Asset-Based Coaching

Using Strengths and Coaching Strategies to Assist Consumers in Defining and Reaching Their Vocational Goals

Presented by Michele Martin, The Bamboo Project, Inc.CCERI/MHANJ—June 24, 2014

Michele Martin

• Career Development Facilitator Instructor

• 15+ years in career and workforce development

• Work with DiscoverAbilityNJ, Kessler Foundation, Family Resource Network, Rutgers University School of Social Work

Agenda

Why Asset-based Planning and Coaching?

Coaching vs. Case Management

The G.R.O.W. Coaching Model

Asset-based Tools & Strategies

Slides and Info At:

www.michelemmartin.com/wfd

Why Asset-Based?

Experiences and patterns of thinking “wire” the brain

Neural plasticity—you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!

What we focus on, grows

Your Brain

Your brain on negativity

“It won’t work”

“Why bother?”

“Yes, but”

“I’m a failure”

“I can’t”

The Rider and the Elephant

Stereotype Threat

Certain roles carry negative stereotypes

Activating negative stereotypes has negative impact on performance

When we focus on “challenges” Increases

Frustration Helplessness Focus on “what’s wrong with me.” –Shame! Sense of social isolation—I’m different in a “bad” way

Decreases Ability to act Sense of possibilities and solutions Learning!

When we focus on assets:

See ourselves as “whole,” capable people.

Helps us see opportunities and strengths.

We access the positive emotions that inspire action.

We can learn from experiences.

Coaching vs. Case Management

Key Differences

Traditional Case Management

Roles—CM as “expert”/instructor

Goals—Find barriers to employment, “place” job seeker

Strategies—One-on-One, CM gives instructions for job seeker to follow, CM works to control the process.

Coaching

Roles—Coach as partner/facilitator

Goals—Find and build on strengths, build job seeker skills and support team for ongoing career development.

Strategies—Group and 1-on-1, dialogue, helping job seeker problem-solve

Case Manager as Hero

“I know the answers. Follow me.”

“I will take care of you.”

“Just do what I say.”

Reinforces rescuer/victim dynamic.

Doing TO

(Case management)

Doing WITH

(Coaching)

Neglect Doing FOR(Case management)

SUPPORT

EX

PE

CT

AT

ION

S

Typical “Feel” of Case Management Appointment

Usually one-on-one.

Case manager does most of the talking and note-taking—instructions and directions.

Emphasis on barriers, following CM instructions, completing organizational paperwork and requirements.

More “telling” than asking/listening.

Organization-centered, rather than person-centered.

Typical “Feel” of a Coaching Appointment

Structured use of peer, team and one-on-one coaching, based on purpose and needs.

Coach asks questions, provides feedback, follows lead of job seeker.

Job seeker “leads” discussion, takes notes.

Building from strengths as reference point.

Focus on developing career planning/management skills and habits and on creating a support system of people and resources.

Benefits of Coaching

Job seeker sees him/herself as an expert in his/her own life.

Job seeker “owns” his/her plans and actions

Increases sense of self-efficacy and self-esteem.

Builds skills and independence

Expands support network—less reliance on case manager to “fix” things.

The Asset-Based Coach

The Coaching Process. . .

Working in partnership with customer

Takes a complete look at customer’s current situation, including their assumptions/perceptions about their work, themselves and others.

Helps them set relevant goals based on their own nature and needs.

Helps them take relevant actions toward achieving their goals.

Helps them learn by continuing to reflect on their actions and providing feedback on what is/isn’t working.

Coach’s Responsibilities

Believe that every customer is creative, resourceful and whole

Discover, clarify and align with what the job seeker wants to achieve.

Encourage and support customer self-discovery

Elicit customer-generated solutions and strategies

Hold customer accountable and responsible

Source: International Coach Federation

Getting Started. . .

Things to Consider. . .

How do you build trust/rapport with your customer?

How do you create an environment of “co-creation” and partnership?

How do you structure your conversations and activities to support a coaching approach?

“Hosting” the Space

Be mindful!

Physical arrangement of space

Being “present”

Greetings

“Soft start-up”

Setting Expectations

Roles—What is your role and what is the customer’s role in this process?

Responsibilities—What are you responsible for and what is the customer responsible for?

Process/Structure Overall Individual sessions—GROW

Agreements Spells out roles, responsibilities and how you want to work together.

Can include timeframes, goals, etc.

Typical Coaching Session

Review progress so far

Agree on goal(s) for the session

Work on that goal through questions, exercises, etc.

Reflect on insights

Develop action plan—next steps and time frame.

The GROW Model

G.R.O.W Coaching Model

Goal—What do you want?

Reality—What is happening now?

Options—What could you do?

Will—What will you do?

Goals

Define goal/outcomes to be achieved “What would you like to accomplish in our work together?” “What would you like to accomplish in this session?” “What’s important to you in this?” “What would success look like to you?”

Identify visible signs “How will you know that you’ve achieved that goal? What will be

different? “ “How will you know that the problem is solved?”

Reality

What is the current reality in relation to goals? “What is happening now with that?” “What is the result of that?” “Who else is involved? How are they involved?” “How are you feeling about all this?”

Options Explore potential options, first with questions:

“What have you tried so far?” “What else could you do here?” “Have you dealt with something similar before? Could we

borrow from that now?”

