Coaching, Probably the Best Learning Method in the World?

The 3D Model in Coaching and Mentoring This paper does three things. It explores a reason why coaching has become so popular today. It explores a myriad of wonderful ideas and concepts that TA offers to coaches and observes all this through the lens of the 3D Model. Popularity of Coaching Coaching has recently become one of the most talked about ways of learning for leaders and managers in organisations I work with. And rarely does a fortnight pass without one of the HR trade magazines featuring an article about either coaching or mentoring. These anecdotal observations are backed up by a recent survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD 2007). They reported that over six out of ten people questioned said that they now use coaching in their organisations. According to the same survey the trend is likely to continue with 73% of respondents saying that they expect to see coaching by line managers increase in the next few years. It is not surprising that people choose to learn through one to one meetings when you consider that we all have basic psychological needs to meet. Eric Berne referred to these needs as hungers. Recognition hunger (Berne 1961) is a basic human need that in infants is met by physical contact, stroking. This is why Berne termed the word stroke, meaning a unit of recognition. Strokes are essential for normal psychological growth, as is Stimulus hunger, which is our need for physical and mental stimulation (Berne 1968). A third hunger, Structure hunger, is satisfied as we organise our use of time in well-defined patterns of activity ranging from withdrawal to intimacy. (Op. Cit.) Driven to feed our hungers humans will seek out situations where their needs can be satisfied and although these needs can be met through groups. It is because of the vagaries of groups that it becomes less certain that these needs will be satisfactorily met. (Berne 1963) Groups can be nutrient rich in positive strokes. Progress through the time structure activities, such as withdrawal, pastiming, work and so on produces strokes with increasing intensity. These strokes however are not always positive. Groups can also set off rackets, invite games and with other members of the group seeking also to have their hungers met and consequently we may fail to have met our own needs. It follows therefore that the likelihood of hungers being satisfied positively increases in a one to one relationship with a competent coach or supervisor. This could be one reason for an increase in demand for coaching.

The 3D Model Three is number that occurs frequently in TA; there are three categories of ego-states; three roles in the drama triangle; three rules of communication. The number three seems to be significant and for good reason is the number of elements in the 3D model of supervision. The 3D model was developed from my initial research into what people looked for in supervision in the workplace (Heasman). Asking managers this question invariably produces a list of behaviours that could be catalogued into to three elements. These I call the elements of the 3D model. The three Ds stand for Debugging, Development and Direction. I believe that some of the reasons why the model is effective are that it allows for meeting the hunger needs of Recognition, Stimulation and Structure and in providing aspects of the 3 Ps, Protection, Permission and maintaining Potency that Crossman thought so necessary in a helping relationship (1966). To explore the links between hungers and the 3D model here is a brief description of the model. Debugging is about providing support and for contracting for an open and honest relationship, providing emotional safety (Roberts) for the client. The word Debugging is borrowed from computer terminology. Debugging ensures that there is nothing to prevent the programme or in this case the coaching process, from operating effectively. Skilful Debugging in coaching meets the needs of the Internal Child ego-state by offering protection in a genuine acknowledgement of the client as an OK person. In this way Recognition

Protection Debugging Recognition

Permission Development Stimulation Potency Direction Structure

Figure 1 the 3D Model showing the locus of the 3 Ps and the elements where three hungers are met, as described in this paper

hunger is met and reinforced whenever the coach uses debugging skills.

When using Debugging, the coach displays genuine warmth and positive regard for the client. Development is the element of coaching that focuses on learning. It includes such coaching tasks as providing information, advice, and the benefit of the coachs experience. It also involves challenging beliefs, exposing discounts and assumptions; it involves highlighting possible trends and patterns of behaviour through feedback. In the nature of providing a range of stimulus for development for instance questions, feedback and challenge Stimulation hungers can be satisfied. Used effectively Development provides Permission for the client to unlearn unproductive behaviours and develop and change. The skilful use of this element encourages the client to reflect on their behaviour and attitudes, enabling determination for change. This is an example of working in the overlap between Direction and Development. This overlap is explained later. Direction in management supervision is about setting and agreeing objectives and work priorities. This is not appropriate to the task of coaching or mentoring where the client must ensure their own course of action as a result of their learning. In this instance Direction may involve enabling the client to vocalise their intended actions, vision their future possibilities and state intended changed behaviour in a plan of action. Skilful coaching in this element provides structure to the session, thus meeting Structure hunger. When successful this is done fluently and the structure enables the client to construct a plan to change themselves. It is important that throughout the process the coach maintains his or her potency because from this example the client can plan to act and to function potently beyond the session. The Model is drawn as a Venn Diagram, a graphical depiction that skills and tasks within each element necessarily overlap, see figure 1. An example of working in the Development/Direction overlap is where the client reports back on their actions, receiving feedback from the coach. And an example of working in Debugging/Development would involve confirming the clients selfworth through targeted positive strokes. A Venn diagram assumes that there is only so much energy for the system and in the 3D model the idea is that energy needs to be applied across the elements in a harmonised balance. For instance, focusing purely on Debugging without contracting for Development or designing an action plan (Direction) may result in a close relationship but not necessarily a change in behaviour. If you consider that each of the elements also provides a locus for each of the hungers and each of the three Ps then the question of balance becomes more significant. I explore this further in the next section on contracting.

