Coaching: Using Personality Theory to Improve Performance

Encouraging Peak Performance in Individuals

The purpose of coaching is to facilitate a change in behaviour  The process will involve learning, self-reflection, decision making and planning. Psychological type theory can be used throughout the coaching process to provide self-understanding, to provide appropriate encouragement, and to facilitate decision making that can lead to long term improvement in performance.

A  typical coaching process involves:

• Initial meeting to establish coach/client rapport, goals and objectives
• Administration of appropriate assessments such as the MajorsPT Elements or MBTI Step II®, EQi®, Strong Interest Inventory, The Arsenal, Pearson-Marr Archetypes Inventory etc
• Interpretation sessions to improve understanding and inspire the client
• Identification of coaching goals and creating an action plan.

Executive Coaching

Some areas of concern that executive coaching may focus on:

• Learning to incorporate the understanding of different personality types into your work life.
• Identifying your own strengths and developmental needs.
• Particular areas of concern, such as dealing constructively with different personalities, effective communication, resolving conflict, decision making, career development and work-life balance.

Leadership Coaching

Some areas of concern that leadership coaching may focus on:

• Using personality theory to understand strengths and manage weaknesses,
• Setting and achieving goals
• Identifying Priorities
• Identifying blind spots could undermine your effectiveness in a given role
• Planning action steps to manage those blind spots.

Coaching Teachers

Change is difficult, even when we are convinced it’s worth the effort. If we expect teachers to change they need clear explanations or evidence of how the changes will benefit them or their students.  Meaningful change is most likely to occur when coaches take into consideration the differences in teachers’ beliefs, feelings and personalities.

Coaching teachers will usually involve the following:

• Applying the latest neuroscience research and the theory of personality type to understand differences in how people take in information and make decisions.
• Using personality theory to understand the different teaching and learning styles
• Identfiying teacher beliefs that can block change
• Understanding instructional strategies that promote effective learning for different personality types
• Designing curriculum or unit of work that suits the learning needs of the students, as well as the teaching style of the teacher.
• Classroom management strategies, particularly effective ways of dealing with dysfunctional or disruptive behaviour.

Coaching to improve Health and Fitness

Coaching for health and fitness focuses on an individual’s personal needs. The coach’s role is to provide education, to motivate action and to develop an actinon plan. Typical components of this process are:

• An assessment of current performance in areas related to health and fitness.
• Learning to improve understanding of practices that will improve performance.
• Particular areas of concern, such as nutrition, exercise, fitness, attitude, learning, rest.
• Using personality theory to help the client identify their strengths and developmental needs.
• Facilitating decision making to create and execute an action plan.

Coaching for Personal and/or Spiritual Development

Coaching for personal and spiritual development requires a certain maturity and a willingness for the client to challenge themselves at a very personal level. It is essential that this client chooses to be involved in the coaching process rather than being sent by the organisation. It is a very individualised  process.

Coaching for personal and/or spiriual development may include some of the following:

• Using sing personality theory to help the client identify their strengths and developmental path.
• Exploring the role of the Dominant and Inferior functions in personal and spiritual growth.
• Learning to improve understanding of practices that will improve performance.
• Developing communication skills
• Learning particular skills to promote development such as meditation, journalling, mindfulness.