Sample Coaching Conversations
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Gina:听 So much is happening.听 My husband has just gotten a great job offer about two hours away, so we would need to move by the end of the year.听 My work is going really well, so I鈥檓 not sure I want to move right now.听 And our church is expanding to two services on Sundays, which means that our worship team will have to be at both services.听 That means a lot more time at the church for me.
Coach:听 Gina, you have so much going on!听 Where would you like to focus?
Gina:听 I didn鈥檛 even mention that we had decided to do a major kitchen project, and I have to travel all of next month.听 I really need to figure out how to do all of this!
Coach:听 Wow.听 No wonder you said, 鈥淪o much is happening!鈥� So, what would be best for us to discuss right now?
Gina:听 I really don鈥檛 know.听 I feel like I鈥檓 spinning!
Coach:听 As you think of all of this, what is most pressing to talk about?
Gina:听 I鈥檓 not really sure.
Coach:听 (silence, at least for 10 seconds)
Gina:听 I think I want to talk about moving.听 That鈥檚 where I want to start because a move out of town would impact all the other issues-my church鈥檚 worship team, my job, and the kitchen remodeling.
Coach:听 Great place to begin, Gina!听 As you think about moving, where do you want to start?
Gina:听 (pause) Where we could live.听 I guess we could live in between our two job locations, so we鈥檇 each have an hour drive.听 Or we could live near Nick鈥檚 work, and I could check into working from home.听 I probably should check into that at work, but I don鈥檛 want them to know that I鈥檓 moving yet.
Coach:听 So, first you need to decide about where you want to live and if you have the option of telecommuting鈥�
Gina:听 Actually, if telecommuting is a possibility, that will determine where we can live. I鈥檒l start checking into that first.
Coach:听 By when do you think you will have more clarity on this?
Gina:听 I hope by Friday.听 I鈥檒l start with HR and see what our policies are.听 I don鈥檛 want to talk with my manager yet, but maybe I鈥檒l need to sooner than I think.听 Hmmm鈥�
Coach:听 Sounds like you may have another action鈥�
Gina:听 Yes.听 Hey, what am I afraid of?听 My manager and I get along great.听 I鈥檓 not quitting!听 I think he鈥檒l be thrilled that I鈥檓 looking for ways to keep working here.
Coach:听 Great.听 And, with that awareness, your actions are鈥�
Gina:听 First, I want to talk with my husband and let him know what we鈥檝e talked about.听 Then I want to check with HR to see about telecommuting.听 I want to find out who else is doing it in our company.听 Maybe HR can tell me.听 And, I鈥檒l start thinking about how to present this to my manager.
Coach:听 Wow, that鈥檚 great.听 By when do you expect to have all these conversations?
Gina:听 Two weeks, max.听 I鈥檓 ready to go!
Source:听 Miller, Linda J. and Chad W. Hall. Coaching for Christian Leaders: A Practical Guide. Chalice Press 2007. p. 56-57
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