The powr of peer coaching

Making it to the Olympics without a coach? You’re dreamin’. Even at junior levels, the importance of coaching in sports is widely understood – for every group of 5-year-olds running around a field, there is a person with a whistle trying to wrangle them.

In the workforce, we also recognise the value of coaching. However, in this context, it’s a premium service. An hour with an executive coach will set you (or your organisation) back between $150-400 – or more. It’s not always accessible to those of us in the Little Leagues.
 

Your career is a marathon, not a sprint

As the first generations of women visible at every level of the workforce, we still face unique challenges. From unconscious bias and microaggressions to the nuances of navigating internal networking, meeting manners and the juggle, we need to carve out our own path. One that doesn’t require changing who we are.

When that path is more a marathon than a sprint, coaches can play a critical role in reducing exhaustion and finding your stride. And if your budget doesn’t stretch to an expert, the next best option is to utilise your peers.
 

Peer coaching is more powrful than you think

We know empathy is an unconscious reaction that doesn’t always serve us. We also know we can all get lost in the Bermuda drama triangle when conflict arises. What we may not know is that all of us are capable of utilising coaching fundamentals to support one another. 

Ever been in this situation? A colleague comes to you with a challenge they’re facing – a difficult dynamic or setback that stung. You show your support by sharing your own experience, jumping to their defence or expressing outrage. You might come away bonded by righteous anger, but have you actually helped?

What if, instead, you’d embraced active listening, asking questions that helped your colleague gain a new perspective to identify a better path forward?

Coaching isn’t just the realm of experts

We have huge respect for experts and recognise the immense value professional coaches offer. We also recognise the talent it takes to be a pro golfer, but that doesn’t stop us from heading out for a putt.

Just like with your golf swing, it’s a good idea to have some coaching fundamentals under your belt to avoid sending balls in all directions:

Coaching is:

• Mainly about listening.
• Challenging limiting mindsets and shifting perspectives.
• Solutions-focused – a way to help others unblock thinking and find a path forward.
• Asking the right questions – they can be quite simple!

Coaching isn’t:

• A venting session.
• A script that you follow word-for-word.
• An opportunity to dish out ‘expert’ advice.
• Asking leading questions to get to the outcome you want.

Keen to put theory into practice? Here are three simple ways to bring coaching into your conversations this week:

1/ When someone complains

Maybe our careers aren’t a marathon. Perhaps hurdles are a better analogy because the only certainties are death derailers and taxes. While it’s easy to validate someone’s negative experience by jumping on a rage wagon, it’s more productive to help them navigate it. 
 

The words: 

“How do you think the other person would describe this situation?” 
“What have you tried so far?”
“What is in your control?”
“Let’s come up with five more ways you could solve it.”

2/ During regular check-ins

We know the powr of small talk to form relationships, but we often use it as a crutch. When was the last time you asked someone a deeper question, like what went well during their week? What’s something they’re proud of? What’s top of mind? Start your next one-on-one or coffee catchup with an open question.

The words: 

“Tell me something that went well this week.”
“What would you like to get out of our time together?”
“What’s on your mind today?”

3/ When someone needs a hand

We can think we’re helping by leaping in, but it’s often about supporting others to get to the finish line. So, next time someone comes to you with a request, answer with a question.

The words: 

“How would you go about it?”
“What have you already accomplished?”
“What have you tried that worked/didn’t work?”

Like any skill, coaching takes practice

It’s hard to resist the urge to jump in with well-meaning advice. It’s also hard to put your own experiences aside and truly focus on someone else’s. That’s why Powrsuit embraces a key component of self-leadership – continuous improvement. Don’t expect to be a great coach on day one, but don’t let that put you off trying. If Michael Jordan had given up, he wouldn’t be known as a once-in-a-generation sporting great.
 

Want a safe space to practice?

Join the Powrsuit network for on-demand access to our peer coaching mini-masterclass with Dr Michelle Shields. On a mission to bring coaching into everyday conversations, Michelle shares her simple playbook and a 15-minute activity to immediately put theory into practice.