At a first glance, the term “developmental coaching” may seem to be an oxymoron, since all coaching is naturally intended to develop certain characteristics and strengths within an individual. However, many coaching programs haphazardly employ coaching or mentoring techniques without truly understanding the mindset or thought process of the individual being coached. Developmental coaching uses a framework of techniques that first aim to understand the WHAT, the WHY, and the HOW of an individual before proceeding with developmental coaching.
The fundamental problem lies in the fact that many coaching programs are adept at identifying certain inadequacies within individuals, but fail to find the roots of these problems. On most occasions, the current state of mind of an individual being coached is often attributed to the environment they are placed within. However, this kind of profiling or coaching may not be apt for individuals because it takes on a symptomatic approach rather than viewing the problem holistically. “Step back and look around,” as I would say.
What does developmental coaching involve?
Developmental coaching, as opposed to more traditional coaching, uses assessments, 360 feedback, and past experiences to take into account the stage of development that a person is in. The first component of this kind of modeling is as basic as the age or generation of the individual. Developmental coaches will need to pay attention to these characteristics when beginning the coaching process. A person who has just graduated from college with little experience of the real world will have to be viewed and coached differently than someone who is in their mid-fifties.
While the age of an individual is important to note, a professional developmental coach will also seek to understand the habits and routines of an individual throughout the course of their past. This is a method of determining the 'mental age' of an individual. This differs from the first component as it gives the coach an understanding of the thought patterns that have existed in an individual's past, and how they have evolved into their current state of mind. Developmental coaches should base their work on the theory that it is our experiences which determine the kind of person we eventually become. The different degrees of meaning that individuals attach to particular experiences are likely to dictate the actions of the individual in the future. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is Einstein’s definition of insanity.
How does developmental coaching differ from traditional coaching?
Coaching and mentoring have become integral parts of the human resource function in many businesses. There are a number of business coaching companies in the marketplace that make promises of increased productivity and improved levels of motivation. While these companies may be hugely effective in improving an individual's productivity, they are often not concerned with truly developing an individual holistically. Many of these professional coaching companies use techniques of conditioning when dealing with individuals.
Conditioning refers to a method by which a person may be trained into following and abiding to certain patterns of thought, while avoiding others. One method of achieving this is by building associations between particular patterns of thought and negative experiences that an individual has gone through in the past. The fear of falling into previous patterns of thought is what prevents them from doing so. An individual's productivity and motivation levels may be superficially and temporarily improved, but it is likely that this kind of coaching will need to be re-enforced for it to remain effective.
Developmental coaching does not involve a process of conditioning. While it is possible to force individuals to attach a particular degree of meaning to an experience, true development comes when the individual himself reaches this meaning. The purpose of developmental coaching is not to affect behavioral change, but rather to bring about a mindset change.
Mindset = Behavior = Results
A professional developmental coach understands that this process cannot happen overnight, or even over the course of a few months. Many coaching companies pride themselves on their ability to change and improve worker productivity within the smallest of timescales. Developmental change is a process that can take years to be achieved, and a developmental coach will look to communicate skills and knowledge to the individual that will help them develop themselves on their own, keeping ownership where it belongs - with the person being coached.
Developmental coaching is concerned with uncovering the root of a mindset problem or insecurity and equipping individuals with tools and the mindset to tackle and overcome these problems on their own. As such, this kind of coaching looks to place individuals within a constant framework of development, rather than attempting to achieve a static goal or target. It is repeatable and sustainable. Some techniques of developmental coaching:
Integrated mental training (spaced repetition)
Integrated mental training is a process whereby a developmental coach looks to influence an individual's cognitive and emotional states, and instigate the development of new attitudes, perspectives, and thought structures. It has less to do with helping individuals improve their work ethics or problem solving abilities, but encourages individuals to associate experiences and communication with images, rather than thoughts. Integrated mental training is a technique that was developed in the late 60s and continues to be commonly used by developmental coaches across the world. The technique places huge emphasis on unlocking alternative states of consciousness through visual stimuli, as well as improving the relationship between an individual's body and mind. Sounds a little ‘touchy feely’ doesn’t it? It is all about staying within oneself.
Competence
If you had excellent grades in high school or college, it does not necessarily mean that you will be successful when you enter the real world. While education is important because it provides you with knowledge, as well as new perspectives, it may not necessarily prepare you for the job or specialty you are passionate about or interested in. Developmental coaches have found that individuals who are confident in their abilities to perform particular tasks that fulfill them will continue to remain motivated. This kind of developmental coaching is used to identify ‘espoused theory’ and ‘theory in action’ and to affect change allowing the individual to invoke ‘right action’ that can be applied in reality.
Coaching for prevention
Many professional coaches often concern themselves with improving the problem solving skills of an individual. This kind of coaching is premised on an understanding that all problems cannot be anticipated, and that individuals need the skills to cope with these unanticipated problems. Coaching for prevention, on the other hand, encourages constructive patterns of thought that are geared towards thinking for the future, rather than reacting to the present. This technique is evolving because it ultimately attempts to solidify an individual's goals, rather than magnifying their problems. Being able to visualize a path towards a particular target or goal is more constructive than equipping oneself to deal with unforeseeable problems that might arise in the future. As I would say, “See the future state and drive towards it.”
Enjoy the journey - celebrate small wins - party upon arrival.
Select your next destination!
Repeat
