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Offer suggestions sparingly from "summary" of The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
When it comes to coaching, it's easy to fall into the trap of believing that you need to have all the answers. After all, isn't that why people come to you for help in the first place? However, the truth is that offering suggestions too quickly can actually do more harm than good. When you're too quick to jump in with your own ideas, you're not giving the other person a chance to come up with their own solutions. This can stifle their creativity and limit their sense of ownership over the problem at hand. Instead of offering suggestions right off the bat, it's important to give the other person space to think for themselves. This can be uncomfortable at first, especially if you're used to being the one with all the answers. But by holding back and allowing the other person to explore their own thoughts and ideas, you're actually empowering them to come up with more innovative and effective solutions. By offering suggestions sparingly, you're also demonstrating that you trust the other person to come up with their own solutions. This can be incredibly empowering for them, as it shows that you have confidence in their abilities and respect their autonomy. It also encourages them to take ownership of the problem and see it through to a successful resolution. Of course, there will be times when offering a suggestion is necessary. But by making it the exception rather than the rule, you can ensure that your coaching conversations are more focused on helping the other person develop their own problem-solving skills. This can lead to more meaningful and lasting change, as the other person learns how to tackle challenges on their own. So next time you're tempted to offer up a solution right away, take a step back and give the other person a chance to find their own way. You might be surprised at what they come up with.
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