learn.
o The customers get faster and better access to collective knowledge, improved
speed, accuracy, and consistency of solutions.
It is important that KD’s are able to voice their concerns, frustrations, and objections
freely to the coach. This enables the coach to better understand any objections the KD
might have and the issues that might interfere with learning. It further increases the
coach’s ability to express empathy and understanding for the challenges being faced.
The Case for Coaching
Why would your company spend all the money it will take to train and certify a group of
coaches? Because KCS helps an organization to solve customer issues faster, more
consistently and more accurately than they are able to without KCS and an effective
coaching program is a key element in the success of organizations that adopt KCS.
Experience with many organizations has shown that coaches are a necessary part of a
successful KCS adoption. Without good coaching, companies fail in their strategy.
What is the main purpose of coaching in this organization? (To support knowledge
developers as they increase competence using KCS and to help create a positive
attitude about KCS. To encourage, support, develop and coordinate the positive power
of the team.)
Technical skills vs. People skills
When you think about a successful coach in your own life or as portrayed in the media,
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are they typically the best players, or do they have other skills that somehow enable
others to reach inside themselves and perform better than they could without a good
coach? I think your experience will confirm that a good coach is not necessarily a
subject matter expert. This is especially true when it comes to KCS. It is important for a
coach to understand the KCS principles and practices but they do not need to be an
expert on the content of knowledge articles. In fact, if you remember from the list of
“good coach” qualities above: “your most technical people are only rarely the best
coaches.” In other words, “people only care how much you know when they know how
much you care.” A coach must care about the success of the other person in order to be
able to influence learning and growth. Remember though, it is important for the coach to
have a good understanding of KCS principles and practices in order to keep the
organization on track. In addition, coaches keep the information going out to the group
calibrated so that all the knowledge developers are getting the same information from
their coaches. This is accomplished by having KCS Council meetings where all the
coaches come together in a weekly meeting to review knowledge articles, bring up
issues, and collaborate on KCS messages.
Firo B Assessment Self-Exploration
Introduction to FIRO-B:
You have all recently taken the FIRO-B Assessment and had your results emailed to
you. Or you will be taking the self-scoring version of it now. The FIRO-B instrument, first
developed in the late 1950’s is now one of the most widely used tools for helping people
better understand themselves and how they can work more effectively with others.
The FIRO-B offers you a way of identifying the set of interpersonal needs that is most
comfortable for you. Since each person’s set point is unique, there are no right or wrong
answers to the questions asked.
The FIRO-B instrument identifies three areas of interpersonal need on two different
dimensions both expressed and wanted. The three areas are:
Inclusion:
This need indicates how much you generally include other people in your life and how
much attention, contact, and recognition you want from others.
Control:
This need indicates how much influence and responsibility you want and how much you
want others to lead and influence you.
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Affection:
This need indicates how close and warm you are with others and how close and warm
you want others to be with you.
The two dimensions are:
Expressed:
This dimension indicates how much you prefer to initiate the behavior. It is about what
you actually do and can be easily observed by others.
Wanted:
This dimension indicates how much you prefer others to initiate the behavior toward
you. It is about what you really want from others—whether or not you show it openly.
(Waterman & Rogers, pp. 1-2).
Remember: Do not take your results too seriously, as they can be dependent on a
number of factors that fluctuate. This is just for the experience of learning about
ourselves in a different way and reflecting on how we want to be as a coach.
Hand out assessment results either taken online or self-scored. Have coaches take
out page with chart summary of dimensions. Have coaches look at their results
and contemplate how their results compare with their expectations of their
results.
Choose one of the following two different exercises in FIRO-B exploration:
Human Continuum – FIRO-B Discussion
Place pieces of paper across the room from each other with numbers from “0” through
“9 to designate a continuum. Ask coaches to line up across the room, based on what
their score is on each area/dimension. Then, can ask questions of the group from list
below and have them share with group if comfortable doing so.
How might awareness about being on one or the other end of the spectrum influence
how you work as a coach?
How does it feel to be on either end, in the middle? How do your results fit with how you
are in situations? Or how you might be in coaching situations?
Expressed Inclusion
Wanted Inclusion
Expressed Control
Wanted Control
Expressed Affection
Wanted Affection
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Can use any or all of the following questions to debrief FIRO-B

Are there any big surprises in your FIRO-B results?

How do you see your results on the FIRO-B influencing you in fulfilling your
responsibilities as a coach?

How do you think your results on the FIRO-B might influence or affect the way
you relate to those you will be coaching?

Do you think that you will need to be aware of certain tendencies reflected in
your scores as you establish coaching relationships? If so, which ones? Why?

What trends in your scores build confidence that you will do well as a coach?

Do any trends in your scores create concern or anxiety for you? Discuss…

Does feedback from others (or from “objective” results) support these scores?
Examples?

Do you get feedbacks from others (or from results) that contradict these scores?
Examples?
Skills for Coaching
By becoming a coach, you have just taken the first steps on a journey and have the
opportunity to continue on the path of learning and discovery. Over time, you will find
you are a different and more effective person in your relationships, and you will have
more impact on those whom you coach. Learning to be an effective coach is a lifelong
endeavor.
The following poem by Valerie Cox embodies an important lesson for us as coaches.
Poem: The Cookie Thief
A woman was waiting at an airport one night, with several long hours before her
flight.
She hunted for a book in the airport shop, bought a bag of cookies and found a
place to drop.
She was engrossed in her book but happened to see that the man beside her as
bold as can be grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between, which she tried to
ignore to avoid a scene.
She munched cookies and watched the clock, as the gutsy cookie thief diminished
her stock.
She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by, thinking, “If I wasn’t so
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nice, I’d blacken his eye.”
With each cookie she took, he took one too. When only one was left, she
wondered what he’d do.
With a smile on his face and a nervous laugh, he took the last cookie and broke it
in half.
He offered her half as he ate the other. She snatched it from him and thought,
“OH BROTHER.
This guy has some nerve, and he’s also rude, why he didn’t even show any
gratitude.”
She had never known when she had been so galled and sighed with relief when
her flight was called.
She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate, refusing to look back at that
thieving ingrate.
She boarded the plane and sank in her seat, then sought her book, which was
almost complete.
As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise. There was her bag of
cookies in front of her eyes.
If mine are here, she moaned with despair, then the others were his, and he tried
to share.
Too late to apologize, she realized with grief, that she was the rude one, the
ingrate, the thief.
