LOC Green Activity

When coaching, it's important to have activities within the conversation. Learning projects are assigned between sessions, while activities are done during the session. One activity is defining terms like accountability. This ensures a shared understanding. Another activity is asking the coachee to explain their understanding of the definition. This tests their knowledge. Skill activities involve practicing or simulating behaviors related to the defined concept. Role playing can be used for this. The green light moment is about assessing what the coachee needs to know and what skills they need to practice or demonstrate. When you're coaching, you always want to facilitate an activity inside your coaching conversation. Now, we often get people confused with learning project versus activity. A learning project is prescribed or assigned to somebody between coaching sessions. An activity is done inside the coaching session. Now, at the green light moment, what we really want to do more than anything, one of the great activities you can start off a coaching relationship is to do something called define and coach. So let's use the topic of accountability. You might ask somebody, Charlie, what's your definition of accountability? And let's create a mutually defined definition so we can really share in that pursuit of you improving. Often when we use terms like communication, listening, accountability, the definition is open for interpretation unless we define it. So one of the great activities you can do, at least at the green light stage, is to define it. And then every once in a while, the activity could be, well, Charlie, again, walk me through your understanding of our definition of accountability, just so I make sure I've communicated it clearly as well. And that is something called the sword. You're putting the onus on your shoulders so they don't feel like you're putting them on the spot, yet you really are ascertaining, do they understand the definition? That's a knowledge activity. Now, a skill activity might be to practice, to simulate, to demonstrate. So let's take our topic of accountability. So let's look at your calendar, Charlie. Demonstrate or teach me, or for lack of a better description, Charlie, present to me, when you look at your calendar, some areas where you've been really accountable, very thorough, as it relates to our definition of accountability. And then looking at some things in your calendar, where have some potentially missteps occurred as it relates to accountability? So inside your green light moment, the activities, knowledge, teach it, can they teach it back? Skill, can they demonstrate? Can they practice? Can they simulate? Now, when we get into things like skills, we can often go through role playing. I often use the word simulation or practice or a skill workout session. Role playing has a negative connotation for whatever reason. So think about that green light moment. What do they need to know? Do they know it? Skill, what do they need to simulate, practice, or demonstrate?