COACHING IN PRACTICE Advanced Coaching and reflective practice. robert.boardman@aue.salvationarmy.org ian.heininger@aue.salvationarmy.org (02) 9542 5699 www.reconnect.salvos.org.au
Model of Coaching- GROW GROW Model- a basic coaching session Goals- establish what the person wants-set goals & write them down. Reality- checking to explore the current situation Options- exploring options and alternative strategies or courses of action Wrap Up Identify specifics-what is to be done, When, by Who, and the Will to do it.
Coaching... Coaching builds hope. It's about rebuilding a sense of worth including possible recovery from negative effects on relationships and living a productive life It involves taking ownership for transformation, and being actively engaged in change and recovery.
The normal population Is coaching is about working with the non-clinical?
Coaching as Casework? Casework: 1. is about assessment & planning, where the goals are often directed by the caseworker. 2. is collaborative where the caseworker often holds equal or greater power and input as to what needs to happen. 3. usually involves taking action on behalf of the person Coaching: 1. is primarily about self-assessment with the person deciding what is really important for them. 2. is about the person having greater power to decide what needs to happen. 3. invites the person to take action and decide what support is required 4. employs a specific model and techniques to achieve outcomes.
Some of the benefits of using a coaching model: Builds skills so people can learn to be self-directing as opposed to over dependant or merely compliant. Allows workers to re-focus skills and experience to empower people in the process of recovery. Coach role is less stigmatizing than traditional helping roles. Skills & competencies developed through coaching are likely to be transferred to other areas.
What happens?
Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs
Goals hierarchies Questions to move up to the next level (chunking up): What difference would that make? Why would that make a difference? How would this make a difference? Would that make a difference for everyone or just your situation? If all these things were leading to something what would that be? How does this fit with the bigger picture? Why would that be important? What effect would this have? What are you actually trying to achieve here? What is it you really want? What s the benefit in that? If this happened how would it feel?
Goals hierarchies Questions to move up to the next level (chunking down): What/How/When/Who specifically? What are examples of this? What would be the first step towards that? How would you do that? What would have to happen? If you had how would you know? What would it look like if you? What is a good way of doing that? How could that need/goal be satisfied? What are some ways you could?
Positive Psychology: Overview We see what we look for and we miss much of what we are not looking for even though it is there... Our experience of the world is heavily influenced by where we place our attention. Stavros and Torres
Positive Psychology: Overview Positive psychology is a scientific study of optimal human functioning [that] aims to discover and promote the factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive (Seligman, 1999).
Positive Psychology: Overview Psychology as a discipline should be as concerned with: strength as with weakness building the best things in life as in repairing the worst making the lives of normal people fulfilling as with healing pathology Seligman, 2007
Positive Psychology: Reframing Reframing Questions: The Case of a Chicago School- Marva Collins Traditional Way How can we keep students in school? Marva Collins Way How can we cultivate the seed of greatness?
Character strengths: dominant conceptualisations The VIA Classification of Strengths and Virtues 24 strengths organised into 6 virtues Strengths enable the achievement of virtues Strengths are distinguished from talents (talents are more innate, non-moral and can be wasted) www.positivepsychology.org online test measuring 24 strengths
Virtues and Character Strengths Seligman s positive psychology anti DSM
Character strengths: dominant conceptualisations The Clifton StrengthsFinder 34 themes of talent Talent as the basis of strengths Strengths are produced when talents are refined with knowledge and skills www.strengthsfinder.com -34 human talents/strengths
Character strengths: dominant conceptualisations The Personality Strengths Project Over 50 strengths, organised into 7 categories A strength is a natural capacity for behaving, thinking, or feeling in a way that allows optimal functioning and performance in the pursuit of valued outcomes (Linley & Harrington, 2006). www.personalitystrengths.com online questionnaire
What we focus on grows! What we focus on grows! Language directs attention Focus on solutions Positive attentional bias Positive Deviance!
Be Happy? What is the highest of all goals achievable by actions?...both the general run of man and people of superior refinement say it is happiness but with regard to what happiness is, they differ. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book 1, Chapter 4
Authentic Happiness 3 routes to happiness The pleasant life - positive emotion, gratification pleasure, enjoying life, hobbies, relationships, etc.. The good life - absorption, engagement, flow Confidence and satisfaction accomplishing tasks The meaningful life using your strengths in the service of something greater than yourself contributing to something bigger (Martin Seligman, 2003)