The Importance of an Open Mind
What does this poem have to do with coaching? Have you ever had the experience
when you have been so sure of something that you have challenged another with
confidence, only to find out later with more information that you were wrong? Remember
that no matter how strongly we feel about something, it is important to always be openminded and consider another’s point of view. You may have certain views or attitudes
about the way you work that are very ingrained and difficult to change, but as you are
open minded, you will come to understand better the perspective of those that you
coach and sometimes they might surprise you when the way they do things might even
be an improvement on the status quo.
In coaching, there will be times when you will go to your KD and know that you need to
correct his or her misinformation or teach him or her something he or she does not
know. If you do this with the “Cookie Thief” in mind you will be much more effective.
Knowing you are right can be a dangerous trap that stops us from thinking.
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Four Key Coaching Skills
A good coach uses many skills effectively. Four skills in particular can have great
impact in the coaching relationship: inquiry, advocacy, reflection, and appreciation.
Inquiry
Inquiry can be thought of as “the art of questioning.” It is the ability to use questions to
promote learning and reduce defensiveness. I see inquiry as the first and foremost skill
of a coach. In addition to the use of questions to promote learning, powerful questions
can be used to deepen thinking, shift beliefs, create emotional impact or to cause
someone to discover something inside themselves they were not aware of. The
following are examples of ways inquiry might be used:
o Ask gentle probing questions to learn more about what the other person is thinking
and feeling
o Ask questions to promote learning and help a person to discover the answers
rather than giving them all the answers
o Seek to understand so that you can help shift the minds/beliefs as appropriate
o Understanding that can help make things explicit that are implicit, revealing
understanding and underlying beliefs
o A close examination of a matter in search for information or truth, a search for
knowledge
Synonyms: inquiry, inquest, investigation, probe, research.
Inquiry is often the best skill to use in helping someone to learn and to recognize what
they already know and how best to implement or practice newly acquired information
and build confidence.
Principles for using Inquiry
Avoid beginning an inquiry with the word, “why” because it can have a tendency to
promote defensiveness. Instead use phrases such as:
“Help me understand what this means to you.”
“Can you share what you were thinking when you wrote your article this way?”
“What do you think it means to…?”
“What do you remember about this from KCS training?”
“What most inspires you about your work?”
“What changes would make the most impact for you?”
“How can I be the most helpful to you?”
Exercise in Inquiry
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Who has an example of how much more effective it is to learn something when
someone is coaching you using inquiry rather than just telling you how to do
something?
Quick Brainstorm exercise. Get together in two groups. Brainstorm questions
you can use to promote learning. I will type them up for you. Compile lists. Give
some examples.
Advocacy
“People say I don’t take criticism very well, but I say what the hell do they know.”
–Attributed to Groucho Marx
Advocacy is an important skill a coach will use when the need arises. There will be
times when a coach must stand behind or promote a certain KCS principle or practice to
the KD. Other times a coach might speak for the KD to management or during a KCS
Council meeting. It is often more effective to answer a question by pointing to the
particular principles that apply, and allowing the KD to discover the answer on his or her
own. You might be promoting the content standard and workflow that makes the most
sense for each person you coach and taking information back to the KCS Council or
KCS Core Team. It is important that a coach learns to be comfortable making
suggestions when necessary about what is important or critical to learning.
Advocacy can be thought of as:
o One method of giving honest feedback
o Coming forward with a position or idea that opens communication
o Presenting opinions, thoughts, feelings and ideas
o Stating assumptions
o Using illustrations or examples to create clarity or answer questions
o Making suggestions for improvement
o Active support, especially of a cause
o Active support of an idea or cause, especially the act of pleading or arguing for
something
o Aiding the cause or interests of someone.
Synonyms: support, defense, championing, backing, encouraging, boosting, espousing
Principles for using Advocacy
When using advocacy, it becomes especially important to be aware of the other
person’s response to what you are saying. When advocating for something one feels
passionate about it is easy to lose awareness of how another person is responding. It is
a good practice to do a check-in to see if you were understood or perceived accurately.
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You can ask questions such as: “What did you get from what I just said?” or “How did
that come across?” or “Does what I am saying make sense in this context?”
Appreciation
“The most exhausting thing in life, I have discovered, is insincerity.”
–Anne Morrow Lindbergh
When asking employees what they want most from a job situation, what do you think
most would answer?
Recognition for the work people do is even more important to most than a big paycheck.
Who does not enjoy feeling appreciated? William James said, “The deepest principle in
human nature is the craving to be appreciated”.
“Praise but never flatter. Praise makes people feel good, flattery makes them feel
manipulated.” (Beckwith, 2003, p.237)
Appreciation must be sincere… otherwise it is flattery!
Synonyms: admiration, respect, esteem, gratitude, thanks, recognition, sympathy,
mindfulness, tribute, gratefulness, increase, escalation, inflation
Principles for using Appreciation:
Appreciation should be:
o Timely. Acknowledging someone next week for something done today is much
less encouraging than appreciation expressed close to the gesture being
appreciated.
o Sincere. People know if praise or appreciation is heartfelt. If it is not sincere it can
feel manipulative.
o Ratio of 5/1. It is important to have an “investment” account with lots of sincere
expressions of appreciation for those we care about so that when we need to
express a concern or make a request, we have a large balance that ensures the
person knows we care about them. Ensuring you use about five positives for
every suggestion or concern you express is a good ratio. When you notice
something positive about someone, make it a point to share it with them.
o Specific rather than general. “You are awesome,” means less than “I really
appreciate the way that you show up for coaching sessions and have
accomplished the tasks you set during our last session.”
Suggestions for expressing appreciation:
o Verbalize your appreciation to those around you for what they add to your work,
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COACH TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN KNOWLEDGE CENTERED SUPPORT
and your life
o Acknowledge hard work and extra effort verbally or otherwise
o Demonstrate your appreciation with meaningful tokens, notes, verbal
acknowledgements e-mails, newsletter recognition etc.
o See recommended reading Encouraging the Heart by Kouses & Posner for
numerous suggestions on how to recognize progress and encourage success
Illustration
There was a story reprinted in Dear Abby about a teacher whose junior high school
students were acting out terribly one day. She needed to stop the crankiness before it
got out of hand so she quickly tried something different. She had the kids get out two
sheets of paper and list the names of each person in the class, leaving space between
the names. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each
person in the class. That weekend the teacher compiled the lists and handed them to
each student on Monday morning. Before long, everyone was smiling. “Really?” she
heard one whisper. “I didn’t know anyone liked me that much!!”
Years later, the teacher was asked to attend the funeral of one of those students, a
promising young man. The church was packed with Mark’s friends, many of whom had
been his classmates. After the funeral, Mark’s parents approached the teacher and
said, “We want to show you something. Mark was carrying this when he was killed.”
