Change and uncertainty are inevitable in today's dynamic and complex work environment. As a coach, you have a vital role in helping your coachees navigate these challenges and thrive in the face of ambiguity. But how can you coach effectively when you are also dealing with your own emotions and reactions to change? Here are some tips to help you coach through change and uncertainty.
Change can trigger a range of emotions in yourself and your coachees, such as fear, anxiety, anger, sadness, or excitement. These emotions are natural and valid, and they can affect your coaching relationship and outcomes. As a coach, you need to acknowledge your own emotions and manage them appropriately, so that you can create a safe and supportive space for your coachees to express theirs. You can use techniques such as mindfulness, self-care, and reflection to cope with your emotions and maintain your presence and focus as a coach. You can also use empathy, active listening, and open questions to help your coachees explore and process their emotions and identify their needs and concerns.
I love that this is listed as the first step. Oftentimes in business settings, we want to ignore the emotions that come with major changes because they don't suit the business. Yet, the business runs on people, and people have emotions! Good leaders know how to allow their team to express themselves without it devolving into a complaining session. Change is scary, but it's the only way to grow; so, how can leaders make it more palatable? Acknowledging the emotions is a great place to start!
Change and uncertainty can also create opportunities for learning and growth, both for yourself and your coachees. As a coach, you can help your coachees shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, which means seeing change as a chance to develop new skills, perspectives, and solutions, rather than as a threat or a failure. You can do this by encouraging your coachees to embrace the learning zone, which is the optimal state of challenge and support where learning occurs. You can help your coachees find their learning zone by helping them set realistic and meaningful goals, providing constructive feedback, celebrating their progress and achievements, and fostering a culture of curiosity and experimentation.
Having a growth mindset truly changes the way you see the world. Realizing that you can learn from everything and everyone is so empowering. When I reflect back on some of the decisions I've made in the past, I recognize where I could have done better, and visualize what that could look like next time I encounter a similar situation. Supporting others in cultivating a growth mindset is part of being an excellent and innovative leader. When I made mistakes in the past, and my manager supported me through them instead of berating me, it allowed me to learn new ways of doing things.
Change and uncertainty can also require you to adapt your coaching style and approach to suit the different needs and preferences of your coachees. Depending on the situation and the stage of change, your coachees may need more or less direction, guidance, or support from you. As a coach, you need to be flexible and responsive to your coachees' changing needs and expectations, and use different coaching skills and tools accordingly. You can use models such as the GROW model , the ADKAR model, or the Situational Leadership model to help you assess and adjust your coaching style and strategy to match your coachees' readiness and motivation for change.
Change and uncertainty can also test your coachees' resilience and confidence, which are essential for coping with stress and overcoming challenges. As a coach, you can help your coachees build their resilience and confidence by helping them identify and leverage their strengths, values, and resources, as well as their past successes and learnings. You can also help them develop a positive and realistic outlook, which means acknowledging the difficulties and risks of change, but also recognizing the opportunities and benefits. You can also help them cultivate a supportive network of peers, mentors, and allies, who can provide them with feedback, advice, and encouragement.
Change and uncertainty can also create a need for ongoing communication and evaluation between you and your coachees. As a coach, you need to follow up and review your coaching sessions and agreements regularly, to ensure that they are still relevant and effective in the changing context. You can use tools such as action plans, checklists, or surveys to monitor and measure your coachees' progress and performance, as well as your own coaching quality and impact. You can also use techniques such as feedback loops, reflection questions, or case studies to review and learn from your coaching experiences and outcomes, and identify areas for improvement or adjustment.