Language is powerful. Subtle variations in the words we use can make a profound difference during communication. For example: which phrase is more motivating: “I don’t know this”, or “I don’t know this yet”?

In this session, you’ll discover a simple shortcut to immediately help you host better coaching conversations. You’ll explore how you can use ordinary words in extraordinary ways, and use your lexical choice more effectively in your coaching responses and everyday conversations.

1. You will understand how to use the DOQ in your coaching conversations with clients and in your own reflection.
2. You will be able to articulate different components of the client’s narratives using the DOQ categories.
3. You will be able to reflect on how to use your lexical choices more effectively in your coaching responses and everyday conversations.

Contrary to the belief that coaching is mysterious, it is a precise process of curating a client’s purpose, possibilities and progress. This is made clear using communication science to highlight the presence of ‘interactional influence’.

In this session, you’ll examine the dialogic interaction between coach and client. You’ll take a deep dive into the research behind how meanings are made in coaching sessions. You’ll also acquire a tool for transforming conversational mystery into coaching mastery.

1. You will understand how questions influence clients’ narratives using the evidence from communication science.
2. You will be able to recognize key opportunities in people’s narratives using the categories of evidence-based heuristic of interaction.
3. You will be able to formulate multiple responses more intentionally to orient the conversation to a more useful (and intended) direction in your next conversation.

Whatever space you occupy in your world, the ability to coach others and curate better stories is an integral skill, perhaps one of the most important crafts you can master. Often in a position to evaluate or motivate others – performance conversations or introducing change – how do you host better conversations that matter, especially at work? How do we facilitate the conversation so that people feel valued, not evaluated? If you are looking to transform your workspace with coaching, do not miss this opportunity. You will walk away with practice-based evidence so that you can re-author people’s experiences at work.

1. You will be able to use progress-focused strategies (e.g., scaling) with asset-based mindset.
2. You will generate different areas of work that you can apply the learning (e.g., communication change, giving feedback, team conversations).
3. You will be able to incorporate the key concepts into your existing microprocesses of work.