His father pulled something from a wallet. It was the list of all the good things Mark’s
classmates had said about him. “Thank you so much for doing that,” Mark’s mother
said, “You can see how much he treasured it.” A group of Mark’s classmates
overheard the exchange. “I keep my list in my diary,” one said. “I put mine in our
wedding album,” said another. “I bet we all saved them,” said someone else. “I carry
mine with me at all times.” The teacher said she cried at that point and made that
assignment a standard in every class she ever taught after that.
Most coaches find it very satisfying to know they are making a difference in someone’s
ability to succeed. There will be occasions when your assistance is also acknowledged
with gratitude. Words of appreciation are powerful rewards for the coach who is
motivated by making a difference in the lives of people they coach.
There is good research that shows when we feel and express gratitude it makes us
happier and makes life more enjoyable as well.
Reflection
Reflection in the context of coaching is used to mean two different things. First, it is
meant to remind you to reflect back what you are hearing to make sure that you
understand correctly what is meant. You might use it by saying “So what you are saying
is that you are concerned that if you capture your knowledge using KCS it might put
your job in jeopardy, is this correct?”
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Secondly, it reminds you to take the time to reflect on your coaching interactions for
meaning you may have missed, and for opportunities to improve as a coach. You might
use questions to promote reflection like, “What can I do to improve my interactions with
those I coach?” or “What was the cause of the awkwardness or silence that occurred
during the coaching session?” Other ways of thinking about reflection are:
o
o
o
o
o
Stop to contemplate your own or another’s perception
Active, persistent and careful thoughts about beliefs and ways we solve problems
Look beyond the behavior to underlying reasons and assumptions
Reflect back what you heard to ensure correct understanding
Reflect on your own perceptions and behaviors and what changes you may wish
to make
o
o
o
o
o
Mental concentration; careful consideration
A thought or an opinion resulting from such consideration.
Careful or long consideration or thought
A calm, intent consideration
A remark expressing careful consideration
Synonyms: musing, rumination, thoughtfulness, contemplation, consideration, likeness,
echo, counterpart
Principles for using Reflection:
If you are ever unsure of what you are hearing, be sure to ask clarifying questions or
repeat back what you heard to ensure you have understood correctly.
Allow time to reflect after each coaching session. What do you like about the way you
coached? Where could you improve? This is a good time to make note of things you
may have forgotten and anything you want to be sure to cover at the next session.
Be sure to have a way to get feedback from those you coach. You may use a formal
written form, or a regular time during your session when you ask how you are doing as a
coach and what you might do to be more effective. Being open and accepting of
feedback will help you to be a better coach and convince those you coach that you
really do want to improve and value their honest feedback on your efforts.
Exercise: Skills of Appreciation and Reflection
Grab a partner and stand across from each other with some space between you
and the next pair of partners.
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As a therapist we are trained to mirror how our client is sitting to help us get a better
understanding of their thoughts and feelings. We often do this unconsciously. Try this as
you talk to each other.
Demonstrate first. Facilitator needs to introduce and model what skills will be taught.
“We will be working on skills of advocacy, appreciation, and reflective listening in this
next exercise. Choose which one of you will be A and which one B. A’s will begin by
sharing first: ‘One thing I appreciate about you is….(share qualities you see that will
help the person be successful as a coach). The other partner will reflect back what
they heard. “So you appreciate…” It must be stated by the facilitator that this is not
easy, and is normally VERY uncomfortable for people. It is important to place the focus
on the other person, and let go of the self-focus or self-consciousness that is normal to
feel.
Practice looking at the other person and becoming aware of something about them that
you appreciate.
Do several for demonstration, practice. Allow 45 - 60 seconds for A’s and stating, “I
appreciate and B’s reflecting, then say “switch”. After both A’s and B’s have gone,
people will grab a new partner.
Do several rounds of this. When moving the facilitator will say “Rotate” and the team
will find and pair up with a new partner. This should be done quickly.
How did that round go? Learning? What is your level of discomfort on a scale of 1-10?
How are you doing with saying things that are really about the other person as opposed
to just saying nice things?
Story about friend that had Leukemia and nearly lost her life to cancer.
I got a note from a friend who almost lost her life to cancer. It told me how much she
appreciated me and why. I immediately felt worried that she might have had a return of
the cancer and she was expressing her feelings while she still could. I was relieved to
learn that she was still in remission but has learned from her experience never to wait to
share her appreciation. This is a good example of a paradigm shift.
Exercise: Skills of Advocacy and Reflection
Continue above exercise by demonstrating “I suggest…” (Make suggestions that will
help the person to be more effective as a coach). Have them practice same as above
with one partner suggesting and one reflecting back. When making a suggestion, make
a suggestion that might make them a better coach. It may be some advice that you
need yourself to improve on. Point out that if it doesn’t fit, the other person doesn’t have
to take it. Point out how valuable suggestions and feedback can be from someone who
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actually has the other person’s best interest in mind and wants to see them succeed.
How are you doing with suggesting things that could really make a difference for
someone rather than being afraid of hurting someone’s feelings?
Exercise in Self-Reflection
(This exercise can be done as a large group or in smaller groups depending on number
of attendees). Quickly go around the group, and have everyone state which was more
difficult for them, giving appreciation or making suggestions. Where do you need to
stretch? This can be generalized to your life, kids, spouse, and co-workers. If you have
difficulty giving appreciation, chances are good that people in your life have noticed this.
Also, if you have difficulty setting boundaries, or making positive suggestions, or giving
feedback, this can stand in the way of relationships as well and these things can affect
your coaching relationships.
Ratios for positive feedback versus negative or suggestions for improvement? (5 to 1)
In order to really benefit someone with constructive feedback you need to have a good
rapport with them, and they must know that you genuinely value them. This is why stepparents for example are not supposed to do the disciplining of children for several years
until they have had the time to develop the relationship. Similarly, as a coach, you will
need to make an investment in the relationship before your feedback will be valued.
What Motivates People?
There are numerous studies over the past 50 years about motivation. Many of these
studies are covered in Daniel Pink’s book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What
Motivates Us. Pink summarizes the research with the following three points:
o Mastery
o Autonomy
o Purpose
The surprising truth is that the strongest motivators are emotional, not tangible. A sense
of accomplishment and interesting challenges are strong motivators. Money, it turns
out, is not.
