How to Coach Yourself and Others Empowering Coaching And Crisis Interventions | Page 72

This book is in B&W, not color - Print page in Grayscale for Correct view! Here are five steps to empower people. 1. Know their skills and qualifications. Look over their curriculum vitae, and find out what their strengths and abilities are. This will help you decide where to maximize their potentials. 2. Ask them what they are best capable of and find most enjoyment in doing, within the scope of their work description. Encourage them to contribute in their areas of speciality and interests. 3. Give frequent praises for good work everyday. Most people (with possible exception of those with schizoid personality disorder) thrive in positive feedback. It helps them to know what they are doing is appreciated, and will encourage them to continue their good work. 4. Avoid criticisms if at all possible. Criticisms has the opposite effect of praises, and can discourage people greatly. Always assume good faith, be understanding, think in terms of good aspects, compare their mistakes to mistakes you have made yourself, or could have made. If you must give criticism, be constructive, and always praise first, and provide clear suggestions on how to improve. 5. Provide opportunities for further training and education. Allow them to expand their knowledge and skills so they can contribute in greater ways. “The beauty of empowering others is that your own power is not diminished in the process,” said Barbara Coloroso. In fact, empowering other people puts out the positive vibes into the atmosphere that will be returned to you, not in any sort of karmic sense necessarily, but in terms of improving your own sense of self-awareness and confidence. This can be achieved in a number of little ways that can range from simply boosting someone else’s mood to helping them realize new aspects of their personalities. We are all in this life together, and helping others achieve their goals can get our own on track. The following are 50 little things you can do to empower other people and get started down this path. 1. Give out compliments that you mean. Most people can see straight through a phony compliment, but if you think your friend looks especially nice today with that new hairstyle, tell her so. Just be open and direct in your interactions. 2. Speak and act with honesty. If you always speak with integrity and believe in your own words and actions, others will also pick up on this and mimic it, fostering an atmosphere of trust. 3. Listen to others. Always listen to what other people say. I used to zone out when others were speaking but now make a point of looking into their eyes and listening to their words, which has made a world of difference in personal interactions. 4. Help illustrate your points with visual aids. When leading a meeting or presentation, realize that many other people are visual learners. My girlfriend can’t understand a concept without a diagram to back it up. 5. Teach a class. If you have a skill or knowledge to share, why not teach your own class that helps spread it to others? 6. Get involved in community art projects. Artistic projects in the community are a great way to help get everyone involved in making the city a more beautiful place to live, instilling a sense of pride in all residents. 7. Mentor a child or student. Getting involved in one child’s life, especially if they are at-risk, helps you both make connections throughout your lifetime. For [email protected] Property of Bookemon, do NOT distribute 72