The Coaching Game

A Northgate Training Game

Business coaching activity – learn and practise business coaching skills.

Our solution to this often difficult topic is an ingenious board game.

A friendly environment in which to explore the serious benefits of coaching and practise vital coaching skills.

How it works

This coaching activity is in three parts. First, it asks the question, what is coaching? Individuals then complete a Coaching Opportunities Form to identify areas where they feel they need coaching – maybe in areas of planning, decision-making, time management etc.

Next, they sit around the game board and practise their coaching skills. Finally, the Trainer leads a debrief on the issues raised and the learning points of the activity

At the start of the game board stage, each player takes two “What to Say” cards and two “Coaching Tips” cards. These act as prompts when it is a player’s turn to “coach’.

There are four types of squares on the board:

1. Coaching Tips Squares
The player takes a Coaching Tips card and reads it aloud to all players – for discussion for up to two minutes – or picks a second card. The cards are retained by the player for use later.

2. What to Say Squares
The player takes a “What to Say” card and reads it out for discussion. Is it something you would say at a coaching session – or not? If not, it is “binned”. Otherwise it is held for use later.

3. Coaching Opportunity Squares
These each show a different, key management skill. If a player lands on one of these squares they check to see who ticked that particular topic on their Coaching Opportunities Form. That player then receives a mini-coaching session from the player who landed on the square. Players use the cards they have collected on what to say and coaching tips to help in the coaching process.

4. Problem Squares
A player landing on these may nominate another player to pick a Problem Card, to read it to the group. The first player then conducts a coaching session while the recipient “role-plays” according to a statement on the card. The Coaching Game allows participants to coach and be coached in a quick and non-threatening way. It is engaging and very supportive for all the participants and its format means that much of the experience sticks in people’s minds.

It takes the fear out of coaching and therefore is an ideal introduction to the subject, allowing participants to relax and address some of basic issues – such as style of approach and the use of language. Trainers can then move onto a more in-depth discussion of the subject, in the knowledge that participants have some recent real-life experience to draw upon.

Key skills

• Definition of business coaching
• Coaching techniques
• One-to-one coaching practice
• Good and bad approaches to coaching
• Coaching as a two way process
• Questioning and listening
• Probing.

Key learning points

• The aim of coaching is to improve individual performance
• The first step is to establish rapport
• The problem area needs to be carefully defined
• Listening is an essential skill for a coach
• The person being coached needs to take ownership
• The person being coached states the options and way forward
• The coach sets the agenda
• Follow-up is crucial.

Download a PDF file of this coaching activity.

Buy this game and use it many times; or we will run it for you. Please contact us for more information.

Buy this game with:

• Credit or Debit Card – Click on the “Add to cart” button below or contact us to pay over the phone
• Bank Transfer (please ask for details)
• Cheque in Pounds Sterling made out to Elite Training European Ltd
• PayPal (please ask for details).

Google Checkout will process your online card transaction. Please select the appropriate delivery service in their checkout and we will deliver the game(s) to you.

We can arrange for shorter or longer delivery times, which will increase or decrease the cost of delivery. If you would like alternative shipping costs or have questions about ordering, see our Ordering page or contact us.

We develop and sell a wide range of business simulation games and training material. We also sell selected training activities and games produced by other top training companies that achieve excellent results in our training courses and events. This training activity like many of the business games we sell, allows you to build your collection of readymade trainer-led activities or tailor your own training program. The activities are ideal for your training course, seminar or conference.

Expert advice to help you choose and use

With our business experience and expertise in training, we can help you choose the right training material or business game. Advice is free and there is no obligation to buy.

To see the other companies that have bought business simulation games from us and their feedback on our services please visit our >> Customers and Feedback Page

Prefer us to run the game? No problem

Our facilitators will run a business game or training activity at your management conference, seminar or training course.

Just let us know what you want to achieve from running the game and relax in the knowledge that we will make the game interesting, enjoyable and beneficial.

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