Another great resource on the topic of motivation is Frederic Hertzberg’s paper “One
More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees?” His research identifies numerous
factors that contribute to motivation and he found that the factors fit into two categories:
hygiene and motivators. The hygiene factors are enablers in creating an environment
where people can feel a sense of motivation. Some of the hygiene items are (in order of
importance):
o Company policy and administration
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o
o
o
o
Supervision
Relationship with supervisors/managers
Work conditions
Salary (compensation)
These hygiene items can be distractors if they are not adequately looked after but they
are not the drivers of motivation. Hygiene items are more like the foundation that has to
be in place to enable the true “motivators.”
The second category, the motivators, include (in order of importance):
o A sense of accomplishment
o Recognition
o Interesting work
o Responsibility
Both Pink and Hertzberg make a strong case against “sticks and carrots” (rewards and
punishments) as a way to motivate people. It turns out that the factors that motivate
people are not tangible things but emotional things. Coaches and managers have an
opportunity to capitalize on the inherent motivating factors in the KCS methodology. For
example, helping people feel a sense of accomplishment as others use articles they
have contributed to the knowledge base, providing appropriate recognition for the
creation of value in the knowledge base and the responsibility that comes with the KCS
Contributor and Publisher roles align with the top motivators. For more information
about this please see the “KCS Practices Guide.”
(www.consortiumforserviceinnovation.com)
Consider the difference between rewards which are based on “if-then” factors (“if you do
this, then we will give you a bonus”) and recognition, which can be seen more as a
“now-that” type of acknowledgement (“now that you have accomplished this milestone,
we want to recognize you by putting an article about you in the company newsletter”).
Recognition for work done well is a better motivator than rewards promised for future
accomplishments.
Being aware of what motivates employees is part of being an effective coach. We
cannot over-emphasize the importance of these concepts. Being an advocate for
programs that align with the motivating factors during KCS Council meetings as well as
advocating to management for better ways to recognize achievement can go a long way
to creating positive culture changes that allow both people and KCS to flourish.
The best motivation is that which comes from knowing a person and what they are
motivated by personally. It may be motivating to one person to receive acknowledgment
publicly for their contribution with an announcement or an article about them in the
company newsletter. This would not be motivating to a different person who might be
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uncomfortable with this kind of recognition and prefer a private acknowledgement or
token of appreciation. One of the values of having a coach is the relationship that allows
for knowing what personal motivators might be.
Giving and Receiving Positive Feedback
Research carried out by Marcial Losada and Emily Heaphy showed that high performing
teams meet and converse differently. In teams associated with greatest profitability,
greatest customer satisfaction and highest evaluations by colleagues, team members
had developed the capacity to talk to each other in clearly observable ways.
Specifically, three capabilities were noted:
1. They asked questions as often as they asserted their own opinions (1:1 ratio between
advocacy and inquiry).
2. They showed as much interest in others as they did in themselves (1:1 ratio between
focus on self and focus on others).
3. They made more positive than negative comments so enthusiasm and
encouragement far outweighed criticism and cynicism (3:1 of positive to
negative) (Heaphy & Losada, 2004)
How do you accept positive feedback or compliments now? What does that tell you
about yourself? What result does deflecting compliments have on the person who give
them? Most people are raised to think that accepting compliments is bragging! That is
where we learned to deflect compliments. It is healthy to be appreciated and to
appreciate our own qualities and traits as well.
Try looking around you and becoming more aware of the positive qualities or the good
things you see people doing. Now, practice acknowledging the good things you are
seeing! You will find as you make a decision to do this, you will begin to see more good
in people and to notice their strengths and positive qualities. As you acknowledge the
good in others they feel appreciated and you feel good about them and better about
yourself. If this feels awkward or uncomfortable, keep practicing. The people in your life
at home and at work will appreciate it, and you will be more tuned in to noticing the
efforts and accomplishments of those you coach. Ask yourself how you are doing with
saying things that are really about the other person, as opposed to just saying nice
things.
I have a friend who nearly lost her life to Leukemia. She let me know how much she
loved me and was grateful for my friendship. At first I wondered why she was telling me
this and worried that she might be sick again. However, she had just learned from being
near to death that it is better never to wait to share her appreciation. This represents a
paradigm shift…and is good advice for all of us.
Where do we focus our attention?
Look at the following sentence:
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Coaches mak a wonderful difference in the lives of people they coach.
What do you notice? If you are like most people, you noticed the missing “e” in the word
“make” right off. You might even feel proud of yourself for catching the mistake. What
about all the elements that are correct in the sentence? Did you notice that the
punctuation was correct, the capitalization, and the spelling of every other word except
the word “make”?
If you approach those you coach ready to point out all the mistakes they are making or
everything that is wrong about their latest knowledge articles without acknowledging the
things they are getting right, chances are that first, they won’t recognize the things they
did do correctly and second, they might be discouraged by your eagerness to point out
all of their mistakes.
Of course, part of your job is to advocate for the KCS Content Standard and to assist
with accuracy and consistency in solution quality. This is fine. Just be sure to notice all
the things that are right about what you see first and then consider how to use the skill
of inquiry to ask what the knowledge developer thinks might be improved based on
looking again at the content standard. Lastly, you might move to using advocacy to back
up what you are suggesting for improvements.
Exercise in Self-Reflection
If you have difficulty giving appreciation, chances are good that people in your life have
noticed this. Furthermore, if you have difficulty setting boundaries, making positive
suggestions, or giving feedback, this can stand in the way of relationships as well, and
these things can affect your coaching relationships.
A good ratio for positive feedback versus negative feedback or suggestions for
improvement is 5 to 1. In order to really benefit someone with constructive feedback you
need to have a good rapport with them. They must know that you genuinely value them.
This is why, for example, step-parents are not supposed to do the disciplining of
children for several years until they have had the time to develop the relationship.
Similarly, as a coach, you will need to make an investment in the relationship before
your constructive feedback will be valued.
Balancing Advocacy and Appreciation
Give OF Self
Give UP self
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In any relationship it is good to be aware of the balance between serving others and
caring for self. In the diagram above, you see “Give OF Self” above the line and “Give
UP Self” below the line. Typically when we give of ourselves, we feel good and the
person we are serving feels good too. However, when we go beyond what is good for us
and give up ourselves, we usually end up feeling resentful and it actually does the other
person a disservice creating an unhealthy dependence or enabling bad behaviors.
In the coaching relationship, giving UP self might look like doing more than you should
be doing, not speaking up when you need to, sacrificing values or giving more time and
energy than you wish to give, or not respecting self in the relationship, not sharing your
opinions, thoughts or needs. Consequences of being below the line are resentment,
loss of self-esteem, anger, frustration, and dislike of others, dislike of self, etc.
