“(Coaching) Culture eats strategy for breakfast” – Peter Drucker
Andrew Macdonald-Brown ACC CPQC EIA NPQH
4Cs Professional Coaching - Executive Coaching - Leadership Training and Facilitation
When looking to developing a Coaching Culture, ask - ‘What is already in place that we can build on?’
?I work with lots of (school) leaders. Many are curious about (and some are fully committed towards) building better conversations in their organisations by taking more of a coaching approach.
Peter Drucker’s quote above is not to suggest that taking an intentional approach towards this aspiration is not a good thing.? Taking a strategic approach to building a coaching culture is certainly going to increase the chances of this moving forward.?
Yet the reference to culture points to something very important…. When we take a strengths-based approach to anything we are drawn to ‘what is already in place’ that can serve as a platform for any development.
When considering existing organisational (school) culture we are effectively looking at ‘what is already in place’ … ‘culture is the way we (already) do things around here’ (Deal and Kennedy, 1982)
The Antecedents
So, what might be the things to look at that seem to be helpful catalysts for building a coaching culture in a (school) setting?
Well, in my work with several schools (including my own at one point when I was a Principal) I have found a number of characteristics that seem to help:
Integration and synergy:?
This is when Coaching is seen as relevant and resonant.? It is seen as a ‘fit’ within, and complementary to, existing priorities – there are synergies through which coaching approaches enhance, and advance existing development priorities (and coaching? is not seen as an additional initiative).
Additionally, the building of a coaching culture is seen as an amplifier of successes and strengths, rather than a way to ‘fix’ things that are wrong.
?Questions:?
Students / Staff:?
It can also be helpful to consider the extent to which student and staff success and wellbeing is at the heart of conversations and interactions.
This may be evident by the range of opportunities students and staff have (and how comfortable they are) to talk openly about feelings, thoughts, aspirations, and concerns.
Additionally, teacher-student relationships are characterised by partnership and co-construction.? Typically, school defined ‘ways of being’ (and often ‘values’ for students and staff align closely with coaching ways of being.
?Questions:?
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Leaders:
Leadership and learning conversations are highly impactful and commonplace. They are embedded in formal and less formal interactions. Senior leaders regularly have conversations where they can reflect on their leadership practices and learning.
Leadership is broadly distributive (rather than delegative) in nature, and interactions tend to be more facilitative than directive in nature.? Leaders support colleagues to work towards their professional goals and model coach-like ways of being when interacting and focused on those goals.
School defined ‘ways of being’ for leaders align closely with coaching ways of being.
Questions:?
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Professional learning:
Professional learning is prioritised in order to support the building of capacity. There are frequent opportunities for staff (teaching and professional support) to engage in quality conversations where they can reflect on their professional practice. ?
Staff are able to articulate their development needs and professional learning opportunities are co-constructed with leaders through this.
Joint practice development and sharing opportunities exist to support professional learning and embed effective practices.
Questions:?
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Community: ?
At times, in schools that are well placed to build a coaching culture, relationships with community stakeholders are strong, characterised by a clear sense of partnership and aligned values and vision. There is a culture of collaboration and partnership between school staff and wider community.
Questions:?
Structures and processes:??
Supporting structured and processes tend to be characterised by collaboration (where projects involve co-construction and collective accountability) and partnership. ?These then can become a focal point for coaching practice development that might include:
o?? First followers:? A core team of coaches are trained that coach others (and each other), model coaching approaches, and train others in coaching approaches
o?? One-to-one interactions are shaped (where desirable) by a coaching approach eg through line management meetings, feedback processes, review and development conversations
o?? Joint practice development (eg Professional learning communities) can focus on coaching practice development as well as other school priorities (such as pedagogical approaches in the classroom)
o?? Pastoral structure:? student wellbeing is supported through pastoral leaders and staff using coaching approaches
Of course, there will be other areas to consider.?
?
Questions:?
The above offer a lens through which to consider ‘where are we now?’ in relation to ‘where we want to be’. ?
Using the above in conjunction with some kind of scaling approach (eg where 1 = just getting started, and 10 = fully developed/ mature element) can shape an assessment of your school’s ‘state of readiness’.
It can also be a helpful approach in addressing ‘How does our current culture shape our emerging strategy?’
PCC, CPCC, Coach,Educator, Photographer
6 个月Fantastic and helpful questions that all schools should use when starting to create a coaching culture. What a great place to start!
Psychology. Growth. Self-leadership. Coaching. | Bridging Business Dev & People Development | Ex-VC, Public service & policy | Mindsets and alignment for meaningful, lasting learning ?????????????????
6 个月Very thorough, Andrew. Building a culture where coaching is a capability means self- and peer-development becomes an ability and perhaps a responsibility throughout the org, hopefully accelerating both growth and mutual understanding. Especially with the many stakeholders in a school context!
Passionate Advocate for Inclusive and Human-Focused Workplaces | Leadership and Organizational Development | Executive Coach Specializing in communication skills
6 个月"...the building of a coaching culture is seen as an amplifier of successes and strengths, rather than a way to ‘fix’ things that are wrong." Thank you Andrew, this is certainly a constructive perspective and works into the Appreciative Inquiry approach that works so well with organisations and their stakeholders.
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6 个月Alright so Andrew Macdonald-Brown ACC CPQC EIA NPQH start with what’s working. Build your coaching culture by focusing on the strengths already in place. It’s about using what you have to make progress??
Accountability Coach | Virtual Assistant | Productivity Partner
6 个月Building a coaching culture is indeed a powerful strategy, Andrew. I’ve found that when we incorporate accountability into these conversations, it can significantly enhance the effectiveness and consistency of the coaching process. Accountability creates a framework that not only supports leaders in their growth but also encourages a culture of continuous improvement across the entire organization. Your insights on leveraging what's already in place resonate deeply—there's so much value in refining and building upon existing strengths. Thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts on this important topic!