What makes a great coach? Energy

How many coffees have you had?

During Coaching Café this week we continue the momentum of focussing on the top 10 practices of the world’s best coaches from What Makes a Great Coach?

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Imagine, it’s 7:00am and super coach Emma Doyle is about to present to Virgin Australia’s Platinum Frequent Flyer customers. Along with former WTA World No.1 Maria Sharapova. Emma is ready to go. And she is warmly greeting Maria and the crowd. However, just before they begin, Maria says:

‘I love your energy. How many coffees have you had already?’

Engagement in the workplace

There’s been quite a lot of discussion recently about how to engage and energise people in the workplace. Particularly in response to the ‘quiet quitting’ phenomenon. In addition, we’ve heard that managers are frustrated. Particularly now the return to the office is supposed to be happening, and it’s not happening. Research suggests engagement in the workplace has been decreasing.

As coaches and facilitators, we are focussed on bringing our energy to a session. Without the need for copious cups of coffee! And as Emma shares, she was energised that morning without the need for coffee. She was on purpose. Ready to make a difference. Furthermore, ready to make her guests feel welcome and set up a great learning environment.

As Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia says, ‘your energy introduces you first.’

What gives you energy?

Therefore, in the Coaching Café this week we focus on the practice of Energy. Particularly how to answer the questions: ‘how do I energise my people?’ Or alternatively ‘what to do about the ‘quiet quitting’ people?’

One of the best questions we can ask in response is ‘what gives you energy?’

Alternatively, where do you get your energy from?

Asking these questions is a chance for self-reflection. What are the tasks or activities that really energise me? We talk about this in our strengths-based leadership coaching workshops. Importantly, it’s a conversation that we can have with our team.

Energy top-ups and energy traps

Another key element to energy that we discuss in What Makes a Great Coach? is to be aware of your energy top ups and energy drainers.

Energy top ups are those things that build your energy. For example, going for a walk at lunch time. Alternatively getting into bed a little earlier. It is crazy how easily we let the things go that really do build our energy. Especially when we are super busy.

Where do you get your energy from?

What energy top ups do you need to bring back, that you might have let go?

What’s one thing you can do to rebuild your energy?

These are great questions to ask ourselves. And the people we are coaching.

Conversely energy traps (or energy drainers) will take away from, or sap your energy. This might also include mindless activities like scrolling on social media. The key question here is:

How can we limit the energy drainers?

The practice of energy

What Makes a Great Coach? gives us the opportunity to reflect on our own coaching practices. In the book we share the research and stories around energy from the book. And most importantly key questions that we can all use to reflect on how we energise people. You can start with the questions in this blog.

One coach, who epitomises someone with energy you are drawn to, is Michele Krause. Michele is the architect and cofounder of the Cardio Tennis program. Michele says what makes a great coach is ‘someone who is positive, enthusiastic and energetic.’ Importantly, she also offered:

When you love something so much and you are bringing that energy, you can transfer it to others. Allowing them to take it in. So that the energy can be reflected in one another.

Michele Krause

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