From the course: Administrative Professional Tips

Coaching others

From the course: Administrative Professional Tips

Coaching others

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- When you think of a coach, what do you think of? Or who do you think of? Well, of course, sports comes to mind, but in our working lives, coaches can be very effective in helping us play the professional field. Maybe a coach is someone who has been a mentor to you at various points in your life, or even someone who has a broad base of knowledge that was beneficial for your personal and/or professional development. All of these can be accurate descriptions. For the purposes of this learning video, a coach is someone who guides people from where they are to where they want to be. As administrative support professionals, we have the opportunity to interact with a large number of people throughout our organizations, the general public, and a variety of people specific to your industry. Oftentimes, we serve as a listening ear, a guiding voice, and someone who needs to move people into action. Because of this, we naturally become a coach to others. By learning what a good coach does, we can help fill this vital role in our office environments and hone our professional development skills to a greater level. Do you want to improve your coaching skills? Here are some tips. Become a great active listener. This means you are attentive, ask open-ended questions, seek clarification when necessary, and look out for non-verbal cues. If you find others consistently looking to speak with you about a variety of issues, you're probably a good active listener. You can also be a better listener by fully being present in the conversation and not working on your computer, checking your mobile device, or having multiple conversations at the same time. When we exhibit any of these behaviors, we are sending a signal to the person who was talking that what they are saying is not the most important thing to you at that time. Develop high self-awareness. When you possess this, you have a great understanding of who you are and how you handle your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It is difficult to have a high level of emotional intelligence when it comes to others if you don't already have a keen insight into your own emotions. The more comfortable you are with yourself, the more you can be available for others in this area. Take a sincere interest in others and have a genuine desire to help. When you display these attributes, people will be open to you and have a comfort level with you that will be different than others. They will be more open to confiding in you, asking for your opinion, willing to help you and support you. It becomes a two-way interaction that is mutually beneficial. Developing your coaching skills is something that can assist you in your current assignment as an administrative support professional and for any increased levels of responsibility you may desire. The ability to interact and engage with people is one of the most valuable talents you can have, not only professionally, but also on a personal level. Continue to master this competency for greater levels of excellence in your relationships.

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