Three coaching novellas

In telling these stories, I want to emphasise that the intent is for our coaching to be gold standard, and not a band wagon that we’ve jumped on. This is not a criticism of others, but a warning. Coaching is many things, but it’s not a quick fix or a method of instructing others to comply with a set of procedures, organisational goals or other external key performance indicators. Coaching is personal, it’s relational, it’s reflective and reflexive, it’s disruptive, it’s empowering, it’s developmental.

Be the change that is within you

Let’s start with me. A newly appointed CEO. My Chair of Trust Board was committed to my professional development. There was a brief discussion about doing an NPQEL but I knew I needed a high quality professional safe space to be free to talk about whatever was on my agenda. I didn’t want or need a structured framework of regulated learning. I knew of a Coach who would fit my needs. I needed space to unload and then reload. This is what I have had in abundance. It has been, at times, quite an emotional journey. But it has been without judgement. It has enabled me to energise and reenergise, to focus and refocus, to question and re question. It has been without judgement, but not without challenge. It has been safe.

There’s a lot going on under the water

Working closely with our leaders across the Trust, I felt some would benefit from the safety of a coach to talk more about the challenges of their professional lives. As the CEO, I have listened carefully and recognised the cliff edges that you they experience. Our leaders must be supported, a safety rope to hold onto, a climbing rope to help them get to the summit. Choosing our coach is finding the right person for you, about trusting that rope: when you trust you can give of your true authentic self. You feel safe.

Hold on to your rope and trust

My final coaching story is about three colleagues, all at different stages in their careers, but all who are having coaching as part of their national professional qualification. Choosing their coach was a purposeful and deliberate act, someone they each felt understood them as professionals, not to give them answers but help them find the answers from within. Finding and facilitating agency, the skill of the coaching, listening and not interrupting (Kline, 2020).

I promise to listen...

In our Trust, coaching is enshrined in the vision statement. Coaching is for all. Whether an early career teacher or someone preparing for executive leadership or our new Chair of the Trust Board, we have all embraced coaching for growth. We go into our coaching knowing that this is a relationship where we are nurtured and enabled to be vulnerable, to reflect and set goals. These intentions are not directed from another claiming to understand us or our context, but a coach who is expert in their craft of facilitating our growth.

It’s all about you

Coaching is not a fad, it is not a quick fix, it is not the latest professional development pill to pop. It’s not performance management. Being mindful of the dangers of shallow appropriation of coaching to satisfy organisational goals at the expense of true personal growth, must be resisted.

My community of practice; #CollectivEd, has enabled me as a Coach to deepen my understanding and develop my own practice of leadership coaching. I have been able to engage in conversations to challenge and support my thinking. In my new role as CEO of a MAT, I am even more determined to ensure our coaching is the gold standard. Our people are the most important: you deserve nothing less.

Kerry Jordan-Daus is a CollectivED Fellow

You can follow her on twitter at @KerryJordanDaus

This blogpost was first published at Three coaching novellas – A Bridge Over Troubled Waters (wordpress.com)