In today’s world of information overload and entertainment addiction, the attention span of most of the younger generation and our grandkids is going down. They are amazingly tech-savvy, smarter and faster than us and even those before us. The ones joining / doing their professional courses are also very clear on the balance between work and life. Those who are joining these professional courses now are comparatively more affluent with time. They are also clear on the need to set aside space to grow.
The earlier understanding of in-depth knowledge and rattling off the sections, sub-sections, clauses and explanations is no longer in vogue. Practical problem-solving in the shortest time is the call of the day.
The advanced world is adapting rapidly to the needs of being able to empower the students to be able to meet the unknown future. The ability to communicate and present effectively have been the most-sought-after skills in the past decade. This decade is seeing ‘coaching / mentoring’ as the most important key to success in the workplace, be it in services, startups, or in professional firms. Lakhs of life coaches are available today on commercial basis but a few do it out of passion. Mentors are few and far between. Readers may Google for the difference between them. Suffice it to say that mentoring is normally longer term and may not be specific to ‘growth’ or ‘profession’ and could be said to lean towards the ‘gurukul’ system.
There can be different coaches for different aspects like profession, sport, life itself.
This article attempts to provide some thoughts on ‘how to’ take up steps that one can adopt for putting a coaching plan in action in a CA firm. It is based on the exercise undertaken in the past two decades with the concentration being on the last year. (The ongoing pandemic gives us the time for both sides!)
WHO CAN BE COACHED?
Anyone can be coached if they are willing. However, most employees / partners may opt out as they see it as an exercise for additional responsibility, intrusion into their privacy, etc. The advantages of getting coached to be more effective (smart), fast-track their growth and reach their potential early could reduce the resistance.
There can be no coaching without the student / professional (hereinafter called student) being convinced that they need to be coached and by that particular person. Their view that distinguished seniors / friends may not be ideal as they could be carrying baggage which can come in the way of open listening needs to be assuaged. Suggestions would include the need to change their thought process, take on disciplined habits which would need them to step out of their comfort zone. The resistance can come in the implementation of suggestions like ‘deliberate gratitude’ where they may need to have open oral acknowledgements with their parents / others.
The objective could be to be able to reach limitation due to past / present events, reframe the ‘stories’ to recognise that they were mere events and nothing more… rather, they were a guide for a broader ‘world view’. It is important to ensure that it is not mixed up with the objective of being advantageous to the firm.
It may also be important to set (a) the purpose, (b) the limits and (c) have a broad agreement on how it would go along as it is a strong commitment of time and proactive effort on both sides.
If there is too much resistance then the student may have to be encouraged to find out more by watching various coaching videos, read articles / books on the subject and learn like ‘Eklavya’.
WHO CAN COACH?
There is no one born to coach but those having good interpersonal skills and compassion could find it easier. Both these skills can be cultivated and one can learn about them on the internet. The competencies which can be focused on and which are needed to be a coach / mentor could be:
1) Listening deeply to what is being shared without distractions, disturbances and interruptions. The coach should even be able to catch some of the unsaid things.
2) Learning to ask the appropriate questions to understand the student / professional’s mental make-up and possible ‘block’ which they cannot see (reading between the lines, as they say). Avoid judging in the interaction.
3) Be aware of the general characteristics of the generation (a result of the environment) but not to be judgmental while listening. Understand Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs for arriving at the real reasons for decisions taken.
4) Get to understand possible and available ‘tools’ such as workbooks for coaching.
5) Understand that even managers / partners have a need to be loved, belonging, worthiness, constant validation and at times feeling that they are not enough.
6) Dealing with coaching setbacks with the belief that one is striving to make a difference.
7) Need to be self-motivated as well as motivating all the time and avoid blame and complaints about the students.
8) A coach who is in a rush or insists on completion of one stage can get a student disconnected.
