Conflict Coaching

Description

Coaching is very much a facilitated process in which individuals or groups develop and explore solutions and approaches to achieving meaningful outcomes. It is always forward looking, driven by setting distinct objectives, although it will naturally draw lessons and insights from past experience and learning. Under the guidance of a skilful coach, coachees learn to resolve even the most complex challenges for themselves, contributing to long term enhanced effectiveness and growing self sufficiency. In the conflict environment, the coach may adopt the use of a number of tools to help coachees develop a heightened degree of self-awareness into their own mental processing, beliefs, blocks, approaches and impact on others, as well as improving understanding of how this works in people who are different. These may include techniques such as:

• Mental mapping
• 6 Hats
• Alternative Perspectives
• Cause & Consequence Prediction

Additionally, depending on the nature of the challenges to be resolved, the coach may recommend the use of certain psychological tools designed to increase insight into self and others, including:

• Medicology Behavioural Drivers Questions (BDQ)
• Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
• Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI)
• FIRO-B

At Medicology we base our coaching on an adaption of the widely used GROW model (Goals, Reality, Options, Will). It has proved particularly successful in producing the combined effect of providing self-directed solutions and embedding learning for the longer term.

Typical Coaching Contract

Arguably there is no such thing as ‘typical’ because it depends on the people, the challenge and a number of other factors. However, as some guidance, the ‘normal’ range for individual coaching is:

• 5 – 10 sessions of 45 minutes to an hour
• Sometimes all face-to-face, sometimes a mixture of face and telephone

We also believe that it has to be working for all parties or there is no point in progressing. Although it is rare, because coaching relationships rely on the rapport and positive interaction of the coach and coachee, it is possible that the ‘people’ don’t work even if the ‘process’ does. We wouldn’t want anyone to feel trapped into a coaching contract and so uniquely all contracts can be completed early at the request of the coachee or sponsor. We believe this is an important consideration.

Where it’s best used

Coaching is ideal for assisting individuals in a wide variety of conflict and non-conflict scenarios and has been repeatedly demonstrated to enhance performance at staggeringly accelerated rates. In conflict specifically, it can be used to rapidly resolve person-person or person-group conflict, even if it is deep seated and long standing.

Coaching can also be used at a group level. The style is slightly different and takes its process partly from that used in Action Learning. It is particularly effective at overcoming challenges where group cohesion already exists, as well as for creating the conditions where group cohesion and collaboration will flourish.

What to do next?

Each coaching scenario is very different and coaching contracts can be structured many ways to best serve the individuals concerned. It is important to develop the right approach and there’s no substitute for getting to the bottom of the issues with an experienced person.

In the first instance contact Sara Watkin, Medical Director and Head of Coaching on 07855 312529 or and she’ll be happy to advise you on the best next steps.