This is a sample coaching map from our book series Coaching Conversations - we hope you find this helpful!

Suggested Strategy:

• Define & Coach:  By starting off with the same definition and expectations, you can be sure that your coaching will adhere because the employee will be on the same starting point as you feel they are on.

Suggested Questions:

• Define & Coach:  When I say the phrase “Active Listening”, what definition comes to your mind?  

• Self-Actualized Question:  How can you exhibit active listening in your conversations at work, and how might that benefit your work relationships?  

Suggested Activities:

• Role Play:  Practice a conversation utilizing  active listening.  Both of you should play both sides of the conversation and after the practice, discuss what the other did well in actively listening to their counterpart, and also what could possibly be improved.  

• Whiteboard Coaching:  Make a chart together on a whiteboard of the effects of active listening and how it can benefit the employee in their work relationships.  By putting the cause and effect on a board for both of you to see, it takes the employee’s focus off of the potentially uncomfortable face to face conversation, and gives you both something else to look at.  They can also see in front of them the chain of events that can occur in their favor when active listening and eye contact are utilized.  

Suggested Learning Projects:

• Self-Directed Learning:  Have the employee practice active listening throughout the week with peers and clients and keep an ongoing journal of things that he/she notices in their conversations that are different when they utilize active listening versus when it is not used.  Bring the journal entries to your next coaching session for discussion.  
• Video-Based Coaching:  The employee should watch the Ted Talk about 5 Ways to Listen Better, you can find the link here.  They should then email you with three takeaways from the video that they can utilize in their own conversations and how this may benefit them in the long run.

Supplemental Coaching Strategies:

• Non-Verbal Coaching:  When you have a conversation with the employee where you notice their listening is attentive and their eye contact is stronger, write him/her a note letting them know that you noticed and why their actions were appreciated

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