Coaching involves listening (and asking questions) to help someone improve their thinking - hence their decisions and actions. It's about noticing their focus and their framing (ie what stories are being triggered). It creates the mental 'space' to learn instead of simply repeat. 

​​

SPACE is also a useful acronym for the keys to success in coaching: 

S = Situation - Work on specific example situations, because you are not trying to change what usually works, just break habitual patterns in specific situations where they are not helpful  

P = Perception - Explore how they see things, ie where is attention being focused, and what is being triggered. Help them to see that reality is subjective not objective! 

A = Attention - Pay full attention. A coach uses not just ears, but eyes and the whole body - eg noticing breathing, body language and the coach's own emotional and physical reactions 

C= Curiosity - Avoid pre-judging the answer you think you 'should' get to. If it is a 'voyage of discovery' for both of you, you may discover a way forward that is better than your initial idea. 

E= Empathy - Recognise (and acknowledge appropriately) any difficult emotions which arise during the coaching. If the topic creates no emotion... it probably isn't that important! 

​

Coaching allows managers to delegate thinking - not just delegate tasks.