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Wozza.s  
#1 Posted : 04 February 2017 11:15:12(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Wozza.s

Good Morning everyone,

I am working as a H & S adviser and need to improve my coaching and mentoring skills. Does anyone know of any suitable courses, which I could take to improve my understanding in this area.

All advice is greatly apprecited

Kind Regards

gerrysharpe  
#2 Posted : 04 February 2017 12:45:49(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
gerrysharpe

Hi Wozza

Not sure if it would suit you or not but i did a couple of courses which certainly helped me, I did a Level 3 Assesing Competance in the work enviroment and a Level 3 Award in Education and Training. 

They teach you how to set up lesson, all the aspects needed to deliver inhouse or external training.

Another thing i did to help build up my confidence was to record myself giving a short 30 minute course and then reviewing it looking at ways i could improve or better myself. (Laptop with Powerpoint slides)  Don't worry if you make a complete hash of it, thats where practice makes perfect, and after a few solo tries i let myself loose on the Mrs and the Kids.  (I had to force them!! - But at least they know about manual handling now !)

You might find a few classes that do the teacher courses but i did mine with a company online in my own time.

Let us know how you get on

Wozza.s  
#3 Posted : 04 February 2017 15:42:35(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Wozza.s

Hi Gerry,

Thanks for the reply I will look into courses you have suggessted, I need to build my confidence I tend to speak really fast when I give presentions etc, and my coaching skill are non-exisent.

Kind Regards,

Warren

gerrysharpe  
#4 Posted : 04 February 2017 15:54:10(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
gerrysharpe

Originally Posted by: Wozza.s Go to Quoted Post

Hi Gerry,

Thanks for the reply I will look into courses you have suggessted, I need to build my confidence I tend to speak really fast when I give presentions etc, and my coaching skill are non-exisent.

Kind Regards,

Warren


Warren, Thats where the video recording comes in handy, you can then rewind, and watch yourself, You can then work on any mannerisims that you want to try and control as well as finding a bit of confidence building up each time you do it. 

Use your Digi cam, Mobile Phone or Laptop camera to record yourself doing a course, or even reading and explaining from a powerpoint presentation.

All good fun !

aud  
#5 Posted : 06 February 2017 15:41:17(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
aud

Hi Warren

Learning to present, and teach, are certainly useful, but coaching & mentoring are different, in that they are more 'learner-centric'. All under the banner of 'soft skills' which are now recognised as the key to becoming an effective SP. The advantage to you is they are more everyday conversational and not 'stand up in front of people' and be the expert in the room. 

You can of course video yourself practising a presentation, just for the fun of it, regardless of any formal course you take. However, I suggest a first step of the 2 day IOSH approved 'Coaching for Safety' course, (advertised in IOSH mag or just google).

Coaching is more about 'conversation' and 'listening', and turning aspects into a gentle questioning line. The techniques are useful in almost every interaction, one-to-ones, groups, even self-coaching. I wish I had learnt more of this in my early years in H&S, although I did have some skills, as it became ‘the way’ for driving instruction in the late 80s.

There is a difference between coaching and mentoring too, but the base skills are similar. The above course covers the continuum from giving 'expert direction' at one end, to encouraging other people to figure out their own answer, or confirm their opinion, at the other.

Confidence in a presentation / classroom setting, combined with coaching skills, can then make you a competent facilitator in workshop-style or action learning events. The focus then is more on getting people learning, (active) not on merely being trained by you (passive).

There is a USA book called 'How to talk so kids will listen', helping parents learn to coach. You may find this useful if you have children, but the principles apply surprisingly well in management too! There is a wealth of coaching books out there, covering models such as GROW, OSCAR and variations thereof, which may give you more insight. My personal favourite is The Solutions Focus by Jackson & McKergow.

PS. Talking fast is not necessarily a bad thing - depends on audience and situation. 

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