Transformissional Coaching
Transformissional Coaching
By Steve Ogne and Tim Roehl
By Steve Ogne and Tim Roehl
“Transformissional coaching is a holistic approach. Unlike business coaching models that are only concerned with productivity or results, transformissional coaching engages the whole leader in transformation. Steve and Tim suggest that coaches transform leaders by helping leaders clarify calling, cultivate character, create community and connect with culture” (p. xiii).
“Young and postmodern leaders are looking for relationship, proximity, and affinity with those they allow to empower them. They will receive coaching and mentoring from those they trust… Listening and good questions effectively anchor the coaching conversation in the life and experience of the leader more than that of the coach.” (p. xiv).
Good listening and good questions – build trust and relationship – for lasting influence upon and empowerment of the “postmodern” (extremely modern) leader.
Coach : Mentor :: Leader : Mentee
TransforMissional: “…transformed into the image of Christ and join Him on His redemptive mission” (p.7)
Things that contribute to the “postmodern shift” in culture:
Materialism
Consumerism
Globalization
“Pluralism” of cultures and faith
“…leaving people stressed and unfulfilled” (p.8).
The breakdown of the family
“…has left people lonely and looking for community in alternative ways” (p.8).
Major paradigms in American church history (philosophies of ministry):
1. “Traditional Church”/”Traditional Evangelicals”
2. “Contemporary Church”/”Pragmatic Evangelicals”
3. “Transformissional Church”/”Younger Evangelicals”
The type of leader in the “Transformissional Church” paradigm is one who engages the surrounding culture for the sake of the gospel. Aka “Cross-cultural ministry”.
He leads by doing…
Spiritual Formation – practice and priority of spiritual disciplines.
Authentic Community.
Engaging Culture (redemptively).
What type of training will be required in the “TransforMissional” era? Coaching is the word to capture this concept.
“Coaching is relational… address both interior and exterior life of the leader.”
“…coaching is not model-specific”
“Transformissional coaching is useful in light of changing approaches for mission and evangelism because the coach will help the leader understand the prevailing culture and find a place of entry and contribution to that culture while seeing to develop redemptive relationships in the culture.”
Summary: Authentic coaching relationships will be the prevailing means of releasing new leaders in to the postmodern environment.
“A good coach inspired you to play at levels you never imagined possible” (p.25).
A good C.O.A.C.H.…
Comes alongside – wants the best for the person and the project.
Observes carefully – with the objective view of a specialist.
Asks questions wisely – and resists being a “teller”.
Communicates options and resources – think beyond first “visible” impressions to other options.
Holds accountable (caring for the Heart) – grow personally, improve performance, solve problems = maximum ministry effectiveness.
Additional points of focus for the Transformissional Coach:
Relationship focused – developing people, not programs.
Potential comes from God, not from the coach. The coach's job is to identify, cultivate and mobilize potential.
Growth includes personal, spiritual and professional.
Coaches help identify calling.
Always Kingdom minded.
Coaching is missional – training to engage people and culture.
Coaching application is cross cultural.
“Coaching is no longer about effective ministry programs and results. It is about healthy and effective ministry leadership” (p.29)
Personal application:
When thinking about my ministry with FCA, how much am I focused on effective programs? How much of my own focus and energy is spent on sustaining those programs myself? How can I change my approach to focus on healthy, effective and missional leadership first?
Clarify Calling
Cultivate Character
Create Community
Connect with Culture
When coaching, address these elements equally, but not necessarily every time.
The first call: to be an authentic worshipper of God.
The second call: to be a servant and minister for God.
Summary: the changing landscape of leadership calls for a new paradigm of coaching.
The biblical president for coaching is clear in the Old and New Testaments. It is diverse in its exercise, including helping, consoling and encouraging, as well as admonishing and challenging.
The evidence for the effectiveness of coaching is great and it spans all industries. Coaching is also superior to other methods for increasing development and productivity because it is a holistic and personal method. Beneficiaries of good coaches describe the process as supportive, empowering, etc.
What is important to consider when pursuing a coaching relationship? These things should be evaluated:
Chemistry between coach and leader, which includes respect and affinity and an investment in family.
An assessment of the leader that includes a history of important experiences, character, potential, conflict resolution, etc.
Clarify expectations for the coach and the leader – make a contract if necessary.
Commitment and regular reassessment/review.
What are the practices of a great coach? There are seven habits for great coaches. Each can be applied to any of the 4 C’s of coaching. They are listen, care, celebrate, strategize, train, disciple and challenge. Each of these habits plays an important role in the comprehensive development of the leader and should be practiced equally. The goal is to develop the whole person and not focus only on projects and results.
