How can you use language to help your coaching client when introducing something new?
As a coach there will no doubt be occasions when you introduce something new to a client, either a new concept or exercise. Today’s post invites you to consider the language you are using to do that.
When I was employed as an in house trainer in the corporate world, I remember being involved in the training of a new piece of software. It was something that many of the customer facing staff would need to use fluently in order to do their jobs.
There was one particular section that when most people first saw it they thought that it looked really complicated with an overwhelming amount of information.
I’ve written before about the stretch comfort and panic model to learning (Click here to read it again.) What happened for those individuals is that when they first looked at that was that they skipped from comfort, through stretch and straight to panicking about how difficult it looked and “how would they ever be able to use that system?”
This is not the most useful state for someone to be working in and learning something new!
However, some individuals looked at the screen and didn’t panic. It didn’t really cross their mind that this could be “difficult”. They were quite happy with the idea that they could learn to use the screen and the system.
Then there were others who would react somewhere between those two extremes.
These were groups where we did not know every delegate so it was impossible to know in advance who was likely react to that screen in which manner.
As a coach we often use our questioning and language skills. It’s also not outside the realms of possibility that you introduce a new concept or exercise to a client. So what would you say to introduce that section to an individual?
Before I share how I approached this, let me share the outcome I wished from the words I selected.
I personally wanted something that would fit with all possible reactions.
- For those who would take one look and potentially panic I wanted something that would reassure that it was easy to learn.
- I also didn’t want to suggest that this could be difficult for those who would look at the screen and not see any potential problem with it. I didn’t want to risk creating an added complication for them.
Now, when I coach, I have the same wish for my clients when I introduce something new – whether that be during the actual session or as an “action assignment”. I’m looking to act as a catalyst to making the experience as easy as I possibly can.
So what phrase did I often use in the case of the training situation?
“The next section is much easier to use in reality than it may first appear.”
- For those who used to take one look and panic, instead they took one look and were relieved that it was easier then it looked!
- For those who used to look and didn’t even consider it would be difficult, looked and not only continued with that belief but loved the fact it was even easier.
Using just one sentence of carefully chosen words meant that what had been a stage of the training where many of the delegates worried and panicked actually relaxed and often laughed. Which apart from being a much more pleasant experience for them meant it was noticeable how much more easily and quickly groups would start using that part of the program.
Today I invite you to consider the language that you are using to introduce either new concepts or homework to your clients. How can you use your language to make it even easier for your clients to quickly and effortlessly focus on taking action?