Developing People and Teams [P3]: Coaching and Mentoring - Coach secret: stop being so helpful

Question 1

What are some problems with being too helpful

Answer 1

• Moving towards action too quickly limits learning
• Offering advice limits creativity and ownership - shutting down idea generation by others
• Owning the actions creates overwhelm for us and limits growth for others - don’t become a rescuer!
• With coaching,we want to empower, support, and challenge others in service of their learning and growth

Question 2

What sort of things do we need to remind ourselves if we find ourselves being too helpful

Answer 2

• There is anabundance of learning availableif we hold that focus for others.
• People are creative and resourceful and fully capable of solving problems
• Coaching is about enabling others to make conscious decisions and empowering them → People are much more likely to take ownership and feel accountable when they come up with their own solutions → self-org promoted
• Don’t offer advice as a question (e.g. have to tried x?) - instead ask what have you tried?, of if you do anything, what would you try?