by Julie Smith

Vince Lombardi, Joe Gibbs, Tony Dungy: what do these three people have in common? They are some of the greatest coaches in the history of organized sports, not just because they led winning teams, but because they helped draw out their players’ raw talent and motivate them to be the best versions of themselves. These coaches didn’t physically play on the football field and score touchdowns for their teams. Instead, they taught their teams the fundamentals and techniques needed to win on their own merits. These coaches helped their players leverage their strengths, discover personal possibilities, and solve problems together.

Coaching and consulting are distinct practices. A consultant helps a client solve complex problems—often with a focus on organizational performance. Alternatively, a coach asks powerful questions to encourage a client to generate answers by navigating his or her personal thoughts. To put it simply, a coach believes that the client’s answer “lives within them.” When blended, the elements of coaching and consulting (or “coachsulting”[1]) create a powerful dynamic.

Rockwood has identified several “coachsulting” principles that you can apply in your everyday work to become a more engaged, committed, and insightful problem solver:

1.     Listen actively.

When working with your colleagues, ask yourself: “Am I focused on what they are saying, thinking, and feeling? Or am I focused on my own reaction?” Practice “global listening” by focusing on what is happening around you instead of reacting to your own internal stimuli in response to what is being said.

2.     Challenge assessments.

Facts, which can be proven true or false, differ from assessments. An assessment is an individual’s opinion or judgment based on past experiences or emotions. When an individual begins a project, they may bring with them an unfounded assessment of their own (or their organization’s) abilities and challenges. Challenge your employees’ and coworkers’ assessments by gently asking: “How do you know that to be true?”

3.     Exercise “carefrontation.”

Carefrontation is characterized by radical candor, the optimal median between challenging your client directly and caring for them personally. Challenging your staff’s assessments (while also respecting and carefully considering their experiences) can lead to positive professional breakthroughs. You will help them reground their attitudes and beliefs in facts, rather than assumptions. 

4.     Prioritize commitments.

When you say yes to one commitment, you are saying no to another commitment. Employing the “doing” versus “trying” mindset can also help you follow through on your commitments by viewing them as a personal requirement.

5.     Exercise intellectual humility.

Don’t be afraid to admit that you do not have the answer. As challenges and changes arise in your organization, you may not always be a subject matter expert or best suited to address these difficulties. To learn effectively, you must be willing to declare “I don’t know” when appropriate. You can maintain your passion while being open to learning new things by asking substantive questions, actively listening to others, and challenging your existing beliefs based on what you learn.

Once you begin applying these frameworks in your professional interactions with your organization, you will realize their positive impact on workforce empowerment and active engagement. Rockwood employs several “coachsultants” who solve problems in an empathetic way, trusting that our clients often have the answers and can make meaningful progress with the right support from Rockwood. We believe it is possible to advance both personal and professional goals and that Rockwood could be the right partner to enable this vision. Reach out to us at info@rockwoodcompany.com for more information.

[1] https://trainingindustry.com/articles/strategy-alignment-and-planning/coachsulting-101-blending-coaching-and-consulting