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Coaches Do It By the Rules
As long as there has been a need for improvement there have been coaches
to provide it. Two thousand years ago the Roman army had coaches to
develop skills in such critical areas as fighting battles, defending a
fortress, setting up an encampment and how to manage relationships with
occupants of conquered territories.
These coaches were experts whose
earlier successes had been noted by the army leadership and were
appointed as a means of creating ‘best practice’ among new recruits
within the shortest period of time.
Coaching was done in a standardized way so that it would be consistent
throughout the army, whether in Africa or Turkey. When we now say that
Rome dominated much of the world for centuries it was really the result
of the Roman army’s drive for performance that enabled them to do it.
Good coaches today follow a set of rules just as they did in Roman
times. There are some serious ‘basics’ that apply to all coaching,
whether it’s for a football team or a business, and if these rules are
followed the results of the coaching will be the best that can be
achieved.
1. Set the Goals that are to be
Reached
Clearly define the goals that the coaching is to accomplish. They must
be realistic and achievable and demonstrate a measurable improvement in
performance.
2. Communicate the Goals
Everybody involved in the process needs to know and understand the goals
at the onset of the process.
3. Benchmark Starting
Performance
The only way to know how successful the coaching has been is to have a
thorough analysis of where it begins. This is not simply a measurement
of performance; the coach also needs to know such things as how well the
subject understands what it is they’re doing, how well they are doing
it, and what factors might be preventing them from doing it better.
4. Create Realistic Timelines
No coaching process should be seen as open-ended. It should have a
timeline for the achievement of each objective, preferably with
‘milestones’ along the way so progress towards the goals can be
measured.
5. Identify the Resources Needed
When you know where you’re starting, where you want to go and how soon
you want to get there, your next task is to identify what it will take
to get there. This includes such resources as physical facilities,
equipment and training.
6. Coach to a Predetermined Plan
Coaching should be done to a plan that incorporates the timelines and
the use of the resources that have been identified. The coaching plan is
the roadmap of the entire process and is followed rather than allowed to
develop as the process progresses.
7. Measure the Outcomes
The outcomes of the coaching process need to be measured against the
benchmarks and against the goals. Has the process been successful and if
so, how successful has it been?
8. Be Tough but Positive
Coaching isn’t a business of compromise. The goals should always be kept
in sight and the subject driven towards their achievement. Reinforcement
should be given for every indicator of progress to keep the process a
positive one.
Always keep in mind that the coach is not to be a dictator that demands
something of others they aren’t willing to give. Expectations need to be
carefully matched with aptitudes so that the process will ultimately
succeed. The best coaches are as good at psychology as they are at any
other aspect of their job.
Coaching is a powerful tool for organizational change. It’s a lot more
than just teaching someone how to do something. Coaching is about
developing people and organizations so they can operate at the peak of
their abilities.
Is there just one way to coach? Definitely not. There are any number of
ways a coach can create success. But there are certainly these eight
rules of coaching that, if followed, will give coaches the best possible
chance of succeeding.
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