All of those things matter. But one of the most overlooked coaching skills is something that happens before any of those conversations begin.
Contracting.
It is not the most exciting word in coaching. In fact, many school leaders hear the term and immediately imagine paperwork, forms or lengthy discussions that get in the way of the real conversation. The reality is quite different.
These conversations do not need to feel formal or scripted. In fact, the best contracting conversations often feel surprisingly natural. The purpose is not to create rules. The purpose is to create understanding.
That is particularly important in schools, where coaching relationships often exist alongside line management structures, leadership responsibilities and existing professional relationships. The strongest coaching relationships are rarely built on assumptions. They are built on clarity.
The good news is that contracting does not need to be complicated. Small conversations at the beginning of a coaching relationship can prevent far bigger challenges later on. Like many coaching skills, it is something that becomes easier with practice. That is exactly why we asked Josh Sutton to create our bitesized CPD course, Practical Contracting for Coaching Conversations.
It is not the most exciting word in coaching. In fact, many school leaders hear the term and immediately imagine paperwork, forms or lengthy discussions that get in the way of the real conversation. The reality is quite different.
Good contracting is simply about creating clarity. It helps both people understand what they are doing, why they are doing it and how they will work together.
When coaching conversations struggle, the problem is often not the quality of the questions. It is the lack of clarity that came before them. Most coaches have experienced this at some point. A colleague arrives expecting advice while the coach is expecting reflection. One person thinks the conversation is about career development while the other thinks it is about improving classroom practice. A coaching conversation drifts into mentoring, problem-solving or even counselling because nobody has clearly defined where the boundaries sit. None of this happens because people have bad intentions. Usually it happens because assumptions were left unspoken.
In schools, where relationships are already established and conversations often happen informally, it can feel unnecessary to spend time discussing expectations. We assume everybody understands what coaching is.
The challenge is that coaching means different things to different people.
For some staff, coaching is a space to think aloud. For others, it is a place to seek advice. Some people expect challenge. Others expect support. Unless these expectations are surfaced early, it becomes difficult to create the kind of coaching relationship that allows genuine reflection and growth.
One of the most useful things a coach can do at the start of a relationship is create clarity around a few simple areas.
What is coaching, and what is it not? What are we here to work on? What are our respective roles and responsibilities? How will this process work?
These conversations do not need to feel formal or scripted. In fact, the best contracting conversations often feel surprisingly natural. The purpose is not to create rules. The purpose is to create understanding.
When expectations are clear, coaching conversations become easier. Both people know what they are committing to. There is less confusion, less frustration and less need to constantly renegotiate the relationship as you go.
Contracting also creates something else that is often overlooked: psychological safety. Many people assume safety comes from being warm and supportive. While that certainly helps, safety also comes from predictability. People feel more comfortable opening up when they understand the purpose of the conversation, the boundaries that exist and what they can reasonably expect from the process.
That is particularly important in schools, where coaching relationships often exist alongside line management structures, leadership responsibilities and existing professional relationships. The strongest coaching relationships are rarely built on assumptions. They are built on clarity.
The good news is that contracting does not need to be complicated. Small conversations at the beginning of a coaching relationship can prevent far bigger challenges later on. Like many coaching skills, it is something that becomes easier with practice. That is exactly why we asked Josh Sutton to create our bitesized CPD course, Practical Contracting for Coaching Conversations.
Designed specifically for teachers and school leaders, the course explores practical ways to establish clear, purposeful coaching relationships from the very beginning.
Inside the course, we explore:
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