In order to keep the coaching relationship positive, it is necessary to set boundaries,
establish a contract, make expectations explicit and remember that you are there to
assist, but you cannot do the work for someone else. It is not your responsibility to make
them participate or engage. The desire and decision to participate must come from them
and from their manager. Remember the diagram above. It is not your job as the coach
to prod and poke people to get them going. Your job is to encourage them, to be
available, dependable, and consistent in your support and assistance.
Boundaries in the Coaching Relationship
We have all had the experience of talking with someone who moves in too close and we
cannot focus on what they are saying because we are distracted by them being in our
physical space. A coach must be aware that everyone has different physical
boundaries. It is important to learn what is comfortable for each and to ask permission
before we sit in someone’s chair or enter their workspace. Culture and gender can both
play a role in this and so it will require you to be sensitive until you understand what
boundaries are most comfortable for those that you coach.
Other types of boundaries are emotional boundaries, which can relate to things like
sharing of personal information or showing up on time and following through with
commitments. As coaches we must pay attention to our own boundaries and those of
the people we coach. The trick is to keep both of us comfortable and to create a
relationship that is both respectful and engaging.
Boundaries Exercise
Can show Seinfeld Close talker video from youtube.
http://www.tbs.com/video/index/#/all-video/shows/seinfeld/73154
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Have everyone get into two lines facing each other about 3 feet away from the
person across from them. Explain that you want them to walk towards the other
person and determine without words, where their personal space begins and
ends. *Focus on your partner’s personal space rather than your own. Then ask
your partner if you were correct in your assumption. Correct each other about
your personal space, then switch and have your partner try it. Switch partners a
couple times.



What did you learn about yourself? About others?
How is this knowledge helpful to you as a coach?
Review what was learned. Recognize class for their participation and trust, etc.
Look at Agenda for Day 2.
BABR: Looking Beyond Behaviors to Underlying Beliefs
Based on our beliefs we develop attitudes about things. Our attitudes about things
determine our behaviors, what we do, and how we act. The outcome or result of our
behaviors either serves to reinforce our beliefs or to discount them. When the results we
get are consistent with our beliefs they reinforce our behaviors. When the results are
inconsistent with our beliefs, we discount the results so as not to run contrary to our
beliefs, which we sometimes attempt to maintain at great costs.
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I observed a good example of this with my daughter when she was a sophomore in high
school. She made the varsity volleyball team which is quite an honor for a sophomore.
The first game, she sat on the bench most of the three matches. I watched her face as
more time progressed with her still on the bench. She went from frustration to anger, to
tears that she tried to hide. When towards the end of the games, she was finally put
into the game she played poorly because she was so worked up about why she had not
been put in the game earlier.
Her belief was that she should be out there playing, and that it was humiliating
somehow to be on the bench. This shaped her attitude and feelings of anger, sadness
and frustration, which she displayed with negative behaviors of rolling eyes, tears, and
huffiness. The results were an irritated coach and a decline in her ability to play,
confirming her beliefs that her coach was mean and unfair and that she was not a value
to the team.
I informed her after that game that I would be prouder watching her sit on the bench with
a great attitude than I would ever be if she was the star of the game and had a poor
attitude. I suggested it was an honor to be on the team and that she should plan on
being the best, most encouraging bench warmer there ever was and be thrilled and
ready to play her best when she got the chance.
The next game, I saw her smiling, giving high fives, cheering the other players, and
exuding support and love of the game. Her coach put her in after the first two matches
and she went on to make several great shots.
How did her new belief determine the results she got?
How can you apply this principle to coaching and to KCS?
What might the underlying belief be in someone who is not showing up for coaching
sessions, or not participating in KCS?
Dealing with Objections
Whenever a new initiative is beginning, it is natural for people to raise objections. It is
difficult to change the way we do things so it is natural to want to resist new ways in
order to convince ourselves the old way is best. Rather than trying to keep the
resistance from surfacing, it actually works better to expect it and allow it to come to the
surface sooner rather than later. Often there will be some truth to the objections raised,
which can be used to formulate improved strategies and increased awareness.
Often it is beliefs about our own limitations that can get in the way of our wanting to try
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new things. It is helpful to keep in mind the reason we are implementing a new strategy
and the problems with the old way of doing things. Part of the role of a coach is to
sustain a vision of what success looks like and maintain enough passion and dedication
to help others overcome their fears and resistance to change.
Exercise in Dealing With Objections
What objections might one have to being coached or about KCS in general? How
do you deal with objections? Can brainstorm as a group, or divide into smaller
groups.
Have each group come up with 5 objections people might make to KCS, or to being
coached and write them down for the other group. Take notes. Have a spokesperson
express the objections in the form of a feeling “I feel angry, or I feel frustrated, tired of,
etc. The other group will practice dealing with objections by using reflection/good
listening and validation. It is important to reflect both the feeling, and the issue.
Alternatively, you can have the group’s trade objections, and have each group come up
with answers for three of the others objections. You can do role plays to present back
to the larger group.
The most common objections to KCS are:
o I can’t capture in the workflow
o I don’t have time to create articles
o KCS makes my problem solving skills irrelevant
o If I do KCS I am giving away my value to the organization
o The organization can replace me if I capture what I know
It is important that you study the most current KCS Practices Guide so that you
understand KCS principles and practices and are able to speak to these concerns if
they are expressed, or if behaviors indicate their might be underlying beliefs that need to
be discussed.
Visit the KCS Academy website for the most recent version of the KCS Practices Guide.
“We have met the enemy, and it is us.”
–Walt Kelley
What objections might one have to being coached or about KCS in general? How can
you anticipate those objections and address them head on? How can you understand
the underlying or limiting beliefs that others have and help them to see a different
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perspective? Remember it is not up to you to “change” the way someone thinks or
“make” the KD see things your way. Sometimes just acknowledging the negative
feelings is enough to disarm the negative energy. There is also great power in finding
those who are open, passionate and engaged and getting them moving forward. This
will often be enough to help others see the value in getting on board.
So far you have learned what qualities a good coach possesses and some of the
important skills a coach uses to promote learning and growth. Now, we will concern
ourselves with the process and structure of effective coaching.
End of Day 1
Day 2
Exercise in Reflection to Bring Learning to Heart
“The Helium Sticks”
Have group gather in two lines (or four depending on group size) across from each
other and standing on either side of the sticks (3 ¼ inch dowels joined together to form a
9’ long pole). Each person should hold both hands out in front of them with pointer
finger sticking out and thumb up as if to form a gun. Can do a check-in to see how they
feel standing there. Then, give the group direction to pick up the stick and the stick
should rest lightly on the forefinger of everyone in the group. Direct them that they are
not to hook any fingers over the sticks, and they must maintain contact with the pole at
all times. The direction is then to lower the stick to the floor while following the previous
instructions.
