Solving in disguise!
Leaders often disguise advice as questions; true coaching fosters independent thinking.
I am running workshops this week with a group of brilliant, senior Leaders who learn to include coaching in their toolkit. One of their biggest struggles is exactly that need to solve, to weigh in, to give suggestions.
The alternative approach looks simple, but can be quite a mind-bender:
• What have you learned from what you've tried so far?
• What do you want to experiment with?
• What's hard for you about what you want to achieve?
• What needs your attention right now?
• What are you learning about the situation or about yourself?
• This is a completely different approach. It invites the other party to think, to weigh, to consider.
Simply put: when asking solutions in disguise, it's the leader coach who does all the thinking work. When you coach, the party is on the spot to think, develop, generate.
It's an amazing shift!
Watch out for those solutions in disguise that might jump out without warning. They are much less helpful than they feel!