Contracting Contracting is another protocol familiar to Transactional Analysts that applies in coaching. In the two best known coaching models, GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Will) (Whitmore) and similarly Peter Hawkins CLEAR model (Contract, Listen, Explore, Action, Review)(Hawkins) contracting is at the heart of the coaching process. Berne described three types of contract that invariably operate in any helping arrangement. The Administrative, the Professional and the Psychological contracts. (1963) In the Administrative contract we agree the times, the fee and the place where the work will happen. Julie Hay (1995) breaks down the Professional contract into a further three levels, Professional, Purpose and Personal. The Professional level concerns the exploration of the mutual competencies to coach and be coached. This involves reaching an understanding of the skills that the coach brings to the relationship as well as capabilities of the person being coached to make use of the coachs skill. I link this aspect of the

Protection Debugging Personal

Permission Development Professional Potency Direction Purpose

Figure 2 the 3D Model showing the locus for the 3 Ps and the three layers of the Professional contract as described in this paper

contract to Development, in the 3D model, as in contracting with a client I will explain some of the techniques I would like to use in challenging and in pointing out significant patterns and themes that emerge through the sessions. It is at this Professional level that we agreed how these techniques will be used.

It is the Personal level of the contract that we agree how we treat each other. TA stresses the importance of openness, clear communication and mutual respect (Tilney). Successful coaches gain the trust and confidence of their client when maintaining this level of contract. Holding this Personal contract is very much the function of Debugging. An example of working in the overlap of Development and Debugging would be agreements on style of coaching including levels of challenge and problem solving. Finally the Purpose level of the contract agrees the direction the client wants to take, what they want to achieve and how they will know they have succeeded. When both making the Purpose level contract and when maintaining it through the session the coach is working in the Direction element. Figure 2 shows the distribution of the 3 Ps as described in this section. Working on the Psychological Level The Psychological contract is perhaps the most powerful of Bernes three contracts; after all it is the third rule of communication that tells us the behavioural outcomes are determined at the psychological level (Berne 1968). The Psychological contract is what happens outside of the awareness of the coach and client. By its very nature this type of contract is unspoken and is fuelled by any hidden agendas that might exist for both the coach and the client. The TA style of training helps coaches develop an awareness of the psychological levels of human behaviour. Studying hours of taped interventions to increase our awareness of the psychological through analysis of transactions, an appreciation of games and by learning to spot the signs of discounting. Supervision of tapes and of practice helps coaches become adept at managing the Psychological contract; by bring the clients attention to the clues that indicate that there is an agenda outside of his or her awareness that could sabotage either the coaching process or the clients plans. The lens of the 3D Model You will notice from my description above that I use the 3D Model in contracting for coaching sessions, describing the model enables me to form stronger contracts. Together we can be clear in agreeing the optimum relationship that we need to do the work by exploring the nature of the element of Debugging. By agreeing the type of interventions and challenges I may use in the element of Development. Pragmatic agreements about the expectations of what the client wants to achieve and my expectations of them form our contract around the element of Direction. In monitoring the coaching session, to ensure both of us are maintaining the contract, awareness of the 3Ds simultaneously can ensure the clients needs

and the contract are both met. It is like looking through three lenses that brings the client into sharper focus; as long as the lens are used together the hungers, the 3Ps and the whole contract can be scrutinised and responded to. REFEENCES Crossman, Pat, Permission and Protection, TA Bulletin, vol. 5,19,1966 CIPD, Coaching fact sheet 2007 http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/lrnanddev/coachmntor/coaching.htm? IsSrchRes=1 Berne, Eric, Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy. New York, Grove Press, 1961 Berne, Eric, Games People Play, Penguin, 1968 Berne, Eric, The Structure and Dynamics of Organisations and Groups, Lippincott, 1963 Heasman Bill. The 3D model of Supervision Intand, 1996 Roberts, Denton, Hierarchy of Functionality, taken from an unpublished conference paper, 1990 Whitmore, John, Coaching for Performance: Growing People, Performance and Purpose Hawkins, Peter and Smith, Nick, Coaching, Mentoring and Organizational Consultancy: Supervision and Development Hay, Julie, Donkey Bridges for Developmental TA, Sherwood, 1995 Tilney, Tony Dictionary of Transactional Analysis, Whurr 1998 Bill Heasman 07092008