Week 3 I coach Wendy

Michelle Jacobs

Coachee Wendy

2/23/14

Wendy and I introduced ourselves this past week. At the beginning of the conversation, we spent time learning about each other and where we should focus our attention each time we speak for our coaching calls. I explained a bit about my educational background and myself. Wendy was very receptive to the idea of coaching and stated that she looked forward to meeting each week to discuss what was going on in her life and how things are progressing with our coaching calls. I explained to Wendy that I am a clinical supervisor at a vocational program for adults with developmental disabilities. I described my role as a clinical supervisor and how I often act as a coach to my staff and to the individuals with the developmental disabilities assisting them to work through their problems and various situations. With my training through this class I am able to be a more objective coach. I will ensure that follow the 5 steps of coaching. Wendy explained how things are going in her life and how she hopes coaching can help her throughout the semester. Wendy stated that she believes that it is easier to coach someone you know personally because we are more likely to cheer on the people we know or care for. I agree and disagree with this statement. While we tend to cheer on the people that we care about, we also have a difficult time listening and not providing advice based on what we think they should in their situation.

Week 3 Kerri coaches Michelle

Michelle Jacobs

Coach Kerri

2/23/14

Kerri and I spoke through Skype for our coaches’ call. At the beginning of our call we spoke about our personal lives and took the time to learn about what is going on in each other’s lives. We step up the brickwork for future meetings. Kerri stated that she is a dental hygienist at the Veterans Affairs hospital. She explained that she was married and is currently working towards acquiring her master’s degree.  In our conversation we spoke about the different aspects of our lives that we could each apply our coaching to and some of the current struggles that we are each going through as graduate students and working full time jobs.  After we got to know more about each other, we were able to begin the coaching process.  I explained to Kerri that I am currently very overwhelmed with what is going on in my life. I am in my final semester at UMASS Boston and will graduate in the spring with my master’s in Education and a graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. I am taking three courses this summer and am in the process of moving. I explained to Kerri that I work fulltime and will soon be completing my capstone. Through my coaching I am hoping to find ways to de-stress and focus on what’s going on at the moment rather than stress about what’s happening tomorrow. Kerri was very patient; she listened to what I had to say and asked some great questions. I look forward to being coached by Kerri this semester.

coaching summary

Michelle Jacobs

Coaching Summary

2/23/14

Coaching to me is a way for an individual to make progress in their life with the assistance of another person. To me it’s a way to create a thought provoking process with a neutral outside person who is assisting you through a problem or situation. Coaches are able to push and extend you in areas you didn’t know were possible.  It allows you to extend your development in your communication skills. Coaching is a way to support the learning of the person you are coaching based on what’s currently going on in their lives.

Hopefully through out this process I can provide my coachee with assistance through listening, mirroring, summarizing, questioning and analyzing.  Listening to your coachee allows for you show your coachee their situation that they are currently in and the positive experience that could come from the situation. Sometimes it is difficult to step back and fully see the situation or problem in front of you.  Often many people will reflect on the possible negative side effect and not think of the good that could come out of the situation.  Most people do not like change and think the worst of a situation when things outside of their plan in life occur.  Utilizing mirroring, we can ask questions or make suggestions to show the coachee how things really are. We often are able to come to a conclusion or solution simply by talking out our problems. Mirroring allows the coach to guide the coachee to find the appropriate answer or solution. Summarizing allows the coach to summarize the content of the discussion for the coachee. Conversations often evolve and morph into a solution. Summarizing identifies the key points for the coachee. Questioning occurs when the coach asks helpful questions that allow the coachee to gain clarity of the situation they are faced with, challenge their current thinking, and it allows for deeper thought into the problem. Catalyzing brings energy to make a transformation in the coachee’s life. Catalyzing a conversation means taking a interest in what the discussion is about. Without an interest in the topic of the conversation, it is difficult to remain focused and guide the coachee in their life.

Prior to the start of this class I have informally coached others in their lives but I do not think I have fully completed all the steps of coaching. By the end of this class I think I will be able to fully assist a coachee with their problem or situation in life.  I think this week’s lecture will allow for me to become a better coachee. In the past I have had a difficult time allowing others to guide me through problems or a situation going on in my life. I prefer to do things on my own and never really thought that by talking through a situation I could fix the problem. 

I work at a vocational center for adults with developmental disabilities as a clinical supervisor. I supervise 8 staff and 23 adults with developmental disabilities. In my professional life, I plan to use coaching with my staff as situation in their lives or work situations arise.