Anne Cannings
Anne Cannings was given on-the-job coaching by her line manager on how to manage clients and deliver client-focused events.
Anne said, ˜I m sure there was a process, but it didn t feel like it “ coaching was part of the way I was managed, not a separate exercise . She recognizes that her coach used well- constructed feedback and questions, as well as providing her with opportunities to try new things.
Being coached by her line manager in this way meant that Anne was able to look properly at how her performance was impacted by her actions, and explore how to make things better at her own pace. She was given plenty of opportunity to try new things, and her coaches showed complete trust in letting her carry these out. Anne felt totally supported in public, whilst receiving critical feedback in private.
Anne s experience shows that, if the line manager is skilled in coaching, this type of development can become an everyday way of working rather than an event.
Anne s main challenge was her own confidence to carry off some of the events she planned “ she thinks this was mitigated by the confidence that her coach/line manager showed in her.
Anne s top tip is to find as a coach a person that you respect. She would remind others that they will have to put a lot of themselves into the coaching experience in order for it to work.
Drip feed is more effective than a downpour “ employ the ˜little and often rather than once in abundance rule.
Coaching involves learning and therefore has to go at the pace of the learner.
Don t tell coachees what to do, help them work it out for themselves.