9) If possible, the coach should have mindfulness (being aware of his feelings, thoughts and sensations), heartfulness (being sincere and warm in feelings / emotions) and soulfulness (expressing deep feelings and emotions).
ALTERNATE WAYS / MEANS OF COACHING
The need to understand the ways and means (tools) to coach gives us the needed confidence to take up this onerous contributing exercise. Some of the ways could be as under:
I Learning to be a good coach as explained above is most important;
II Listen to clients – are they holding back – past, present or future? Where excited, sad, body language, listen for frustrations / challenges / what is holding them back, demotivating factors;
III Thinking to spark ideas / alternatives for them to be even better. Insightful real self-stories along with well-known stories of others could strike a chord. Use of metaphors is found relatable and acceptability is high;
IV Communicating – how we reply (judging vs. empathetic); absolute truth vs. relative truth – circumstances / environment being considered;
V Long-term habits / behaviour changes and sticking to it by journaling, habit tracker, daily empowering routine can be emphasised;
VI Emotional Awareness / Mapping: +ive / -ive emotions ranked. Those below the average improved (issue may be self-esteem, negative environment, meaning given to events) and those with high marks also sharpened;
VII Emotional Training.
All emotions to be detailed as and when felt – not vague. Once labelled, suggestions could be:
1. Distance self from the incident / communication – as if it is happening to someone else;
2. If in five years it would not mean anything, do not spend more than five minutes on it;
3. Look at the incident from the other person’s point of view if something keeps coming back.
POSSIBLE METHODOLOGY OF COACHING (HOW TO?)
a) Categorise the professional into the five major types of human beings to be able to customise the coaching. (A = Director; B = Socialiser; C = Thinker; D = Supporter; and X = Combination of two or more.)
b) Understand the past, present with possibly a strength / weakness assessment.
c) Understand / agree on the need for coaching and acceptability of the coach.
d) Establish ‘connect’ by listening actively.
e) Set framework and periodicity as per mutual convenience of the student / professional.
f) In the physical meeting (preferred) or virtual one be open and transparent as a coach and if some resistance is observed, do not hurry or decide, probe sensitively – give time.
g) Getting the understanding of the emotional intelligence which rules each and every one of us by self and later the students’ / professionals’ ranking. This could lead to self-realisation and the beliefs / areas where one may like to focus to be more balanced.
h) Ability to reframe the issue by placing for consideration the possibilities is vital. The shame, incompetence, helplessness expressed to be presented that one is enough, one is as good as the next or the opportunity to grow, respectively.
i) Guide in the setting up of SMART goals by looking at ‘wow’ goals, why that goal is important (three to five reasons), sub-goals to achieve the goal, how one needs to ‘be’ to achieve the goals. Finally, how to achieve to-dos with timelines on yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily action points.
(a) This is a crucial part where sharing of incidents in one’s life, being vulnerable connects one better.
(b) Arriving at achievable goals with areas of ‘higher calling’ may be vital: envisioning a better world, being an inspirational person, believing that small daily acts can lead to the astounding results that one wants.
j) Look at facilitating the goals set with genuine positive celebratory acknowledgements for the improvement as perceived by the student / professional is a key to continuation.
k) Seek out the challenges and see the alternatives as identified by the student. Do not be in a hurry to provide the solutions. Rather, guide them to the answers to ensure ownership of the solution.
l) Proven technologies such as focus on being rather than doing, deliberate gratitude, regular exercise, breathing properly, meditation, journaling, letting go of the past and learning to forgive could be part and parcel of this coaching.
m) Follow through at least for six months to one year on a monthly basis to get the desired results.
n) Much more by involving and growing in coaching.
CONCLUSION
The world, India and our profession, all of them need heroes. Everyone has the capacity and potential to be that in at least one area. One cannot think of a better contribution / legacy than leaving the world better off with committed, professional global citizens / leaders. Coach yourself and coach all at the office for an empowered and happy office with no limits on growth of the individual or firm.
