
By Gavin Grift
If you’ve been appointed to a coaching role, it’s a fantastic opportunity to genuinely support staff – and indirectly, students.
But there are some very common mistakes I routinely see rookie coaches making.
Here are three things you should not be doing.
PITFALL 1: ASSUMING OTHERS RELY ON YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL
When you’re still finessing your coaching skills, it’s important to remember that you’re not yet at the pinnacle of your craft. Like teaching, coaching is an ongoing process of development.
You’re a coach, not a mentor
Newer coaches often assume that others need to always draw on their knowledge and resources to be successful.
But we are first and foremost coaches – not consultants or mentors.
A consultant or mentor takes the role of informing people about the kinds of things they might need to be thinking about, applying or practicing.
Whereas a coach’s job is to help others access and understand their own thinking.
Believing in your coachee
A successful coach must have a steadfast belief that their coachee has the inner resources to be successful.
This is the case no matter whether you’ve just met them, or you’ve been working together for 20 years.