Seven habits for great coaches:
Listen
Care
Celebrate
Strategize
Train
Disciple
Challenge
Strategies for effective coaching conversations (and planning effective coaching conversations) are also included in this chapter. The first is called the “G.R.O.W” approach, which stands for goal, reality, options and will or “what will you do?”. Setting a goal for the conversation and praying about it prepares the coach to maximize the conversation. The remaining steps help to draw the leader out and think realistically about action points. Effective coaches bring the leader to their own revelatory conclusions. The second approach is called the “4D Flow” approach and stands for discern, discover, develop, depend. This approach seeks to accomplish the same thing, but done in a more “intuitive and spiritual” way.
Every coach is encouraged to use these approaches as guidelines to discover their own best approach.
Good listening is the most important skill for effective coaching. The authors say, “Of the seven habits (of effective coaches), your top priority is to become a great listener” (p.124). Listening is challenging and requires great effort on the part of the coach, but it produces even greater fruit in the development of the leader. The authors give seven benefits of great listening listed on pages 125 through 128, and seven essentials for excellent listening (how to listen) on page 128 and 129. Body language is also important in listening, both the coach’s and the leader’s body language. Overall, effective listening communicates investment and value and cultivates ownership and holistic development.
People know they are respected and valued when they are listened to.
Great listening treats people like adults - and enhances adult learning.
Great listeners "hold up a mirror" so that others can see themselves in light of the questions they are answering.
Great listening helps provide us with accurate information, helping us move beyond assumptions.
Great listening builds credibility by demonstrating empathy.
Great listening creates focus and clarity of self-awareness.
Great listening creates ownership and personal responsibility.
Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
He who talks most listens least.
Start with the other person's "world".
Listen beyond words for tone of voice and body language.
Beware of "autobiographical" responses (Interpreting and advising from your own experience).
Don't be afraid of silence.
Listen for "aha" or "uh-oh" moments - they are turning points.
Good coaching is good question asking. This is the art of shepherding a leader to self-discovery and empowerment. Good questions are a benefit to the leader and the coach. They show the leader that they are valued; they engage the leader and center the discussion on their world; and they release what the leader has inside. For the coach, good questions help him/her listen better, gain valuable information, and share the burden of the conversation while keeping it in a focused direction. Great questions usually accomplish one of three things, gather information (majority of questions), create awareness (a few significant questions), and promote action (one or two specific questions). How can you distinguish between good questions and not so good questions? Good questions are holistic and address every part of the leader as a person. Good questions are easy to understand and can be responded to with concise answers. It’s ok to start over by rephrasing a question. Good questions help the leader paint a picture of the situation while encouraging thought and reflection. The coach needs to be careful to keep the questions directed towards discovering what is inside the leader and not just interjecting a prefabricated answer in the form of a question (which I do sometimes). It’s all about discovering what’s inside the leader and releasing it into action.
Principles for formulating good questions:
There are generally three types of questions: Information, Awareness, Action. Information questions help the coach gather information, such as, "Tell me about your recent experience". Awareness questions aim at increasing awareness in the leader (mentee) of what is going on in and around them, such as, "What do you see God doing?" or "How did that make you feel?" Action questions promote the leader to take action, such as "What will you do next?" Action questions also create opportunity for the coach to hold the leader accountable for taking that action.
Great questions should be clear and easily understood. Don't be afraid to rephrase the initial question if it comes out confusing.
A question is great if it can be answered precisely.
Great questions help "paint a picture". They cause the leader to be descriptive.
Great questions encourage reflection and invite the leader to open up.
Great questions don't manipulate or humiliate, they elevate.
You can think about additional categories for great questions according to the dimensions of TransforMissional coaching that the authors suggest: Calling, Character, Community, Culture. For example:
What do you feel like God is calling you to do?
What is God teaching you during this season of your life?
Who has God put in your life right now that you can reach out to? What would that look like?
What's the best way you can respond to what's going on around you in the culture?
It is extremely important to always remember that the Lord is doing the inner work in a leader and this work is a life-long process. The coach should understand that he/she is only seeking to assist the leader in their inner journey as a child of God. Never replace shaping character with simply developing skills, or the essential with the urgent. “As you seek to sharpen the leaders you coach, remember that at the heart of everything is Jesus as unrivaled King of the leader’s heart and His kingdom’s expansion as his main motivation for ministry” (p.178). Sharpen the leader’s “Kingdom mindedness” by discerning the leader’s motivation in ministry. Is it Kingdom expansion, which is greater than the individual, or is it empire building, which is focused on self? The coach can discern this focus through the tone of the leader’s speech. It is also important to encourage the leader to continually sharpen his/her personal spiritual disciplines. A helpful table of spiritual disciplines is given on page 179.