coaching and performance management

The objective of this session is to get your coachee to commit to specific actions. Drawing on the background reading for this and the previous modules, you will plan and carry out a coaching session that involves stage O of the GROW model.

There is a comprehensive explanation of the GROW model on the background page for Module 2. Here is a shorter synopsis:

The GROW model: A simple process for coaching and mentoring. (2014). Mind Tools. Retrieved from www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_89.htm

The structure of the Live Case (As a reminder, each case involves three separate activities.)

Each module will follow this cycle: Plan, execute, report.

Before the coaching session, write up a plan using course readings or additional research as a resource (1-2 pages).
Then meet with the coachee, and use your plan as a guide for the session.
The bulk of the report is on how it went, including successes and failures. What would you do differently next time? (3 to 5 pages).This phase of the coaching process requires brainstorming. Think you know everything there is to know about brainstorming? Too often, we overlook some essential basics about processes we think we know well. Take a few minutes to refresh your understanding of the â€œrulesâ€ of effective brainstorming in this article from the Trident Library:

Van Valin, S. (2014). Brainstorming. Leadership Excellence, 31(2), 20-21. Retrieved from ProQuest.

Brainstorm as many options as possible that will help your coachee achieve his or her goal.
Discuss the options and select the best ones.
You may offer your suggestions, but let your coachee do most of the work of generating and evaluating the options. Remember that the objective is to get the coachee to commit to action, and this means that the coachee must feel â€œownershipâ€ of the plan.
Write up this meeting as indicated in the Keys to the Assignment below.
Turn in your 4- to 6-page paper to the appropriate dropbox by the due date.

Keys to the Assignment

After reading the background materials for this module and doing additional research if needed, prepare your pre-coaching plan for a 45-50 minute session:
What are your goals for this session? How will you know if you are successful?
What skills will you use?
How will you go about doing this?
What questions will you ask?
Conduct your coaching session (45 to 50 minutes). Remember the ultimate goal of the session is to come up with a plan to which the coachee commits.
Write up your post-coaching reflection.
- Report the facts of the coaching session; summarize the plan.
- What went well and what did not?
- What did you learn about coaching from this session?
- What would you do differently next time?

In Module 1, you began the process of developing a Leadership Growth Plan (LGP) with a thorough self-assessment. In Module 2, you established your vision, identified obstacles to achieving that vision, and made plans to overcome the obstacles. In this module, you will continue to develop your LGP by setting goals and conducting an assessment of resources you will need to accomplish your goals. The outcome of this exercise is a 2- to 3-page plan that specifies 3 to 4 goals you would like to accomplish in the next year and sets clear objectives for what you will need to do to achieve them.

Keys to the Assignment

Perhaps the hardest part of setting goals is getting started. Begin by considering the following:

Ask yourself: â€œWhat do I need to be doing in order to achieve my vision?â€ Think in terms of what you can accomplish by next year. These are the milestones that describe your goals. They define what you intend to do.
Next, look at each goal separately and ask yourself:

The answers to these three questions constitute your objectives.

Objectives are shorter term than goals and specify what you need, when you need it, and how you are going to get it. While goal statements are helpful in that they set a direction, objectives provide the â€œroadmapâ€ that will get you to your vision. Objectives tell you exactly what you need to do, how you need to do it, and provide a timeline.

Strong objectives meet the following criteria:

They are specific. When you write your objectives, use action words that have a tangible outcome such as identify, demonstrate, perform, or calculate. You will be able to assess when you have met these types of objectives. Avoid words like understand, appreciate, know, or learn. These terms are too vague. How will you be able to assess whether or not you â€œunderstandâ€?
They are challenging. Difficult, but attainable objectives will help you cultivate a greater leadership capacity. If an objective is too easy, you will not grow. If it is too difficult, you may end up frustrated and the goal will be unfulfilled.

Your goals and objectives form the outline of your development plan. To flesh it out, determine what actions are required to meet your objectives. These actions usually make up the greater part of the leadership development plan itself.

Putting it all together and writing up the plan

Fortunately, there are a lot of templates on the internet to help you create an action plan. Begin by doing some research and select a template that will allow you to present your goals, objectives, and timeline. You will also need to identify the resources you will need. Most of these templates are some type of table, and it is easy to follow what will need to be done, by when.
The critical component of this assignment is to be specific about what actions you will take to gather the resources you will need to meet your goals. The following list gives a number of specific actions you can include in your plan, but you should not stop with these. Use your own initiative and creativity to come up with additional formal, informal, directed, and self-directed actions you can take to meet your Leadership Growth Plan.