Coaching Conversations for New Managers

Learning focus

• Set expectations for the workshop.
• Surface managers’ recent experiences with coaching-related conversations.

Materials

• Slide/handout with title, objectives, agenda.
• Whiteboard/flipchart, or shared digital board.

Facilitator steps

1. Welcome participants, briefly introduce yourself, and state the purpose of the session.
   Example: “Today we’re focusing on one very practical leadership skill: how to hold coaching conversations that help your team think, decide, and move forward.”
2. Review the learning objectives and high-level agenda verbally and visually (on slide or handout).
3. Individual reflection (2–3 minutes): ask participants to recall a recent one-to-one conversation with a direct report that felt hard, awkward, or unsatisfying and jot down what made it challenging (no names or sensitive details).
4. Optional pair or small-group share (5 minutes): invite participants to share high-level themes with a partner or small group, emphasizing that specific personal or sensitive details are not required.
5. Whole-group debrief (5 minutes): ask “What patterns are you noticing in the conversations you wrote down?” and capture themes such as avoiding difficult feedback, running out of time, or doing most of the talking.

Accessibility notes

• Display objectives and agenda as clear bullet points while you explain them.
• Use plain language and avoid unnecessary jargon.
• If virtual, ensure captions are available and share the agenda in advance as a text-based document when possible.

Learning focus

• Differentiate coaching from directing/evaluating.
• Clarify when coaching is appropriate.

Materials

• Definitions/examples slide.
• Sorting activity sheet.

Facilitator steps

1. Orient participants to the segment by explaining that you will clarify what “coaching” means in contrast to directing and evaluating.
2. Present brief contrasting definitions:
   • Coaching: Helping someone think through their own options, clarify goals, and own next steps.
   • Directing: Telling someone what to do and how to do it.
   • Evaluating: Judging past performance and deciding rewards or consequences.
   Emphasize that all three have a place, but this workshop focuses primarily on coaching.
3. Individual reflection (1–2 minutes): ask participants to think of a recent conversation where they were mostly directing or evaluating and jot down one sentence they might turn into a coaching-style question.
4. Small-group activity – “Coaching or not coaching?” (about 10 minutes): provide 6–8 short example manager statements and ask participants, in small groups, to sort them into “coaching” and “not coaching,” then rewrite 1–2 “not coaching” examples as coaching questions.
5. Whole-group debrief (5 minutes): invite groups to share one example they changed from directive/evaluative to coaching and capture patterns (for example, more asking than telling, focusing on the employee’s thinking).
6. Summarize key takeaways: coaching is more about asking than telling, and it assumes the employee has ideas and insights worth drawing out.

Accessibility notes

• Provide definitions and examples in written form as well as verbally.
• Use clear, high-contrast text for printed materials.
• For virtual delivery, ensure activity sheets are screen-reader friendly and easy to zoom.

Learning focus

• Provide a simple, memorable structure for coaching conversations.

Materials

• Framework slide/handout (Goal, Explore, Decide, Follow up).
• Coaching framework handout or job aid.

Facilitator steps

1. Orient participants to the segment by explaining that you will introduce a simple four-step structure for coaching conversations (Goal, Explore, Decide, Follow up).
2. Present and briefly explain each step of the framework:
   • Goal: Agree on what this conversation is about and why now.
   • Explore: Understand what is happening, what the employee has tried, and what matters most to them.
   • Decide: Agree on options and next steps.
   • Follow up: Confirm how and when you will check in on progress.
3. Individual application (about 10 minutes): ask each participant to choose one real or recent coaching-type situation and jot down at least one question they could ask at each step of the framework.
4. Optional pair or small-group share (5 minutes): invite participants to share one of their questions with a partner or small group and give quick feedback on which framework step it fits best.
5. Whole-group debrief (5–8 minutes): invite 2–3 volunteers to share a question they wrote, ask which framework step it represents, and discuss how it could be made even more coaching-focused.

Accessibility notes

• Provide the framework diagram and full text description in the handout.
• Avoid relying solely on colour or shape to convey meaning.
• Ensure the handout is available as a structured digital document for screen readers.