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Coaching Growth


In college, I took a Physical Fitness course with grades based on growth in certain exercises. On the first "diagnostic" day, I played weak and only did a few pushups. By the end of the semester, I did my normal amount, and wow, did it seem like I grew. Of course, I was not in appreciably better shape than at the start of the semester, but it sure looked impressive and got me a good grade.

Without an accurate analysis of a client's current skill level, a coach does not know how to appropriately challenge and support a teacher. Each client has a different baseline skill ability, and coaches must learn where they are starting from to differentiate the experience to optimize growth. Mastery is an essential part of motivation and happens when the right level of challenge is presented and we work to overcome it. If the work is too easy, boredom results. Too challenging and overwhelming occurs. 

When a client feels like the coaching is starting too low, they may feel insulted. If they feel like it’s too high, they will feel embarrassed. Either way, they are not likely to come back. The first set of questions a coach should ask when embarking on a new coaching journey is for an assessment of the client's existing ability. Great opening questions:

  1. Tell me what you know about...?
  2. What's your experience working with...?
  3. What's your comfort level with...?
  4. How can ____ best fit your strengths?
This way, the client self-assesses, discusses thoughts and feelings, and provides entry points for a coach to leverage. The last question is the one I find most interesting. Coaching from a position of building on strengths rather than overcoming weaknesses creates faster gains. Weaknesses should not be ignored, and the coach and client need to understand them. But strength builds strength. Weaknesses are things to stop doing unless they are absolutely essential areas that must be improved.

Starting from a strength allows the client to build on an area in which they are already confident. Maximizing these will mean more success, and success builds confidence. That confidence builds momentum and a willingness to keep trying more. It will also build faith and trust that when it is time to focus on areas of weakness, those can become strengths as well. 

Coaches and their clients need to start by understanding their current abilities and identifying areas of strength that can be improved. Those who want to work on these areas will be more willing to do so. When their work results in success, they will dig in more to keep improving. Start with the good and make it great. Then, work to raise the other areas to make the biggest impact.
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