How does this exercise apply to what we have learned about coaching?








Takes all of us working together to get the job done
We must be willing to make adjustments as we go
We must be sensitive to the needs/actions of others
Subtle actions can have big results both positive and negative
Sometimes we may feel self-conscious as we make changes in ourselves
It is easy to judge others, and harder to understand them
We need to be open to crazy ideas at times to make things work
Other
The Coaching Process
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Choosing Coaches
It is critical for an organization to choose the right people to be coaches. The best
coaches are usually not the subject matter experts. It is also important not to choose
people because they are team leads. The best coach is a certain type of person and the
role of a coach should not be mandatory if it is not a good fit for a person. Not everyone
is suited to the role of a coach.
Coaches must have the choice to opt out of the coach program without negative
consequences. Coaches must have a desire to be a coach and get satisfaction from
helping others to become successful.
There may be times when it becomes necessary to find another coach for someone that
you may not be the best fit for. It is important to let that person know that this is fine and
won’t hurt your feelings. It is also important not to use this as an easy way out if
someone is more difficult to work with. Feeling that you are trying to pass them off to
someone else can shatter any trust you have developed. However, if you have done
everything you feel you can do to help someone to be successful and they don’t seem
to be responding to your efforts, it might help to see if another coach would be a better
fit. This is a judgment call and must be done tactfully and thoughtfully so as not to offend
anyone.
The Three Categories of Users
There are those who are:
1. Excited, engaged, and wanting to learn
2. Open, interested, and willing to learn
3. Resistant, skeptical, and unwilling to learn
Coaches should focus on those who are excited, engaged, and wanting to learn first.
This group is most likely to create momentum for others, be good role models, and to
learn and progress quickly to the publisher role, freeing up time to work with others.
Focus next on those who are interested and willing to learn. Be available, engaged, and
willing to help those in the “skeptical and unwilling” group, but they may need to see
others jumping on board before they catch the vision of KCS and engage willingly.
Remember it is not up to the coach to “make” them learn or to create demand for KCS.
This is the manager’s role. The coach is a peer and supports and facilitates learning for
those who are interested and willing to learn.
As a coach, if you can work to understand what underlying beliefs a knowledge
developer has who seems resistant; it will be easier to engage with them in a way that
will be most helpful. For example, if someone is wary of sharing what they know with
others, they may have a belief that they are valued or rewarded in the organization for
what they know individually. Putting knowledge into articles that everyone will have
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access to might seem like it will lower their value in the organization. Building rapport,
trying to understand their perspective and then finding an opportunity to allay some of
their fears might be just what is needed to help them to choose to get on board.
Principles & Logistics of Effective Coaching
Ethics of Coaching
As a coach, you have an ethical obligation to keep the confidence of those that you
coach. They should be able to express to you their doubts or frustrations about KCS or
about the organization or expectations placed on them without fear that you will report
them or will share what they say with the manager or others. In addition, they should be
able to count on you to keep personal confidences they might share with you. A coach
has the opportunity to develop a rapport and relationship on a deeper level than might
otherwise occur in a work setting and so might be privilege to more personal
information. As a coach, you will not be legally bound in the way that a priest, a
counselor or lawyer would be. However you have the same ethical obligation to respect
confidentiality of those that you coach.
ABC’s of Coaching
ABC stands for “Ask Before Coaching.” It is important to ask for and receive permission
from the person you are coaching before you just jump right in and start giving
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directions. A simple, “Are you ready for some coaching?” or, “Can I give you some
coaching on that?” or, “Are you ready to get started?” Is all that is required, but it should
be remembered each time before a coaching session begins.
Artificial Opening
Is the knowledge developer ready to be coached at the time you are assigned to coach
them? There may be a difference in motivation and levels of engagement amongst
those that you coach.
If I am driving down the road in a brand new BMW and you pull me over to tell me that
you want to teach me to change a tire, I might just tell you to go find someone else to
help. If I am sitting on the side of the road with a blowout and you pull over with the
same offer, I may kiss the ground in appreciation. When an organization implements
KCS, there is an artificial opening in the organization that creates a need for everyone to
jump on board but the reality is that people will become engaged at different times and
for different reasons. Some people may not feel ready when they are put into training
and given a coach and may not be open to change as quickly as others. Coaches must
be aware of this. Again, the organization and the manager create the demand that the
coach in turn fills when the knowledge developer is ready. A natural momentum occurs
when a few people engage with KCS, become excited about the prospects, and inspire
others with their efforts. This reinforces the importance of focusing initially on those who
are most excited and ready to learn.
A professional coach will typically ask a couple of questions at the end of each session:
1. Before our next session, tell me what you will be thinking about, what are some
things you will you do to accomplish the goals we talked about, and how will you
let me know when you have done these things?
2. How helpful was this session for you?
3. Is there anything different I might do next time to make it more effective or helpful
for you?
You will find a way to ask these questions in a manner that feels comfortable for you.
The key is finding a way to get feedback about how you are doing as a coach so that
you can work on improving your coaching skills.
Time Allocation for Coaching
Experience has shown that when organizations designate full-time coaches, they
quickly lose credibility with knowledge developers. It is important that coaches continue
to solve customer problems so that they have current and relevant knowledge and
experience to ground them in their role of a coach.
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Generally, a ratio of one coach to six knowledge developers is ideal. Some
organizations keep the ratio lower (3:1), depending on the complexity of their
environment and workload. Others have as many as 8:1 knowledge developers to
coaches.
Approximately two hours per week per knowledge developer seems to be about right
including preparation time spent both before and after each session. A coach with the
maximum number of knowledge developers might have a little more than half their time
designated to coaching activities.
Be Consistent
It is important to meet weekly and be consistent and dependable. Schedule regular
coaching sessions and show up on time as scheduled.
Be Committed
Be sure you dedicate and plan for the time that coaching requires both for your
coaching sessions, preparation and follow-up as well as the time needed to interact with
other coaches. It is vital to the KCS adoption plan that coaches know they have their
manager’s support for the time commitment it takes to be an effective coach. Those
organizations that short-change the time allotted for coaching suffer the consequences
in later results. This area is one that may need to be revisited and an opportunity to
practice Advocacy, as often managers are reluctant to allow time for coaching unless
they understand the importance and bottom line benefits to the organization and their
department. It is also critical that coaches use this time responsibly so that managers
can see the value of time spent away from other job-related activities.
