Tariq reflects on his own coaching style including further development on techniques and provides references for quotes used throughout.
Reflection on my own coaching style.
Being in the driver training industry I teach and coach two types of pupil:
- (i) learners/novices
- (ii) Qualified drivers in need of refresher training or Defensive driver training. These are mainly corporate clients.
My approach varies on the spectrum of Directive to Non-Directive teaching and coaching. With the complete novice, initially a Directive approach is needed although a Solutions Focused (SF) approach is at times quite useful in getting the client to think for themselves. After all, we need thinking not robotic drivers. Driving is a responsible and at times dangerous activity. Disasters just don’t happen, they are a chain of critical events and speed plays an important part. At times, we are seconds from disaster if a responsible instructor does not step in to take evasive action. A skilled driving practitioner needs a good understanding of the pupil’s body language, their mind-set and what factors motivate them to succeed. This can only come about by building a good rapport. This will vary from coachee to coachee.
Further Development.
To further develop my coaching practise, I intend to use other coaching models such as the OSCAR. This was developed as an extension to the popular GROW Model by Andrew Gilbert & Karen Whittleworth. The OSCAR acronym stands for Outcome, Situation, Choices/Consequences, Actions and Review. I am also looking into using clean language and the use of metaphors. Already I have started to use this concept in my driver training by using metaphors. Metaphors are an inherent part of our daily life, both in our waking and sleeping states (Wilson C, 2008). Fears and phobias are inherent in the inner self and when an individual is performing under pressure, for example giving a presentation or carrying out a driving manoeuvre, at times panic sets in. The person feels they’re being judged by prying eyes. The concept of clean language and metaphor develop in improved function, and when the client is helped to explore the metaphors, they go on to develop other metaphors that provide solution to their problem (Thomson B, 2013).
In concluding…….
In this article I have done my best to critically analyse the non-directive approach to coaching and explore some of the limitations. I then explored the SF approach to coaching, which I am currently using in my job with success. The relevant models have been instrumental in helping me and my coachees to move forward and also identifying clean language and metaphors which I intend to incorporate in my work. In rounding off this article, I have compared Non-Directive coaching with SF, CBC, NLP & the GROW Model. I have tried to make the various distinctions between each of these approaches and comparing with the Rogerian Humanistic approach. The Humanistic Approach is what our driving industry in now modelled upon & the audit competencies (known as the Standards Check) reflects this approach from the DVSA (Drivers and Vehicle Standards Agency).
About the author