Then with your own suggestions: “Have you tried. . .?” “Something that has worked for other people is. . . “ “What do you think about trying . . . ?” “Can we build on something you said earlier and try. . . ?” “I’d like to try something with you if you’re OK with it. . .”

Will Help your customer commit to specific action.

“Now that we’ve discussed your goals and some options, which of these do you want to try?”

How will this action help you achieve your goal? “What steps do you need to take on this before our next meeting?” “What’s one small thing you could do to move this forward? “What help do you need from other people, including me?” “Do you anticipate any problems making this happen? How can you

deal with those problems?” “Do you have any fears or concerns about taking this action? How can

we address those?”

Tips for Implementing GROW

Goals/Reality/Options steps aren’t linear—leave room to circle around those steps and to further clarify.

End with Will step—what can the customer agree to do? What will you do? What will his/her team do?

Focus on asking questions, effective listening and helping the customer clarify responses, better understand his/her goals and motivations.

Watch your impulse to tell the person what to do.

Use silence—leave space for thinking.

Building on GROW

Tips for Building Rapport

Listen with intention

Relate your own experiences and stories.

Practice “generous listening”—what is the honorable intent in what the customer is saying?

Ask for feedback on your own performance—what can you improve?

Admit failures and mistakes—and share what you’ve learned from the experience.

Exhibit your trust in the customer and in his/her skills and strengths.

Tips for Setting Goals

Ask what they want to work on and why they want it—help them explore not just what, but WHY they want something.

Tie goals to values—what’s important to this person? (Not what “SHOULD” be important, but what IS important).

Help customer summarize the problem or issue in one simple sentence.

Use pictures to represent goals and action steps (similar to vision boarding)

Tips for Giving Feedback

Focus on strengths, what the customer has done well—how can they build on this?

Ask what customer has learned from the experience and how it might impact future behavior.

Connect to customer values, goals and priorities—how did an action impact these?

Work on suspending judgment about what customer “should” do or how he/she “should” be. Help them with what is.

Using “Challenges”

A challenge is a powerful request that asks the client to extend beyond self-limiting beliefs.

Includes a specific action and a date/time for completion.

Clients can respond with yes/no or counter-offer

Examples “I challenge you to finish that resume by tomorrow morning” “I challenge you to find three job openings that interest you by

Wednesday.”

Using Experiments

Position actions as “experiments”—things to “try out” and learn from.

Start small and build.

ActReflectAct

Debrief—what happened? How did that feel? What did you learn from that experience that you can use in the future?

“What can you try next?”

Coaching Tools & Strategies

Vision Boards

Vision Board Prompts

What is my ideal life?

What is my ideal career?

What is most important to me in this world?

What am I passionate about—what do I love doing?

What inspires me?

What are my greatest strengths? What am I really good at?

What are my roles in life and what is important to me in those roles?

Inspirational Interviewing

What You Focus On Grows

What’s wrong here?

What are the barriers/obstacles?

What isn’t working?

What weaknesses do I need to overcome?

Why isn’t this working?

What is working/has worked in the past?

What opportunities do we see?

What do I want more of?

What is my positive core that I can build on?

Questions for a Positive Future “This is my ideal life. . . “

What do you want MORE of in your life?

If success were absolutely guaranteed, what risks would you take?

What are you excited about in your life right now?

What would a perfect job look like?

What do people always come to you for? What do you you think you do really well?

Positive Planning Questions

What is working that you can build on? How is your life getting better? How can we

bring more of that into your experience? Think of a similar situation you handled well.

What made it a success and how could we bring that learning to this situation?

What changes could we make, no matter how small, that would make your experience more enjoyable, effective and/or productive?

Agreements

Goal-Setting

Evaluating Progress

Journaling

Daily Question

“What one thing can I do today, no matter how small, to move me in the direction of. . . “

Reframe Experiences

What’s the Story?

“This is a challenge.”

“This shouldn’t be happening.”

“I can’t do this.”

“This is an opportunity.”

“This should be happening because it’s teaching me something.”

I can do this—I just need to learn now”

Reframing Questions

What can I learn from this?

Who do I know who has handled this well and what can I learn from him/her?

How will my life be better after I’ve worked through this?

What are my greatest strengths and how can I use them to help me work through this?

What am I excited or curious about in this?

What am I grateful for in all of this?

Career Mastermind Groups

Purpose: Provide ongoing accountability, ideas, support, resources, trouble-shooting, learning.

Facilitated and co-created by members.

Staff provide structure, support, ideas

Focus is on: Goals for the week Progress Troubleshooting Just-in-time learning

Benefits of Group Coaching

Increased probability of achieving goals

Distribution of obstacles

Collective wisdom and multiple perspectives

Resource sharing

Diffusion of stress

Accelerated motivation

Support & challenge

Tips on Group Coaching

Make it different—this is NOT “training”—this is doing!

Help job seekers own the discussion: What problems/issues do they want to work on? Encourage them to engage with each other, to ask questions, give

feedback Discourage turning to you as the “expert.”

Watch for coachable “aha” moments—call attention to them with the group.

Help them stay on track--avoid black hole discussions.

Finish with an action—”I will. . . “

Next Steps. . .

Observe yourself—how are you acting as a case manager? How are you acting as a coach?

What is ONE strategy you can experiment with?

Talk with colleagues—how could you work together to try out these strategies and learn from them?

What are YOUR assets and strengths? How can you build on them to develop yourself as a coach?