Steve breaks down his coaching continuum, running from open-ended coaching questions through scaffolding to explicit, supervisory feedback. His take is clear: start open. You can always add scaffold. Taking it away once it's in place is much harder. He also makes the case for replacing feedback with feed forward, arguing that the only reason a coach is in a classroom today is because they're interested in tomorrow.

Bill introduces his concept of "arc builders" and asks a pointed question: if it's raining in education right now, who is actually building? He names his own arc builders, including Art Costa, John Saphier, Marshall Goldsmith, and Richard Sheridan, and pushes coaches and school leaders to think about who they surround themselves with and whether those people give energy or drain it.

Both guests keep coming back to the same principle: effective coaching is driven by the coachee, not the coach. Steve references Michael Bungay Stanier's phrase "caring enough not to care" as shorthand for what this looks like in practice. Bill connects it to Marshall Goldsmith's stakeholder centred coaching and the feed forward process.

The conversation also covers putting staff first so they can put students first, why stories matter more than policy binders, hope as a real strategy for school improvement, and how leaders create the conditions for a learning culture where coaching can actually land.

Whether you're an instructional coach, school leader, head of school, or anyone working in teacher development and professional learning, this episode is packed with practical wisdom from two people who've spent decades in the work.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome and introductions 03:07 - Steve and Bill reintroduce themselves 04:10 - Steve on coaching driven by the coachee 08:46 - What do you now believe to be true about coaching done well? 10:50 - The modelling approach: watch the kids first, not the coach 12:13 - Michael Bungay Stanier: caring enough not to care 12:43 - Steve on the feedback continuum: from telling to thinking 16:44 - The scaffolding continuum: open, scaffolded, and explicit 22:06 - Bill on arc builders and feed forward 27:10 - Shane reflects: coaching as forward-looking and invitational 30:23 - Audience Q&A: standardisation vs personalisation 32:37 - Steve: personalisation in coaching means the coachee drives it 34:36 - Putting staff first so they can put students first 38:05 - Five years from now: hope, stories, and mattering 43:55 - Closing reflections

People and resources mentioned:

Steve Barkley - barkleypd.com | Bill Sommers - learningomnivores.com | Michael Bungay Stanier | Marshall Goldsmith - What Got You Here Won't Get You There | Art Costa & Bena Kallick - Habits of Mind | John Saphier - High Expectations Teaching | Amy Edmondson - The Right Kind of Wrong | Richard Sheridan - Joy, Inc. and Chief Joy Officer | Zach Muriel - The Power of Mattering | Tom Schimmer - The Agile Classroom | Dan Meyer | Peter Drucker | Peter Block | Parker Palmer | Edgar Schein | Andy Hargreaves | Johnny Uttley & John Thomson - Putting Staff First | Shannon Moran - Evocative Coaching | Heath Brothers - The Power of Moments | Jim Knight | Kate Murphy - Why We Click

Takeaways

• Gratitude and warmth set the tone for reflective coaching discussions.
• Reflection on coaching progress is essential for identifying goals and strategies.
• Building relationships and trust are crucial for effective coaching conversations.

Chapters

• 00:00 Welcoming and Gratitude
• 10:00 Preparing for a Coaching Conversation
• 17:08 Reflecting on Coaching Progress
• 25:39 Impact of Reflection on Future Intentions
• 31:56 Closing Reflection and Gratitude

This live coaching session is what happens when two coaches decide to stop talking about vulnerability and actually practise it.

Jim Thompson - co-author of Video Coaching Done Well - coaches Shane Leaning using the video coaching method, live, in front of a LinkedIn audience. Shane had filmed himself leading a session of his Education Leaders Intensive: 18 school leaders from around the world, meeting weekly on a 10-week programme. He watched it back. He was not happy with what he saw.

'I was rambling,' Shane said. 'Lots of filler words. And I could feel myself going: come on, Shane, these are leaders giving up their time.'

So he brought the clip to Jim.

During the session, Shane admitted something he'd never quite said out loud: 'Before every session, I tell my wife - this is going to be the worst one yet. She must be sick of it. I know it's not true. But the nerves come every time.'

Twenty minutes later, Shane had three concrete strategies he didn't walk in with. And the problem turned out to be different from what he'd thought. Not a skill gap. A confidence dip - one that hit at the very opening of each session, before he'd had a chance to settle. Once it was named, the way forward became obvious.

Jim walked away thinking about a single word. What if coaches replaced 'goal' with 'intention'? It changes how people show up to the conversation entirely.

If you coach, lead, or teach - here's what you'll take from this:

→ The "money question" Jim uses that unlocks more than "what would you do differently?" does

→ Why the best coaching questions don't come from a prepared list - they come from listening

→ The goal vs intention distinction (and when each one serves the coachee better)

→ Three grounding strategies for showing up with clarity when nerves have other plans

→ What "holding space" actually looks and feels like - demonstrated live

This is Coaching Done Well. Coaches need coaches. If you work with other people's growth and you've been saying that without quite acting on it - this episode is for you.

