My Coaches' Couch: Consistency

The last few weeks, our routines have been turned upside down. For many, lives have changed in markable ways. We are teaching remotely, supporting remotely, and making social connections while remaining physically distant. Last week’s news is old in a way it never has been before. Amidst all of this change, we miss and recognize the value of consistency: steadfast adherence to the same course.

There’s a saying about not knowing the value of something until you lose it. Now that we have lost consistency in many aspects of our lives, we see its value with more clarity. So this may be a good time to reflect on the consistency of your actions and words as a coach. Take a look at your coaching life and fill in the blanks:

If I was more consistent in _____________________________, I would be more successful at _____________________________________.

Perhaps if I was more consistent in scheduling time for professional reading, I would be more successful at sharing targeted resources as needs arise. I would be nurturing my own growth as a professional.

If I was more consistent in meeting with teachers before an observation, I would be more successful at collecting feedback that targeted areas where teachers wanted to grow.

If I was more consistent in listening before recommending, my recommendations would be a better match for students and teachers.

Consistency brings dependability and nurtures trust. Consistency lets people know what to expect. If a teacher knows you’ll always ask her to reflect on a lesson before jumping in with your own thoughts, she’ll be prepared to share insights. If a teacher knows you’ll ask for evidence of student learning, he’ll come prepared with examples.

Consistency develops routines and builds momentum. It forms habits. John Maxwell, an author and leadership coach, says, “Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” Little by little, change happens.

Consistency is about setting and maintaining goals for how you are going to think, talk, and act. If the pandemic has created changes in daily routines that open time for introspection, this might be a good time for goal setting. What will you be consistent about now? What new routines will you put in place when life gets back to a more normal routine?

Consistency requires the ability to look at long-term benefits and stay focused. The more consistent we are in how we think, talk, and act, the more we will be able to accomplish. What is one thing you can be more consistent about this week?

This week, you might want to take a look at:

Practice random acts of coaching:

https://stephanieaffinito.blogspot.com/2020/02/random-acts-of-coaching.html

Helping students find good fit books:

https://ccira.blog/2020/02/10/an-essential-tool-for-all-readers/

Approaching difficult coaching conversations:

https://barkleypd.com/blog/approaches-to-difficult-conversations/

Ideas for elementary students learning at home:

https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-support-home-learning-early-elementary

Tips for online learning (from countries that have been doing this for 6 weeks or longer):

https://kimcofino.com/blog/2020/03/14/6-weeks-counting-lessons-from-covid-19-school-closures/

That’s it for this week. Happy Coaching!