Coaching offer

In Cumberland Council we are keen to develop a coaching culture.  This involves focusing on shifting unwritten rules, values, norms, behaviours and practices to spread a coaching mindset and practices throughout the organisation so that coaching becomes a key part of our organisational identity. A coaching culture improves the way employees interact with each other and with all external stakeholders and residents. In short, a better culture starts with better conversations.

Manager as a Coach

In Cumberland Council we are keen to develop a coaching culture.  This involves focusing on shifting unwritten rules, values, norms, behaviours and practices to spread a coaching mindset and practices throughout the organisation so that coaching becomes a key part of our organisational identity. A coaching culture improves the way employees interact with each other and with all external stakeholders and residents. A coaching culture creates a climate where people can freely:

• Give and receive feedback
• Support and stretch each other’s thinking
• Challenge each other with support, testing ideas where appropriate
• Engage in effective development conversation.

In short, a better culture starts with better conversations.

The Cumberland Employee Appraisal process is built on this foundation and we have a range of offerings to managers and employees to further support the development of a coaching culture across the council.

Why coaching?

We generally own problems and issues that we solve ourselves.  A coaching conversation is non-directive - there is a focus on self-development but the coach does not have to have any experience of what the coachee wants to discuss. It is about them solving/coming up with solutions for themselves via the tools and techniques utilised with them by the coach. Often a short-term non-dependent relationship which provides an opportunity to explore an issue/problem.

The questioning and summarising techniques of coaching help to draw out the issues/components of the issue; summarising and asking open questions, paraphrasing to help ensure understanding gives the coachee an opportunity to reflect and confirm the issue and also to explore solutions – thus owning and taking responsibility for solutions.

Being a Cumberland Manager (BACM)

Developing a coaching approach is woven throughout the programme, and is covered in more detail in Taking a Strengths Based Approach to Leadership and The Secret Language of Leadership.

Book onto the Being a Cumberland Manager programme.

Aspiring Manager Programme

The Aspiring Managers Programme at Cumberland Council is designed for individuals who are not in managerial roles but show the potential and are ready to step into such positions. This programme aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed for effective leadership while emphasizing the crucial role that management plays within the Council and the community we serve.

Effective 121 and Appraisal Conversations

Access to online resources to ensure that you, as a manager, plan and prepare for your 121 and appraisal  conversations with your team and includes:

• What should be covered in effective and meaningful 121 and appraisal conversations
• Taking a coaching approach including:
  • Listening skills
  • Questioning skills
  • Feedback Skills
  • Applying this to our process
  • Tools to help and support

Book onto our Effective 121 and Appraisal Course.

Self-Coaching

"Self -coaching is the process of guiding our growth and development, particularly through periods of transition, in both the professional and personal realms" ( Batista 2013)

It is a skill anyone can learn and tailor to their individual needs and preferences and it can add to our resources in dealing with challenges in a constructive and creative way.

It is the ability to guide our own growth in personal and professional areas. It allows for self-reflection in the areas that we want to explore and grow in.

Typically, self-coaching involves the following steps:

• ​​​​​​​Understand the real problem
• Identify your desired outcome
• Cultivate self-awareness
• Mind map your options
• Make a plan
• Take action
• Measure your progress and celebrate

Self-coaching in practice

It can be anything from coming up with an action plan, listing your strengths and weaknesses, reading a self-help book, or enrolling in a night class to supplement your learning. These are the types of activities that you’d do with a professional contracted coach. Working through the exercises on your own means you’re doing some self-coaching.

Imagine that you’re interested in learning a language. Where do you start? Do you do an online search or head to your local library for some research? Maybe you ask a friend that you know is knowledgeable about languages.

All of those actions are part of a self-coaching routine. 

Once you know what self-coaching is, you’ll see it working in almost everything you do.

Find my why...

If you only have time to use one tool this is the one. Set aside 30 minutes to explore you. Find my why will help you explore what motivates you and help you to identify key aspects personal to you that are essential in your career development.