Table of contentsIntroductionWhat is coachingWhat does coaching mean to me?The journey – Key information and learningIntroductionAlexander (2005: 15) notes that “coaching is a process for increasing performance, development and achievement'. The purpose of this essay is to explore my understanding and application of non-directive coaching. This objective will be achieved through a combination of personal reflection and literature review. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Additionally, we will examine Alexander's (2005) idea that a "SuperCoach" pushes people to go beyond what they thought possible. Firstly, a practical definition of coaching will be discussed before exploring how it relates to me in my professional development. Specifically, my key knowledge and learnings will be considered alongside my journey in the Coaching in Leadership (CIL) course. Secondly, the sessions with my coaching partner will be examined alongside the tools used for non-directive coaching. Finally, I will reflect on how I will apply the (CIL) in my practice while undergoing a self-assessment to conclude on my personal development needs. What is coaching? A key part of my journey through (CIL) has been understanding what the term “Coaching” means. heard in this professional context. For me, a coach was someone who, throughout my childhood and professional life, was someone who directed physical activity with a whistle. Alexander (2005) notes that there are many definitions of coaching. For example, Whitmore (1996) describes coaching as unlocking a person's potential in order to maximize their own performance. Connor (2012) adds that coaching is a learning relationship that helps someone take charge of their own development. A coach is a collaborative partner who works with the learner to help them achieve their goals. Alongside Alexander (2005), I understood that coaching in a professional context was about enabling, helping and supporting others to reach their true potential. “A coach believes that people have their own solutions and that they have inherent talents.” Even though I didn't enter into the CIL with this rationale, I certainly came away with it. Most of my development in this course has been understanding the logic of non-directive coaching. Alexander (2005: 13) notes that “coaching was primarily a non-directive method of working with people to enable them to exploit their own abilities”. capacity and, in doing so, find ways to operate more effectively, solve problems and learn to grow.” Connor (2012) adds that clients must be able to take charge of their own development, thereby realizing their own potential. Alexander (2005) explains that a SuperCoach will use non-directive methods such as questioning and open-ended comments rather than expressing their opinion. My understanding of this is that you are creating a relationship with your customer, to go on a journey, rather than just suggesting solutions to their problems. This makes the process more authentic and interesting as you have pulled them rather than pushed them towards solutions. Without imparting any wisdom, simply listen and question. As I grasped this process, I finally understood that while I have a lot of opinions, I don't have the answer for everyone, they need to decide what their success is. What does thecoaching for me? Simply put, I believe we should follow Alexander (2015). ) tips for being the best version of myself that I can be. As an Active Schools Coordinator working in Fife, the type of work I am involved in varies greatly. This is a very difficult role to explain and can range from involvement in high-level strategic meetings, to working with schools, clubs, communities, young people and various partners both locally, regionally and nationally. A large part of the role involves working with a variety of people, which means wearing many different hats. I chose to participate in CIL because I am at a stage in my professional development where I influence and make decisions at a more strategic level. A colleague had recommended that I study “SuperCoaching” as a way to improve my leadership skills and thus get more out of partnership working. Leadership coaching was going to help me build the capabilities of the people I work with while allowing me to learn more about my strengths and weaknesses. My main strengths in a professional context are that I am a very proactive person who truly enjoys the work I do and cares about the clients I work with. Although this fits Covey’s (2015) description of highly successful people; I have a hard time keeping an ending in mind. I found myself doing good work at everything rather than great work on a few selected specific projects. This did not provide me with job satisfaction as I was caught up in what Holden (2005) describes as a busy generation. Little time was spent following Connor's (2012) principle of reflection and evaluation, while all the time was spent doing and then jumping from one task to another without feeling successful. My weakness was allowing and allowing my peers to support me in my projects. Through (CIL), I began to understand the value of coaching and for me, the success of it all came down to relationships. Socrates' quote that “I cannot teach anyone anything, I can only make them think” was very revealing during the course. I quickly realized that I needed to spend more time listening, thinking and learning rather than just doing. I already possessed values ​​like support, honesty and self-awareness. However, as Covey (2015) explains, I had not spent enough time simply listening, rather I was listening only to respond. Fortunately, this is something that really struck me once I understood the concept of non-directive coaching. The journey – Key information and learningA large part of the journey through (CIL) was made up of pair coaching sessions. It allowed me to put into practice the things I was beginning to understand. As a believer in John Dewey’s “learning by doing,” I have found this process essential. My coaching partner, like me, was initially cautious and a little skeptical about the idea of ​​listening, questioning and reflecting rather than giving advice. At the same time, she was also experiencing very similar issues to my wife (a teacher) at her school, which allowed me to practice both in coaching sessions and at home. Thinking back to the first coaching session we had, I can only imagine Graham Alexander covering his ears. It’s clear that our proactive “this is what you need to do” mindset was actually hindering the process. I thought about what Alexander (2005: 123) tells us: "Why, within 10 minutes of meeting a coach, would someone reveal aspects ofhimself, of his concerns, his hopes and his dreams that he had perhaps never shared with anyone? Over the years, we have recognized that one of the key factors in achieving this is being non-judgmental. “After some reflection and gaining a better understanding of non-directiveness, I began to practice listening. Covey's (2004) work was very helpful in teaching me the importance of empathetic listening, which allowed my coachee to become much more open and trust me. We began to delve deeper into the issues my coaching partner was experiencing, which I interpreted as a successful session. During the coaching process we had access to a range of tools presented to us along with the outlined coaching skills required to be successful. The one I found most useful was the GROW model. Whitmore (1996) notes that the GROW model was formulated on the backs of himself and Graham Alexander being tasked with creating a basic framework for coaching. Alexander (2005) explains the model as the following 4 stages: Objective, reality, options and synthesis. Alexander (2005: 229) notes that 'Grow' captures a key aspect of what coaching is and does: enabling people to grow, develop their abilities, achieve high performance and flourish. Alexander (2005) comments that the GROW model, when applied to coaching, involves agreeing a 'goal', examining the 'reality' of the situation, considering the 'options' available before finally outline a path forward in the “Wrap Up”. As my coaching partner and I used this tool, it was very interesting to notice that as we progressed, our original goal changed. Alexander (2005) explains this well by noting that when we finally begin to truly think, we are able to look at our problems objectively rather than making snap judgments about them. Our realities were not as we had initially imagined them, nor were our objectives and our criteria for success. As my coaching skills improved and our relationship grew, I began to realize that the majority of my coaching partner's frustrations came from a need for control. Additionally, she couldn't understand that others didn't have the same work ethic and emotional attachment to their work as she did. In her own words, “they didn’t do the job to the standard she wanted, so it’s better she did it herself.” Clearly, this was not a productive way for her to lead. I read Alexander's (2005) point regarding the need for a coachee to have a mission statement that reflects their reason for being. I then used the 3-chair role play tool described by Alexander (2005). The coach in turn formulated her mission statement which, as expected, was linked to emotional attachment to her work and the desire to do her best. We then cut to her playing one of her employees. While playing the role of a difficult employee, she noted that the job was just a job to them, they were not as emotionally attached, and they did the work in different ways. Finally, by placing her in the observer's chair, the coachee realized that not everyone was the same. is like her. Other people have their own measures of success and their own ways of working. At this point my coachee burst into tears, which I found very annoying for a coaching session, fearing I had pushed her too far and upset her. However, after comforting her, she admitted that we found a eureka moment where.