How?

Coaching is a practice that should be applicable to all. There are always areas of our attitude, behaviour and communication that we can work on. As a group, Entrepreneurs are often seen as somehow unique. Here we review the practice of coaching with a specific look at the entrepreneurs.

Coaching practice can be most effective in organisations where there is an effective coaching culture, and when adopted from a developmental perspective, rather than a remedial method to deal with a performance issue. It is based on one to one conversations and can be an effective method to nurture and grow talent for employees at any stage of their career, from young people to experienced executives. When it comes to working with entrepreneurs we need to ensure that the coaching process is supportive and helps support and develop the skills of the entrepreneur.

There are many different models of coaching, each model will provide a process and often a catchy acronym to help you remember its primary stages. In reality, you can choose any of these models, with each having some distinct emphasis within the basic coaching process. Here we provide a brief overview of some of the primary models that exist. The following models are given as good examples for use in coaching:

• The GROW model is a simple method for goal setting and problem solving. It was developed in the United Kingdom and has been used extensively in corporate coaching from the late 1980s. A coaching session based on the GROW model focuses on the following keywords:

• Goal - goals can either be long/short term and are set by the coachee.

• Reality - it’s crucial to ensure that there is clarity on the current situation.

• Options - exploring options and alternative strategies or courses of action. 

• Will / Wrap Up - checking that the coachee has the WILL to carry out the actions / sessions need a WRAP UP (clarifying / gaining commitment).

• The CLEAR model was formulated in the early 1980’s by Peter Hawkins at Bath Consultancy Group and has many similarities to the GROW model. The CLEAR model is defined by an acronym as well:

• Contracting - opening the discussion, setting the scope, establishing the desired outcomes, and agreeing the ground rules.

• Listening - using active listening and catalytic interventions the coach helps the coachee develop their understanding of the situation and generate personal insight.

• Exploring - helping the coachee to understand the personal impact the situation is having on themselves and challenging them to think through possibilities for future action in resolving the situation.

• Action - supporting the coachee in choosing a way ahead and deciding the next step.

• Review - closing the intervention, reinforcing ground covered, decisions made and value added. The coach also encourages feedback from the client on what was helpful about the coaching process, what was difficult and what they would like to be different in future coaching sessions.