Lean Quote: Fuel Coaching Conversation

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"A coach is someone who tells you what you don't want to hear, who has you see what you don't want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be."   —  Tom Landry

While the GROW framework is useful in certain goal-centric business needs, FUEL is a more adaptable conversation framework designed to achieve behavioral outcomes, challenge assumptions, and strengthen the relationship between coach and coachee. 

Frame the Conversation 

Understand the Current State 

Explore the Desired State 

Layout a successful plan 

As you can see this sounds very similar to the GROW framework, so let’s explore these steps more deeply. 

The FUEL model has four stages. 

Frame the Conversation 

The coach and coachee discuss and agree on purpose, process, and expected outcomes of the conversation. This can be used for goal setting, delivering redirecting feedback, development plans, and performance appraisals. The coach guides the conversation but the coachee owns the conversation content. 

Understand the Current State 

Next, through questioning the coach helps the coachee recognize where they are today. Both challenge each other’s assumptions about the situation. Challenge assumptions and identify beliefs that may drive the coachees behavior. 

Explore the Desired State 

It is of utmost importance that the coach does not rush the coachee into problem solving – it needs to be slow and deliberate to create the ideal vision and generate alternatives for achieving the vision.  The coach must negotiate and influence as to what would form part of the minimum measures of success 

Lay out a Success Plan 

The coach will then help the coachee develop their own action plan. The plan will need to be specific, actionable, and time-bound (SMART GOAL). It needs to be realistic and feasible to accomplish in the time allotted. Importantly, the plan needs to be the coachee’s plan. They need to own it. 

In summary, any coaching model is an enabler of the coaching conversation and development. The FUEL model pushes more on the coach to develop a breadth of pertinent questions. It also specifically focuses on generating a picture of the desired future state. This creates more emotional engagement.