Learning objectives :

• Deciding when to adopt a coaching approach rather than making a decision, providing training, or offering an opinion
• Ask the right open-ended questions and really listen to the answers
• Structuring a coaching conversation to help an employee find their own solutions
  ‍

Course :

Session 1: When to Coach, and When Not to Coach
The trap for the manager-coach is wanting to coach all the time. This session first sets the stage: understanding what coaching is really for, when it’s appropriate, and when it’s better to make a decision, offer advice, or provide training. Coaching is an investment: it requires more energy in the short term, but it helps develop employees’ autonomy and saves time in the long run. And both the manager and the employee need to have the energy for it at the right moment.

Case example : Decide in situations where you might hesitate between "coaching" and "making a decision," asking yourself who is responsible for the decision and whether the employee has the ability to make it on their own.

Session 2: Asking the Right Questions and Really Listening
Once you’ve adopted a coaching mindset, the real challenge is to ask open-ended questions without slipping into the trap of saying, “If I were you, I’d do this—what do you think?” Participants develop a bank of open-ended questions to support coaching, and practice active listening techniques: turning off phones, taking notes on paper, the 8-second rule, and paraphrasing.

Case Study : Practice asking only open-ended questions during a coaching conversation, without providing answers on the employee’s behalf, to help them find their own solutions.

Session 3: Structuring a Coaching Conversation
For coaching to be effective, it must be structured. Participants learn the GROW method (Goal: What is the objective?; Reality: What is the current situation?; Options: What possibilities should be considered?; Will: What specific action will be taken?) and practice using rephrasing at each stage to ensure that the employee moves toward a concrete decision.

Case Study : Conduct a full coaching conversation using the GROW method while being observed by peers in small groups to receive immediate feedback on your body language and questions