Unless
you’re new to this blog, you know I am a word nerd. The truth is, I’ve found that word choice
matters in coaching. A lot. The right turn of phrase can open the door
for collaboration, for coaching, for change.
‘‘We are pushed and pulled around by language
far more than we realize,” says Elizabeth Stokoe, a professor of social
interaction who has analyzed thousands of recorded conversations.
Stokoe’s findings are relevant for coaching situations. For example, her research found that doctors
who listed “options” rather than “best-interest” solutions got a more positive
response. I wonder if the same is true
for coaches? When making a
recommendation, are teachers more receptive when I list options
rather than describe best practices? Although I haven’t studied this (yet), my
guess is that the idea of options feels more open to teachers and is most likely to result in
interest and application.
One of Stokoe’s findings that
surprised me was the power of the phrase, “Would you be willing…” When extending an invitation to participate,
this phrase was more effective than, “Would you like to…” or “Would you be interested in…” and got
agreement even from people who had already responded negatively to an
invitation. The word willing
seemed to trigger rapid and enthusiastic agreement. As coaches, we might ask, “Would you be
willing to participate in one coaching cycle?”
“Would you be willing to try this strategy?” “Would you be willing to host a peer observation?”
Since coaches sometimes meet with resistance, this is a good word tool to know
about. Using the word willing
seems to make people more willing.
Let’s try this!
Combining these research findings
might be even more effective. “Some of
the ways I’ve seen teachers meet this challenge are…….Would you be willing to
try one of these ideas?” A
recommendation that includes options and invites willingness could increase buy-in. The teacher is in the position to make
informed decisions about how to best meet the needs of the students she serves. Offering choice increases ownership and
honors a teacher’s professional knowledge and her knowledge of her own
students. A coach’s language about
instructional decisions can enhance the willingness for change. Choosing your words carefully might help a
teacher to see a situation (and even to see you) in a new light.
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
Keeping
up your confidence as a coach:
Anchor
charts that document students’ changing thinking support learning:
The
benefits of having to cope with a little mess:
What
about STEAM:
Give
yourself permission to be “good enough:”
That’s
it for this week. Happy Coaching!
Was this helpful? Please share!
Want to know about new posts? Click
“Follow” (bottom right)
No comments:
Post a Comment