A Coaching Workflow for Constructive Conversations
Scenario
As a Leader, I support a team to do their best work. Sometimes mistakes happen, and it is my responsibility to speak with a team member to find out more and coach them to learn from the mistake.
The Challenge
People don’t like to make mistakes and often having conversation with a team member to inform them they have made a mistake can be a tricky balance between understanding what went wrong, and how to learn from this going forward. Often times team member can feel pressurised or feel they are being blamed, so having a conversation that is open and curious is important.
The Turning Point
Team members work in different ways, however I have found the following workflow to help to support a natural and informative conversation.
Workflow
Acknowledge the Situation: Inform them of the mistake in a calm, factual way without blame.
Create a Safe Space: Reassure the team member that the conversation is about learning, not blame.
Ask Open Questions: Use curiosity-driven questions to understand their perspective and what led to the mistake.
Explore Impact: Discuss the consequences of the mistake in a constructive way to build awareness.
Identify Learning Opportunities: Work together to highlight what can be learned from the situation.
Agree on Next Steps: Create a plan or adjustment to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Offer Support: End by reaffirming your support and confidence in their ability to improve.
Impact
Mistakes become opportunities for growth and development.
Clear next steps help team members take ownership of their work.
Team members feel supported rather than blamed, strengthening relationships.
A constructive approach reduces repeated mistakes and enhances team effectiveness.