Coaching, counselling and assessment Flashcards
Advantages & disadvantages of coaching
Advantages
Content and pace tailored to individual
Immediate response to development need
Cost effective (compared to attending a formal training session)
Immediate feedback
Safe environment
Disadvantages
Time consuming and most likely to get postponed in favour of other commitments
Rest of the team could feel excluded
Success relies on skill and knowledge of trainer and respect trainee has for them
More likely to get interrupted
People must want to be coached, they cannot be forced into it
GROW
Goal
Reality
Options
Will or where next
Less direct approach to coaching than PESOS
Main OBJECTIVES of GROW (not what is stands for)
- Increase individual’s awareness of current performance and potential
- Build their responsibility for taking ownership of their actions
Elements of GROW in detail
Goal - must have a goal or objective
Reality - In order to change situation must understand the real issue.
Options - explore options available to achieve the goal.
Will or What next - person must have motivation to make the changes. Desired outcome of this stage is a plan & commitment to achieve
PESOS
Prepare
Explain
Show
Observe
Supervise/Support
More directive approach to coaching than GROW. Suitable for those with limited experience/new to the role.
PESOS - more detail about each stage
Prepare - coaching is more effective if prep done. Clear, agreed goals and timescales.
Explain - Coach ensures employee understands the concepts & skills going to be coached and practised.
Show - coach/someone else competent should demonstrate
Observe - coach observe employee in a role play situation & provide constructive feedback
Supervision/Support - manager should ensure skill is transferred to the workplace and will involve ongoing supervision & support, monitored through live observation.
What skills does a coach need?
Analytical skills - ability to analyse the position, draw conclusions, identify trends from MI or other sources.
Questioning skills - probe & challenge. Summerise understanding & provide structure to the session.
Listening skills - Understand individuals awareness of the situation, encourage them to take ownership. 50% + should be trainee talking.
Demonstration skills - ability to explain and show required skills (could be using role play).
Feedback skills - ensure individual is aware of performance
Observation skills - The quality of information determines the quality of the feedback.
Common themes of effective feedback
Agree on the feedback process prior to the event (when will it happen, what will be measured & what format will it take i.e. formal or informal)
Agree what is to be measure and what a sucessful outcome looks like
Try to arrange feedback as soon after the event as possible
Make detailed notes during so that feedback involves discussing the facts and specifics
Reinforce examples of positive behaviour during feedback, particularly at the start and finish.
Involve the employee - don’t make it one way.
Encourage them to appraise their own performance before providing your observations.
Ensure feedback is balanced - not just what they could have done better.
Summarise discussions and future actions and try to end on a positive note.
Counselling
Set of skills, techniques & attitudes used to help people manage their problems using their own resources.
Guide & support.
Not about imposing solutions or being directive.
Skills readily transferable from coaching.
Used more in relation to people’s problems rather than underperformance due to lack of skills.
Simple terms - coaching used when an individual can’t do something. Counselling used when an individual can, but doesn’t.
Managers must understand their limitations & may need to involve a specialist.
Format of counselling discussion
More effective if follows a structure.
Michael Reddy suggested:
1. Understanding - counsellor should try to understand the individuals problems & individual confident that counsellor has a grasp of the issue.
- Challenging - This is the skilled part. Individual may be underestimating or overestimating the issue and counsellor should try to get them to look at it in a different light & identify the root problem.
- Resourcing - Encourage the individual to find a solution and give them support.
The chartered institute of personnel and development (CIPD) suggests the following format for a counselling meeting:
- Welcome and clarify purpose of meeting
- Assure individual about confidentiality
- Encourage the individual
- Ask for clarity on points you don’t understand
- Take initiative in probing important areas
- If individual becoming defensive, change your approach
- Summarise throughout
- Clarify the decisions made and agree any follow up support
Skills required to undertake a counselling session
Active listening
Ability to show empathy
Tolerance
Asking open and probing questions
Ability to summarise
Effective assessment
- Gather evidence
- Make a judgement in respect of individual’s performance
- Provide feedback
Key aspects of assessment in a T&C scheme
Knowledge - R01 before providing advice & R01-6 before being signed off as competent
For all advisers & supervisors of those not yet deemed competent.
Specialist technical knowledge - complete appropriate exam - pension transfer specialist, for example.
Conduct - Before being assessed as competent & ongoing annually. All those covered by T&C & those providing advice.
Ongoing competence - Ongoing annual CPD for retail investment advisors.
Coaching and assessment - Before acting and on an ongoing basis - performed by T&C supervisor.
Direct evidence - examples of and the advantages and disadvantages
Assessments in the workplace
Monitoring individuals performance to ensure standards, processes & compliance procedures are followed.
Advantages
Reliable evidence - seen with own eyes
As it is reliable, less evidence required than indirect evidence
Less need to have to interpret or draw conclusions
Disadvantages
Time consuming
Can’t see everything
May not be natural - people can put on when they know they are being observed
A snap shot, may not show ongoing trends
