Four steps

Key Idea
The coaching process has four steps:

1. Preparation: You observe a potential coachee, test your hypotheses about his or her skills or performance, listen for signals that your help is needed, estimate the probability of improvement, and ask the employee to prepare for coaching.
2. Initial discussion of skills and performance: Share your observations with the potential coachee, ask questions and listen actively to his or her responses, and explore potential causes of the performance problem or the need for new skills. Next, agree on goals and create an action plan that will best address performance problems or close skill gaps.
3. Ongoing dialogue: Check your coachee's progress on the action plan, refine your approach, blend inquiry with advocacy, and give feedback.
4. Follow up: You regularly discuss what's working well and what isn't, and make any needed adjustments in the goals or the coaching process.

Effective coaches recognize that coaching is a process that has four discrete phases.