Barriers to learning

Having described how learning takes place, it is worth considering that there are some barriers which may get in the way of an individual s learning.

Previous experience

An individual who has had a bad learning experience either at school or on a training course or who has been embarrassed by a line manager or colleague may be nervous about entering the coaching process: he or she may fear being ˜put on the spot or being made to feel foolish. The coach can overcome this by spending time at the start of the relationship reassuring the coachee about how they are going to work together and what coaching actually involves.

Lack of confidence

Coachees who lack confidence may be reluctant to enter into a dialogue with their coach. Many coaching situations will involve looking at the coachee s confidence level, not just about interacting with the coach but about the skill or job being discussed. A major part of the coach s role is to help learners by enabling them to see the positives in their performance and thus build up their self-confidence .

Lack of motivation

Motivation is an internally generated attitude and every individual comes to any learning experience with different levels of motivation. Some may have been forced to attend against their wishes. Others may not see the reason for the coaching. Yet others may feel that they already know what they think the coaching is going to cover. One fact is certain “ you cannot motivate people to learn. What you can do is provide all the factors available to encourage them to motivate themselves .

Fear of change

Change is frequently an unwanted event, usually because it is feared. The principal purpose of coaching is to produce change, whether this is a change in processes, knowledge, skill, attitudes or behaviour. Previous changes may have resulted in unwanted results. The coach needs to consider how the coachee is responding to change, and encourage commitment to change by clearly communicating the benefits/results intended from the experience.

Fear of failure

If the fear of change is not a barrier to motivation, the fear of failure may be. Fear of failure may be the result of previous failures. The coach obviously cannot ensure success, but if the coaching process is implemented effectively, there should be a minimized chance of failure.

˜Old dog syndrome

The belief that ˜you can t teach old dogs new tricks is in fact not completely true. If an older person has kept his or her mind active and in a learning mode, that person s experience may well mean he or she is in a better position to learn than a younger person. While this syndrome often emerges when older workers attend learning events during the last few years of their careers, the ˜old dog excuse is used for a variety of other barriers, including ˜Why bother at this stage in my life? To overcome this, you need to explore the individual s true reasons for not wanting to make the changes, as well as the benefits if he or she does. Having examples or role models that the person can identify with will help.

Physical/mental condition

If learners are experiencing physical discomfort (eg they are too hot, or hungry, or in pain) this can affect their ability to concentrate and learn. The coach should endeavour to ensure adequate refreshment, breaks and the right environment to limit the effect of physical discomfort. If the coachee is mentally pre-occupied this will also affect his or her ability to learn.