Here are some interesting words for those involved in creating coaching programmes within organisations – particularly for those looking at group/company-wide programmes.
The words are paraphrased from Thorndike’s work and highlight a consideration about the timing of coaching interventions:
- When someone is ready to perform some act, to do so is satisfying;
- When someone is ready to perform some act, not to do so is annoying;
- When someone is not ready to perform some act and is forced to do so, it is annoying.
The words echo with me because I experienced this recently when coaching three different managers within the same organisation. Two were very ‘up for it’ (statement 1) and the third was very much in a statement 3 space.
So, before charging in and thinking everyone will be delighted to be coached, take a few moments to consider different circumstances and wider issues that might impact both the individual and the programme as a whole.