Seeking Permission

You have probably heard the adage, "seek forgiveness, not permission". It is handy for when you need to get something done and don't want too much hassle or red tape. But it's undoubtedly not for every situation. And it only works if what you are attempting works.

But one of the things that came up in our online Do ONE THING sessions [or DOTs] last week was how seeking permission can really help when coaching our team members.

In coaching, the object is for the person being coached to think things through for themselves. The coach asks the right questions to help the coachee find some insight, realise a different perspective, get a greater understanding, to create change and take action. But there are times when people simply don't have all the information or relevant experience, and you may need to step in and offer some advice.

And a caveat here - this happens less than you think.

To keep the ownership of the thinking and the outcome with the person being coached, first seek permission to interject your thoughts. For example, you could ask something like, "Would you mind if I made a suggestion?" And then give your idea over to them by saying, "Have you thought about...?"

Put your advice into their thinking process. That way, you are not tempted to be the hero of the story, swooping in to save the day. Don't take ownership of the thinking and the outcomes. Leave those where they belong in order to elevate coachee agency.

#doonethingdeep #coaching #leadership