I’ve been working through the book, ‘Professional Coaching for Agilists’, for the second time round (that’s how good it is) and whilst reviewing Damon Poole’s and Gillian Lee’s principles, I figured I’d have a go at distilling them from 21 down to 10 and then refining them, in order to ‘make them my own’.
After some brief ‘peer-reviewing’ from some other agile coaches, I was happy with the following:
- Each Coachee is self-sufficient and unique.
- The Coach remains neutral to foster trust.
- With a trusted relationship we may push the boundaries or dive deep.
- We confront the deep problems (not symptoms).
- Deep insights provide the opportunity to learn and grow.
- Self-sufficiency over receiving expertise (to learn, grow and reach the next level).
- Motivation is more important than planning (to reach the Coachee’s goal).
- Maximum impact when we are both present with heart, body and mind.
- Let the Coachee do the hard work!
It’s a common practice for teachers to ask their students – in the process of a learning journey – to take something and ‘make it their own’. By doing so, I was able to internalise these principles, after all they were using my own language.
Furthermore, when learning new coaching skills and techniques, I was able to link these new concepts back to these principles. Many techniques seem to be formulas for applying these principles in a given situation, hence, again, the value of principles. I’d imagine, therefore, that it’s more important that the Coach’s actions are coherent with the principles than, let’s say, the particular way a technique is performed.
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Recommended reading: ‘Professional Coaching for Agilists’ by Damon Poole and Gillian Lee