Evocative Coaching: Transforming Schools One Conversation at a Time Book

List of Figures and Tables

Gratitudes

Preface

PART ONE INTRODUCTION TO EVOCATIVE COACHING 1

1 What Is Evocative Coaching? 3

The Promise and Practice of Coaching 3

Evocative Coaching Defined 7

Why Evocative Coaching Works 8

What Makes Coaching Evocative? 11

Concern for Consciousness

Concern for Connection

Concern for Competence

Concern for Contribution

Concern for Creativity

The Dynamic Dance of Evocative Coaching 18

Story

Empathy

Inquiry

Design

Summary 26

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 26

2 Coaching Presence 27

A New Metaphor for Coaching 27

Evocative Coaching as a Way of Being 28

Lessons from a Horse Whisperer 30

Fostering Trust and Rapport 35

Benevolence

Honesty

Openness

Reliability

Competence

Holding the Coaching Space 43

Calm Assurance

Playfulness

Openness to Possibility

Conveying Coaching Presence 47

Coaching Presence in the Context of Hierarchy 48

Summary 51

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 52

PART TWO THE FOUR STEPS OF EVOCATIVE COACHING 53

Interlude Loop I The No-Fault Turn 55

3 Story Listening 59

The Power of Story 60

Evoking Coachable Stories 63

Mindful Listening 69

Listen Calmly

Listen Openly

Listen Attentively

Quiet Listening 74

Reflective Listening 76

Imaginative Listening 78

Imagine Vantage Points

Imagine Pivot Points

Imagine Lesson Points

Summary 83

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 84

4 Expressing Empathy 85

Understanding Empathy 85

Embodying Empathy 89

Access Points for Empathy 90

Presenting Energy

Story Elements

Classroom Observations

Resistance to Change

Distinctive Empathy Reflections 94

Distinguish Observations

Distinguish Feelings

Distinguish Needs

Distinguish Requests

Elevating Readiness to Change 112

Celebrating Effort and Progress 117

The Golden Sigh 118

Summary 119

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 120

Interlude Loop II The Strengths-Building Turn 121

5 Appreciative Inquiry 125

Appreciative Inquiry 126

The Positive Principle

The Constructionist Principle

The Simultaneity Principle

The Anticipatory Principle

The Poetic Principle

Initiating the Learning Conversation 131

Illuminating the Best of What Is 134

Discovering Strengths

Appreciative Interviews

Appreciative Assessments

Observing Vitalities

Appreciative Classroom Observation Tools

Imagining the Best of What Might Be 153

Framing Aspirations

Inviting Possibilities

Coaching with Strengths, Observations, Aspirations, and Possibilities 160

Reviewing Data from a Strengths-Based Perspective

Noticing and Elevating Teacher Energies

Positive Reframing

Moving Through Ambivalence

From Swot to Soap

Summary 168

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 169

6 Design Thinking 171

Calling Forth Motivation and Movement 174

Positive Relationships

Positive Energy and Emotions

Positive Images

Positive Actions

Coaching Tools for Design Thinking 189

Brainstorming Design Ideas

Exploring Inertia

Framing Innovations as Experiments

Making Experiments S-M-A-R-T

Mapping Out S-M-A-R-T Experiments

Awareness Experiments

Confirming Commitment

Around and Around the Mobius Strip: Back to Story 207

Summary 208

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 209

PART THREE EVOCATIVE COACHING IN PRACTICE 211

7 Aligning Environments 213

Understanding Environments 214

Flow 217

Navigating the River of Change 219

The Rapids

The Doldrums

Managing Clouds, Wind, and Thunder 223

Clouds of Climate

Winds of Collective Efficacy

Thunder of Conflict

Ripples in a Pond 226

Stories as Catalysts for Transformation 228

Summary 230

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 230

8 Coaching Conversations 233

The Great 8: Choreographing the Coaching Dance 234

Story Listening 236

1 Initiate

2 Elaborate

Expressing Empathy 243

3 Validate

Appreciative Inquiry 246

4 Appreciate

5 Extrapolate

Design Thinking 252

6 Innovate

7 Deliberate

8 Activate

Summary 258

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 259

9 The Reflective Coach 261

Coaching the Self 261

Hearing Our Own Stories 262

Self-Empathy 264

Inquiring into Our Own Professional Practice 265

Self-Observation

Asking for Feedback

Design Action-Learning Experiments 276

Professional Coach Code of Ethics 277

Conclusion 279

Questions for Reflection and Discussion 281

Appendix A Evocative Coaching Principles, Questions, and Reflections 283

Appendix B Practice Exercises 297

Appendix C Content Review Questions 307

Appendix D The IAC Coaching Masteries® Overview 313

References 319

Recommended Readings and Resources 329

About the Authors 333

Index 335