Using a coaching approach

Introduction

Using coaching skills is particularly useful for learning by doing approaches, for example supporting an apprentice's career and personal development.

The Important coaching skills are active listening and open questioning. Coaching is not about transfer of knowledge; it is about developing critical thinking skills of the learner.

The aim of the educator using coaching as a pedagogy is to facilitate the learner to think, reflect and unpack their learning or approaches to solving a problem.

How to use a coaching approach

An educator using a coaching approach should use open-ended questions (such as what, why, how) which will give the learner a chance to reflect and think deeply and thoughtfully about their learning.

An educator using a coaching approach should avoid questions that lead to yes or no answers.

GROW

An educator using a coaching approach can construct their conversation using G.R.O.W. 

1. G (Goal) What is/was the goal/aim?
2. R (Reality) What is the current situation, what happened, why do you think it happened that way?
3. O (Options) What could you do?
4. W (What and by when?) What will you do? How will you approach that? 

PPIPL

The coach can structure their feedback using P.P.I.P.L.

1. Praise (link to previous action step)
2. Probe (start with Q to narrow focus)
3. Identify (identify future support)
4. Plan (Solution Focused)
5. Lock (lock in action points)

Resources

LinkedIn Learning Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers

All Queen Mary staff and students have free access to LinkedIn Learning, a digital library of over 16,000 courses covering a wide range of technical, business, software and creative topics.