Coaching and Mentoring Tip Sheet
At times, a participant may have trouble identifying strategies to achieve a goal - their mind simply draws a blank.
Strategies to bridge this void include requesting the participant to identify a time:
When they were in a similar situation and ask;
What worked for you then?
What did you learn from the situation that could be useful to you now?
When they noticed somebody else in a similar situation and ask;
What worked for them?
What did they do that could inform what you do now?
Another strategy is to create a different perspective by asking; “If somebody else was in your situation, what advice would you give them?”
Alternatively, you could promote the participant to identify possible resources from which he/she could draw, by asking:
Who may be able to assist you?
Where could you find support?
Where could you find out?
Here is a tip – don’t become unnerved by protracted silence and avoid jumping in to provide a solution.
If it becomes necessary, request to make a suggestion. If you are invited to do so, phrase the suggestion in terms of your vicarious observations.