Coach interaction with other coaches is critical. Ways that coaches interact so that they
can stay consistent and calibrate the information they are sharing are:
o Participation in conference calls
o Participation in discussions on trends and needs
o Participation in KCS Council
o Communication with Knowledge Champions
o Work with coaching team for continuous improvement
o Communication with managers about what resources they need to do the job
It is vital to the coaching program that managers are on board and supportive and
recognize the value that coaches create. Managers will need to set expectations about
the time coaching will require away from a coach’s previous work requirements.
Management needs to visibly and verbally support coaching and let the team know it is
important by allowing time for coaches to meet and to take the pressure off other
responsibilities.
Be Prepared
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A coach should spend about 30 minutes preparing for a session by querying the
knowledge base and reviewing the knowledge articles created by each knowledge
developer and 20-30 minutes for reflection and follow-up. In addition it is important to
search for duplicate articles and to evaluate participation rates and other indicators used
by the organization to be armed with as much knowledge as possible. Be sure to use
Inquiry to find out how your knowledge developers are feeling about KCS and their
progress towards certification: how they are doing in general, what most concerns them,
and how you can best help them to progress.
Continue Improving
o Read and Study - Numerous books on coaching can help increase understanding
and improve coaching skills.
o Practice - Part of coaching is being willing to not have all the answers. It is like
learning to drive, you have to just start and then be willing to improve as you go.
o Reflect on your own practice as a coach and continually ask yourself what you
liked about a session and what you might do better next time.
o Peer coaching – You might pair up with another coach and take time to share how
you are doing and share with each other what you are discovering and ways you
might improve.
Practicing Your Coaching Skills
You will need to get into pairs for coaching each other after training. These are
pairs you will stay in until you are at a Level 3. Decide how you want to pair up
for the next few weeks to practice coaching each other. Do so now.
Most organizations offer a coach training session and then have coach’s pair up after
training and practice coaching each other. This allows you to get a feel for coaching
without feeling as awkward or embarrassed while you are learning. It is a good idea to
practice establishing a contract either informal or using a more formal written contract
contained in the workbook at the back of the Learning Guide.
Exercise: Practice Coaching in Pairs
Have pairs get together now and practice the following, switching off
(approximately 10 minutes for each session).
o Establish a contract
o Establish goals and milestones together
o Review an article together
These next suggestions are things they can do after the training is over as they
continue coaching each other.
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o Watch your partner’s workflow with customers either on the phone or over the
Internet
o Practice using coaching skills: Inquiry, Reflection, Advocacy, and Appreciation
during each session
After the practice coaching session, review together what each of you think went well
and where you might improve. It is a good idea to do several practice sessions together
before beginning your official coaching assignment. It is recommended that you coach a
different person than is coaching you but it can be done in pairs as well. You can also
use the suggestions below to do a “mock” first, second and ongoing sessions.
Planning Coaching Sessions
It is important to have a sense of what your end goal is as a coach and where you are in
the process at any given time. The following are some suggestions for goals of a first
session, second session and ongoing sessions.
First Session
o Establish Rapport: (use Appreciation, Advocacy, Inquiry) Get to know those you
will be coaching.
o Discuss the Big Picture: (use Inquiry, Advocacy).
o Negotiate a Contract/Agreement: of some kind (this may be formal as in a signed
contract, or more informal discussing what expectations there are for each of
you).
Second Session
o Establish a baseline: This is the time to discover what was learned at KCS training
and where the gaps are in learning.
o Establish milestones: What needs to be accomplished and what are the
milestones along the way?
o Set goals and objectives for development: Is there a time frame in which you hope
to become publisher? When and how often will you agree to meet?
Ongoing Sessions
o Prepare for Session (review articles, search for duplicates, query the KB, review
notes from last session).
o Coaching Session (be sensitive to where the Knowledge Developer is and what
they need the most help with).
o Evaluate what you see (keep notes and look at them before next session).
o Ask for feedback (ask questions like, “What about coaching is working for you?”
and “What is not working as well for you?”)
o After Session Activities (be sure to take time for self reflection. Ask yourself, “what
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can I do better?” and document your thoughts and ideas). See the Appendix for
a Coach Self Assessment questionnaire.
Article Quality Index
The Article Quality Index (AQI) is the “user’s guide” to maintaining article quality and
keeping everyone calibrated on style preferences. It can be used as a learning tool by
coaches to reference when teaching and coaching around article quality. The focus of
the coach should be on the knowledge developer’s understanding, behaviors, and buyin rather than on the numbers. Once a knowledge developer becomes certified, the AQI
will be used to track article quality for each contributor. If there is too much of an
emphasis on the numbers, people will learn to “game” the numbers but this will not
ensure high quality knowledge articles. When numbers or AQI scores become the point
of discussion they essentially become meaningless.
The Challenge of Change
Take a moment and write your name with your opposite hand. How simple is it to write
your own name? How much harder to do it differently than you have always done it?
Part of the reason it is so difficult to change the way we do something is that our entire
nervous system and muscular skeletal system become accustomed to a repeated action
or response and have built structures such as opened neural pathways and
strengthened particular muscles to facilitate duplication of a behavior. Try getting
dressed in the morning the opposite of how you usually dress. It is awkward to learn a
new way of doing something. For this reason, most people will be somewhat resistant
to having to do something differently that they are already habituated to doing a certain
way.
It takes 300,000 neural messages just to use a can-opener to open a can. Each thing
we learn to do utilizes our entire physiology, which is why habits are so difficult to break.
It is important to keep this in mind when working with people on behavior change.
Knowledge developers are being asked to change the way they do their job. As a coach
you are also learning new behaviors and may need to remind yourself that it takes time
to create new neural pathways in the brain. It is difficult to change. If being supportive,
or trustworthy or dependable or using the skills of Inquiry, Reflection, Appreciation and
Advocacy are new to you, just try behaving like someone who is trustworthy or caring
and see how quickly those new neural pathways are formed. Fortunately research has
proven that our brains can rewire themselves into old age depending on our behaviors.
Sometimes the difference between people who change and people who do not is one
person that believes in them and offers support. This is part of what makes Alcoholics
Anonymous work. Those in AA who are trying to change addictive behaviors are given a
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“sponsor” - someone who is willing to sacrifice their own time and energy to be there for
support.
I often use “The Miracle Question” with clients to get them thinking about how to take
the first steps towards change. Consider the question for yourself: “If I were to wave a
magic wand and all the problems that exist today were gone, how would you know?
