Growth Coaching Course - Facilitator: Deanna Johnston

This was a two day programme. 
During these two days I:

• was introduced to the GROWTH coaching system;
• explored the GROWTH model;
• applied some of the 8 key coaching skills;
• gained an understanding of the Coaching "Ways of Being" for coaching conversations;
• saw modelled and applied the GROWTH coaching model to a range of conversations;
• developed next steps for taking coaching forward in my kura

GROWTH model:

(Relationships)
G - Goals

R - Reality

O - Options

W - Will

T - Tactics

H - Habits

(Results)

Good coaching conversations lead to...

A - Actions

C - Clarity

E - Energy

8 Key Coaching Skills:

1. Developing trust

2. Being present

3. Listen actively

4. Clarifying

5. Empathising

6. Being succinct

7. Asking the best questions

8. Giving feedback

Let those "white spaces" (silence) rest - it allows the coachee to process their thoughts. 

A major component is your emotional intelligence and "way of being".

Coaching is achieving goals:

• Where are you today?
• How will you get there?
• Where are you going?

Existing goals → Motivation/Strengths/Environment→Desired State "Future Perfect"

Coaching is about:

• seeing talent (strengths, potential) in everyone; solution-focused vs focusing on problems;
• expanding people's frames of reference vs allowing them to remain fixed (deficit theorising);
• seeing new possibilities vs setting tasks;
• asking (developing) vs telling;
• working WITH difference vs trying to change people;
• giving honest, constructive feedback vs feeling frustrated by avoiding the 'real' conversations.

Effective Listening

Active Listening Attitudes

• being "present" mindset
• avoid 'me too';
• remember that you think faster than peole can speak;
• listening for content and feelings.

Active Listening Behaviours:

• eye contact (appropriate);
• open posture;
• minimal encouragers;
• probing/clarifying questions or responses.

Have a go - Problem Talk

• Tell me about one of your small work challenges at the moment;
• Why is this such a problem?
• What are the worst emotions you have around this?
• what are the road bumps to progress here?

Have a go - Solution Talk

• tell me about what you'd like to achieve in relation to this?
• if this was working well, what would be happening?
• can you think of a time when you handled this situation successfully?
• what would others notice you doing if you were managing this challenge?
• if you could take just one single action to move this forward, what would it be?

Concerned-based feedback reminders:

• talk with people not at them;
• the more emotionally loaded the subject, the more silence is required;
• use silence to slow down a conversation so that you can discover what the conversation really wants to be about.

I would thoroughly recommend this course to anyone wanting to help and support colleagues.

My future perfect would be our entire teaching staff to attend this PD so we have a shared understanding and knowledge in order to be on the same waka.