Outlining the ways to make coaching stick

The research asserts that lessons learned by successful and effective managers are roughly the following:
l About 70 per cent of what we have learned came from experience, reflection on that experience, experiment, failure, adaptation, success and reinforcement
l About 20 per cent came from exposure to other people such as bosses, mentors, coaches, colleagues, family, friends and experts who we might see on YouTube or read about in a book or article
l Only about 10 per cent came from formal education such as training courses, e-learning modules or textbooks
From here, many ask me how to turn this concept into actual execution within their organisation, especially with a skill-based course like coaching.
In detail, people who have taken the course cannot habitually deploy coaching in their work as it is not a part of their routine.
Therefore, I would like to suggest some simple tips to execute the 70-20-10 model:
lDon’t learn everything in a row, as people take time to digest and make sense of things. Instead, divide all the coaching skills into bites, which better fit with busy managers. The content can be divided in half or separated into several days with assignments during intermissions.
l Set a timeframe to acquire skills through practice. The popular myth is that a new habit forms after 21-28 days. However, we need to design at least a 90-day programme to make sure skills are repeatedly done over a period of time and eventually turn into a habit.
lFocus on where to execute. The 70 per cent in execution should be derived from an identified project so learners have a better focus and become aware of where they need to concentrate on in practice.
l Organise the 20 per cent through a reflective session or learning group via a social network. This social learning group is formed with the intention to secure learners in the learning environment despite their busy schedule.
l Help learners to see positive changes with a supportive monitoring mechanism. This would be a simple one-minute questionnaire or on-line survey from people who actually work with them. When I mention “supportive”, we empower participants to pick the project and change-tracker by themselves, so they feel this is their circle of support during this 90-day programme.
Also, some of them pick the 20 per cent as observation and feedback from professional coaches like me instead of the learner’s boss.
“Understanding is not necessarily related to skills,” was a reflection from one client who has been through this process and realised his blind spot.
Thus, coaching is a skill rather than knowledge. It doesn’t matter how many hours you’ve read and learned to ensure and guarantee your coaching skills.
As Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Siraya Kongsompong is a senior consultant and master coach at APMGroup and an ICF certified coach. She can be reached at [email protected] or www.facebook.com/apmgroupthai