We are pleased to share an article entitled “What Makes a Good Educator? ~ 6 essential skills and best practices” written by Chariti Gent and Annette Siewertsen.
As the demand for credentialed coaches around the globe continues to grow, so does the need for quality coaching education. A crucial question for coach training providers is: What skills are required of those who are teaching the coaches of tomorrow?
On a recent Discovery Series webinar, the International Coaching Federation’s Global Coach Knowledge Community came together to discuss this very question. The dialogue was rich, and a body of valuable suggestions emerged. Here are a few takeaways from that discussion about the essential skills and best practices for current and future coaching educators.
- BE BOTH A SKILLED EDUCATOR & MASTERFUL COACH
A good coaching educator is defined by a unique blend of qualities and characteristics – we need individuals who are not just exceptional trainers/educators, but who are also outstanding coaches.
- Be proficient in both professional training and professional coaching. Being an engaging speaker and capturing the rapt interest of a classroom audience is no easy feat – and coaching educators must work to hone this skill, even if public speaking and teaching come naturally.
Additionally, coaching educators must be top-notch coaches themselves, as they often serve as role models in the classroom, leading by example and demonstrating core coaching competencies and behaviors to students.
- Hold a high degree of emotional intelligence. Being self-aware and understanding one’s impact on others is key to providing a quality adult learning experience – and key to being a masterful coach.
- Be inspirational and motivational. When learning the skills and competencies of professional coaching, many students are “going back to school” for the first time in quite a while. It can be incredibly daunting! So it is important that coaching educators understand when to don the hat of cheerleader and booster, positively encouraging their students to keep going toward the finish line.
Knowing how to make learners feel connected and eager to push forward is an important part of the educator’s role in providing a transformational learning experience.
2. ALWAYS BE LEARNING
Being a lifelong learner with a hunger and aptitude for learning is crucial for coaching educators. The coaching profession is dynamic and constantly evolving. Staying current with new research, methodologies and tools – in both the fields of professional coaching and adult learning – is essential for coach educators to remain effective and relevant.
- Continue to engage in the practice of coaching in order to stay sharp. Without continued exposure to clients and real-world experiences, coaching educators risk losing credibility among learners and confidence in their own skill set.
- Beyond working with clients, coaching educators can keep themselves sharp through engaging their own practice of being mentored and supervised. Being mentored by another coach is one of the most effective ways for any coach, at any level to keep their foundational coaching skills in expert order. And working with a supervisor coach is one of the most effective supports for a coach’s ongoing maturity and development as a professional.
- Through reflective evaluation of their own instructional methods and effectiveness, always questioning how and why they do what you do in the classroom, coaching educators can continually evaluate their approaches and methodologies to stay on the cutting edge for their students and programs.
Having systematized ways of defining and measuring success is an integral part of any coaching educator’s overall instructional plan.
3. EDUCATE YOURSELF IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
Effective curriculum development and instructional design processes ensure that coaching programs are well structured, engaging and accessible to a wide variety of students. Without skills in the behind-the-scenes aspects of facilitating a high-quality and wide-reaching learning experience, coach educators risk short-changing their students and potentially doing longer-term damage to the profession.
- Be mindful to create comprehensive and coherent curricula that give fledging coaches the best possible foundation for further growth and development. Coaching education programs are often one of the first stops individuals make along the way to becoming a credentialed coach professional. “What you learn first, you learn best.”
- Design interactive and engaging learning experiences for students. Understanding that different learning styles require different methods and ways of taking in and processing information must be at the forefront of any curriculum development process. If the design is not thoughtful, inclusive and appealing to a wide range of individuals, deep and lasting learning is at risk.
- Gain a solid understanding of what it means to have instructional alignment in a course or program. Alignment is often thought of as a chain in which the materials, activities and assessments support key learning objectives. Continually visiting and revisiting this chain, checking to make certain that one’s plans are still on track to achieve desired outcomes, ensures that coaching educators and students can attain the goals they seek.
4. ACKNOWLEDGE CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
Coaching educators must work effectively with diverse populations, understanding and respecting cultural differences to provide inclusive and equitable experiences for students.
- Stay abreast of the ways in which visible and invisible diversities show up in the classroom. Additionally, it is incumbent upon coaching educators and the organizations for which they train to have plans, solutions, and accommodations at-the-ready to provide equitable learning environments that support all students.
- Make it a priority to learn about the historical and political contexts of our students – especially if they come from traditionally marginalized populations. It is not enough to think that a coaching trainer’s own education in history or political context got it “right.” We must understand our student’s individual and collective stories.
- Learn about what it means to create cultural sensitivity in the classroom. Providing a truly equitable learning experience means being sensitive to cultural differences in the classroom setting, making certain that cultures, values and backgrounds are used to connect students with the learning process.
Adapting instructional methods to diverse backgrounds and learning needs of a wide variety of students is key.
5. ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS
Strong organizational skills help coaching educators manage their responsibilities efficiently and maintain a structured approach to their teaching.
- Leverage systems and processes to stay organized to provide the best learning experience for students.
Without good systems, consistency, communication and learning may be compromised.
- Keep detailed records and documentation.
- Prioritize tasks and manage time effectively
6. TECHNOLOGICAL KNOW-HOW
With such a large part of coaching education now being conducted online, and with artificial intelligence a rapidly growing aspect of our profession, being tech savvy is essential.
- Technology can help prepare students for the future in a variety of ways, including increasing engagement, streamlining administrative processes, and performing advanced analytics for personalizing client insights.
- Having a solid understanding of learning management systems (LMS), video conferencing tools (Zoom, etc.) and software programs like PowerPoint can move an educational experience from amateur to professional virtually overnight.
- Utilize the functions and features of these systems (e.g., whiteboards, surveys, polls, breakout groups, etc.) to support a variety of student learning styles and approaches.
Coaching educators play an important role in maintaining the long-term credibility and integrity of the coaching profession. They are teaching the future, and they have a tremendous amount of impact. We invite coaching educators to consider the critical aspects of their role and continually work to provide high-quality coaching education, fostering the next generation of proficient and successful coaches.
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