What would be the first sign things were different, and what is the first thing you would
do differently because of this? What would you do more of or next?
Then, I suggest that if they begin doing those things NOW, change the behaviors first,
that often this is the first step to actually eliminating the problems that created the
negative behaviors in the beginning.
Coaching in the Workflow
An important part of KCS coaching must take place either onsite at the knowledge
developer’s personal workspace or desk, or remotely while the knowledge developer is
actually providing customer support. This is coaching in the workflow or coaching
around process. Being able to use KCS in the workflow is critical and can be
challenging. Most people have their own system they have used from the beginning and
it is difficult to change the way they capture, structure and disperse information to the
customer. There are different technologies that must be considered and customer
interface systems that will vary. An effective coach will take the time to understand the
KD’s individual workflow and the challenges to implementing KCS. They will work
together to find solutions that make sense for each different situation they encounter.
They will need to evaluate their own workflow issues using KCS as well as listen
carefully to workflow issues that each of their KD’s has.
Remote Coaching
All of the same principles and practices apply equally to remote coaching. It can be
challenging at first to be sure of your impressions when you cannot see someone’s
expressions or body language. However, with practice you will find that you are able to
pick up a great deal of information through voice inflections, pauses, and voice quality. It
is especially important to ask for feedback when you are coaching someone remotely.
Ask questions such as, “What was most helpful to you in this session?”, or “What can I
do to make it more helpful for you next time?” or “How am I doing as your coach and
how can I be of more assistance to you?” Sometimes these types of questions feel
awkward and you must find your own words and way of asking so that you have
feedback that allows you to improve your coaching skills.
There are challenges when coaching remotely that are different from coaching face to
face. Being on the same product team is not necessary, however, it is even more
important to understand the culture and environment of the person you are coaching
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because you will not be able to rely on those subtle cues that come from watching body
language. Again, the whole person is important. How do you establish rapport over the
phone or through email? Are you being too friendly or personal or too distant and
removed for the particular gender, personality, culture, and style of the knowledge
developer you are coaching? How do you establish trust and rapport when you may
never have the opportunity to meet in person? There are no hard and fast rules to follow
but being aware of differences you may have and clarifying expectations on both sides
of the relationship will help. The same coaching skills and etiquette you have been
learning will be even more important when coaching remotely.
Group Solution Review
Practice Session 1
Practice doing a group article review. Ask for a volunteer to demonstrate
coaching for content in a role-play situation up front. Have the KD role play
having created the solution being used and respond to the coaching techniques
used.
Have the coach state first what went well, and what could be improved, then have the
group offer what they think went well, and where coach could improve. Then divide
them up into groups of three. Have one be coach, one KD, and one Observer. Have
them each take turns role-playing reviewing solutions for content. After a few minutes,
the Coach should say first what went well, and what could be improved, then the KD,
then the observer. They can each have a turn at each role if time allows.
Questions for Reflection
The following are questions that you might ask yourself about coaching and next steps
for your personal coaching journey.
o What are the most important things I have learned about coaching?
o What must I do to implement what I have learned?
o What is the next step I can take to develop myself as a coach?
o What did I learn about my ability to be a coach?
o What are my strengths?
o In what ways can I improve?
“Learning is defined as a change in behavior. You haven’t learned a thing until
you take action and use it.”
-Don Shula, Everyone’s a Coach
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References
Recommended Reading List
One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees? by Frederic Hertzberg
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
The Dream Manager by Mathew Kelly
Encouraging the Heart: A Leader’s Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others by
Kouzes and Posner
The Heart of Coaching: Using Transformational Coaching to Create a HighPerformance Coaching Culture by Thomas Crane
The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M. R. Covey
The Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen
References
Beckwith, Harry. What Clients Love: A Field Guide to Growing Your Business. New
York: Warner Books, 2003.
Covey, Stephen R. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New York: Free Press,
2004.
Covey, Stephen M. R. The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything.
New York: Free Press, 2006.
Heaphy, E., & Losada, M., The role of positivity and connectivity in the performance of
business teams: A nonlinear dynamics model. American Behavioral Scientist,
2004.
Lopes, M. The resilient child. CareGiver News. Amherst: University of Massachusetts
Cooperative, 1993.
Waterman, J.A., Rogers, J. Introduction to the Firo B Instrument. Mountain View, CA:
CPP
About the Author
Beth Haggett has supported numerous KCS adoptions over the past 13 years and
worked with the Consortium for Service Innovation staff to develop the KCS Coach
workshop. Beth holds the Master Personal & Executive Coach (MPEC) certification from
The College of Executive Coaching and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
She is currently completing her PhD in Mind-Body Medicine: Health Systems from
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Saybrook University.
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Appendix
Coach Self Assessment
The following self-assessment will give you a chance to evaluate your coaching skills as you see
them. It can give you some ideas of areas that you do well in and areas that you can work to
improve. Please select the response that best reflects your experience.
*Each question should be considered with regard to your
interactions with those that you coach.
Rarely – Sometime- Frequently
1.
I am genuine in my interactions.
1
2
3
4
5
2.
I hold people accountable for attending coaching sessions.
1
2
3
4
5
3.
I am honest and direct.
1
2
3
4
5
4.
I am respectful.
1
2
3
4
5
5.
I share my own learning’s/discoveries.
1
2
3
4
5
6.
I am approachable if help or support is needed.
1
2
3
4
5
7.
I understand the challenges of learning KCS.
1
2
3
4
5
8.
1
2
3
4
5
9.
I address the issue directly when coaching commitments are not
kept.
I am aware of how my words and behaviors affect others.
1
2
3
4
5
10.
I am not defensive when I make a mistake.
1
2
3
4
5
11.
I am proactive in assisting with the development of KCS skills.
1
2
3
4
5
12.
I am open and receptive to negative feedback.
1
2
3
4
5
13.
I can be depended upon to keep agreed upon commitments.
1
2
3
4
5
14.
I listen without interrupting.
1
2
3
4
5
15.
I show that I value those that I coach during our interactions.
1
2
3
4
5
16.
I am able to influence in a positive way.
1
2
3
4
5
17.
I am willing to admit it when I do not know something.
1
2
3
4
5
18.
I listen to understand another’s perspective.
1
2
3
4
5
19.
I make eye contact when interacting.
1
2
3
4
5
20.
I offer specific, positive feedback about performance.
1
2
3
4
5
21.
I make specific suggestions about how skills can be improved.
1
2
3
4
5
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© 2012 Beth Haggett, all rights reserved