I am a big fan of finding importance in every interaction. I recently had my hair cut and coloured. It is always a day of varied emotion for me, as my hair has been a constant source of frustration since I was a girl and yet remains so important to my perception of myself. The trust and rapport that needs to exist between me and my hairdresser is non -negotiable. Fortunately, he is creative, dynamic, dramatic even, uses the tools of his trade with confidence and flair, offers me coffee, makes me laugh and asks some great questions. A bit like a great coaching conversation with scissors.
‘What’s it to be then?’ And we’re off on an exploration of what I really want, what was great about last time, how I am feeling right now, what are my options and what he will do to make the ‘what’s it to be then’ happen. We have lots of chat from local gossip to holidays of course and what great cuisine he has indulged in recently. I am always left feeling like I have been to a party, bewildered but happy from the energy and the attention to detail he recalls as we chat.
One of the most fascinating ideas this time was being told that there were 7 types of cut that were applied to any type of hair in bespoke ways depending on what the customer wanted, their hair type and how bold they were feeling on that day. 7 cuts, used in a bespoke way to get the desired result. It got me thinking about my 7 principles of effective coaching and how they work for the people I coach, just like the approaches my hairdresser had taken to ensure my successful experience.
- Believe in the potential for transformation, parking judgement and criticism and allowing self esteem to bubble.
- Know that people have the resources to find their own solutions, given unconditional time with somebody they trust. Allow them to engage in the challenges and flexibility of this relationship.
- Inspire people to move beyond their comfort zone toward something different-even previously unimagined.
- Bring out the best in people, grow that confidence and realisation of their strengths and let them lead.
- Use influence rather than position, breaking what might seem like huge changes into manageable steps. (I don’t always want to take the drastic steps in one go)
- Care about the human journey enough so that when we grow others, we grow ourselves. Learn as you cut and learn as you coach.
- And always remember a coach will always need coaching and that can be found in your everyday experience if the culture is right.
Question time.
What was the best conversation you had this week?
A great coaching question to use in your day, no matter where you are or who you are with, your professional working life or when you are with your family and friends. Even if you happen to be alone, which coming full circle is how this blog was created. I asked it of myself.
Let me know what results from yourinteraction with the people you use it with.
See you next time.
