Coaching Habit and Taming the Advice Monster

As Lean coaches, we strive to empower teams, drive continuous improvement, and create a culture of problem-solving. But often, do we have the skills of a "good coach" to do the deed? Are our instinct to jump in with solutions overshadow the real potential of coaching?

The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier offers a powerful framework for shifting from advice-giving to unlocking the potential of others an essential skill in Lean leadership.

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The 7 Essential Coaching Questions:

Stanier introduces seven simple yet effective coaching questions that help leaders be more curious and less directive. Let's explore how these questions align with Lean principles and enhance our leadership approach.

1. The Kickstart Question: "What's on your mind?"

Lean leadership starts with understanding the challenges at hand. This open-ended question invites employees to share what truly matters to them, fostering a culture of respect and psychological safety: key elements of Lean thinking.

This question works well for a simple neuroscientific reason: we are what we give attention to. This question helps us become mindful about what we focus. If you think about buying a red Corolla, suddenly you start seeing all the red Corollas on the road. By thinking "what is on my mind?", you unconsciously setting your brain to focus on what matters.

2. The AWE Question: "And what else?"

One of the biggest pitfalls in leadership is assuming we know the full story too soon. By asking, "And what else?" we encourage deeper thinking and avoid rushing to solutions. This aligns with genchi genbutsu: "going to the source and exploring" the problem fully before taking action (aka genba).?

3. The Focus Question: "What's the real challenge here for you?

Lean is about identifying the root cause, not just treating symptoms. This question helps people clarify the core issue they're facing, preventing leaders from wasting effort on surface-level problems.

There is also a difference between "coaching for performance" vs "coaching for development". Coaching for performance is about addressing and fixing a specific problem or challenge. Coaching for development is about turning the focus from the issue to the person dealing with the issue. By adding "for you" at the end of this question, we are changing the conversations to be more development oriented.

4. The Foundation Question: "What do you want??

Asking this question helps team members articulate their needs, aligning with Lean's principle of developing people and empowering them to take ownership of their challenges.

This question is- yes, I dare say- better than "Why?". Don't get me wrong, as a lean leader, I adore 5-Whys method and loved the book "Start with why", but in coaching setting "Why?" puts people on the defensive and gives you a backstory you don't need about the issue. Because as a good coach, we won't solve the problem! Let's keep the question as "What?"

5. The Lazy Question: "How can I help?"

Rather than assuming what support is needed, this question shifts the responsibility to the individual, encouraging autonomy and ownership: a fundamental aspect of Lean leadership.

6. The Strategic Question: "If you're saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?"?

As someone who struggled to say "no" to additional task offered, this section was especially interesting to me. Lean is about maximizing value and minimizing waste. This question helps prioritize efforts and ensure that focus remains on what truly matters, reinforcing the discipline of hoshin kanri (strategic alignment)- by saying yes to everything, we are not always doing best for the company. Focus and speed & alignment with the business priorities are more important. So what are we giving up on when we say "yes" to a new task?

7. The Learning Question: "What was most useful for you?"

Reflection and continuous improvement are at the heart of Lean. This question promotes learning by reinforcing key takeaways, enabling teams to iterate and improve.

Tame your Advice Monster:

Coaching has a simple structure. Anybody can perform it with these essential questions and LOTS of listening. Yet- what is getting in our way to successfully executing coaching?

This guy:

All of us can turn into an advice monster.?10 seconds into the conversation and you jump in to say “Oh, oh, oh, I’ve got something to say here.”

And the problem isn’t with giving advice.?:

1.The first issue is often we’re solving the wrong problem.?

2.The second is that our advice is not as good as we think it is.?

3.The third is holding the responsibility of having to have all the answers. It is exhausting! And think about the person receiving the advice, it cuts away at their sense of confidence. It usually frustrates them rather than helping.

We’re constantly feeding our advice monsters and they are getting out of hand. ?

To tame your advice monster, stay curious.?

These three questions will help you:

1. The first question is: “What is the real challenge here for you?”?
2. The second question is “What else?”?
3. The third question is a difficult question, but it’s so powerful: “What do you want?”?

When you’re curious, you begin to empower people not by giving them the answer but by helping them find their own answer, and not by rescuing them but by helping them find their own path.

What are some good coachable moments:

1. Genba Walks: No where more magical than the actual place where the job gets done. As you observe and learn, ask your powerful questions.
2. Daily Management: Daily management meetings provide a structured yet dynamic environment where leaders and teams discuss real work challenges, track performance, and make decisions. It is an ideal place for coaching opportunity.
3. 1:1 meetings: This is a place for powerful coaching opportunity, because they create a dedicated space for individualized growth, reflection, and problem solving.

So to wrap it up:

How Lean Leaders Can Apply These Coaching Habits

1. Coach more, advise less: Resist the urge to provide quick answers. Instead, use these questions to guide problem-solving and empower employees. Use the 7 essential questions.
2. Incorporate into Genba Walks: Instead of directing, ask these coaching questions to deepen understanding and drive ownership at the frontline.
3. Create a habit of curiosity: As Lean leaders, we must model a learning mindset. The more we ask, the more we help others grow.

By integrating The Coaching Habit into our Lean leadership approach, we can develop teams that are more engaged, capable, and self-sufficient. After all, great leadership isn't about having all the answers, it's about unlocking the potential in others.

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1. @hannahpixels
2. https://www.shortform.com/blog/the-advice-monster/
3. https://www.one37pm.com/popular-culture/best-lightsaber-fighthttps://www.one37pm.com/popular-culture/best-lightsaber-fight

About the Author: Ezgi Ozkaya is a Lean Leader, Waste Buster and Bookworm. She is passionate about two worlds: Continuous Improvement and the captivating realm of books.

With nearly 20 years of experience in organizations like GE and Duke Energy, she had the privilege of collaborating with diverse organizations to drive operational excellence guided by the principles of Lean thinking, continuous improvement, and fostering a culture of innovation.

Beyond the realm of Lean, she is an enthusiastic bookworm, averaging about 100+ books per year in diverse set of categories such as self-improvement, world classics, business, and management. Ezgi shares her book reviews & insights with her followers regularly.

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