Leading Change Series: Talking As A Distraction?
Some thoughts for a leader coaching to change.
Some people don’t really want to change; they just want to
talk.
This talk or dialogue can be contemplative and useful, or just a
‘chat’. If the latter seems to be the norm, then it would be fair to wonder just how much effort that person is prepared to put in, to see changed behaviour.
Beyond contemplation (
I am thinking about …), it may take months before someone is
really ready to change, before small steps become evident. The challenge for you (as a
leader as coach) is to know what stage the coachee is at and, frankly, to call a halt if it is becoming a waste of time.
Here are some questions you might consider asking, in order that your dialogue moves on from merely talking, to the possibility of
action:
- What is your level of dissatisfaction with your present behaviour?
- What do you see changing?
- What steps forward are you prepared to take?
- What support might you be able to access?
- What heartache might this cause for yourself and others?
- What is the cost – in all its meaning?
The answers to these question will provide a greater appreciation of the issues and the possibilities through the critical and challenging process of change.