👇 Have you ever filmed yourself coaching or teaching and watched it back? What did you see? Tell us in the comments.

🔔 Subscribe to Coaching Done Well for more honest conversations about what it actually takes to get better at this work.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Welcome from Shanghai and upstate New York

1:09 - Setting the scene

4:23 - Acknowledgements and the power of connection 6:27 - Shane explains what's about to happen

9:20 - The coaching begins

11:20 - What gives Shane energy in this work

13:46 - Shane names his goal: clarity and succinctness

16:03 - Scaling the goal 1-10

18:58 - The money question: what would your coachees be doing differently?

21:24 - How do you even measure that?

25:25 - What does "clarity" actually mean?

27:31 - Three strategies Shane commits to

30:22 - What Shane learned about himself as a coach

33:13 - Goal vs intention - a word that changes everything

40:43 - The power of listening for a coach

43:04 - The learning question: what's been most useful?

45:04 - Closing reflections

Shane Leaning: educationleaders.co

#LiveCoachingSession #VideoCoaching #CoachingSession #CoachingSkills #LeadershipCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #CoachingDoneWell #ExecutiveCoaching #InstructionalCoaching #EducationLeaders

Takeaways

• The mission of instructional coaching is student success every day.
• It's important to hold your truths lightly and be open to others' perspectives.
• Conversations are central to the effectiveness of schools and coaching.
• AI can provide ideas but lacks the human connection necessary for coaching.
• Coaching is a profoundly human endeavor that requires empathy and understanding.
• Two monologues do not equal a dialogue; true conversation requires engagement.
• Life-giving conversations can transform relationships and foster growth.
• Coaches who leverage AI will have an advantage over those who do not.
• Professionalism in coaching involves using discretion and adapting to individual needs.
• Adaptive challenges require human insight and cannot be solved by AI alone.

Sound bites

"Hold your truths lightly."

"AI is a vending machine for ideas."

"Two monologues don't equal a dialogue."

As the episode progresses, Shane and Jim delve into the controversial topic of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and learning styles, questioning their validity in educational settings. They discuss the potential risks of reintroducing outdated concepts into modern coaching and teaching practices. The episode concludes with a call for educators to confront ineffective methodologies and embrace evidence-based practices that truly enhance learning outcomes. Overall, the conversation is rich with insights on coaching, reflection, and the evolving landscape of education.

As they look ahead to the new year, the trio emphasizes the need for quality conversations and collaborative efforts to enhance teaching and learning.

Takeaways

• Teachers spend nearly all their time alone in classrooms.
• Feedback alone is not enough; teachers need cognitive support.
• Professional development must resonate with teachers' experiences.
• Creating conditions for meaningful student participation is crucial.
• A common language in education helps bridge understanding gaps.
• Effective questioning is key to coaching success.
• Coaching walkthroughs provide practical strategies for teachers.
• Incremental growth in teaching practice leads to sustainable improvement.
• Quality conversations are essential for effective coaching.
• The future of education relies on collaboration and shared goals.

Get your copy of Coaching Walkthrus here: https://www.amazon.com/Coaching-WalkThrus-Matt-Stone/dp/1036007278

Thank you to Jasen Booton, Rachel Lofthouse and Trista Hollweck.

Takeaways

• Coaching needs to be understood in context.
• The book serves as a love letter to Collective Ed.
• Coaching is a tool for enhancing educational practices.
• Quality coaching conversations require active listening and trust.
• Creating a safe space is essential for effective coaching.
• Buy-in for coaching requires strategic integration into existing practices.
• Coaching should not be an additional burden on educators.
• The purpose of coaching must resonate with all stakeholders.
• Coaching can lead to cultural shifts within educational institutions.
• Effective coaching fosters relationships and empowers educators.

Takeaways

• Old ways of working are no longer effective.
• We need to question how we do things.
• Work must be more dynamic to adapt to complexity.
• Listening to different perspectives is crucial.
• It's not about being a rebel, but finding solutions.
• Collaboration is key in divisive times.
• We must work well together to move forward.
• The industrial age methods are outdated.
• Complexity requires new approaches to work.
• Finding a way forward involves diverse viewpoints.

  Sound Bites

• "You can't work in that way anymore."
• "We need to work more dynamically." "Listening to different perspectives is so important."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Coaching Done Well

03:12 Defining Coaching Done Well

06:13 The Coaching Way of Being

11:26 Coachable Moments in Leadership

16:23 The Customer for Change

24:28 Hopes for Readers of the Book

Takeaways

• The importance of noticing and communicating with others.
• Teachers play a crucial role in student success.
• Building connections with students is essential.
• Reading aloud can foster a love for learning.
• Professional development should be sustainable and meaningful.
• Creating a sense of belonging is vital in education.
• Coaching can significantly impact teaching practices.
• Engaging with the community enhances educational experiences.
• Listening to students' needs is crucial for their success.
• The power of storytelling can create lasting connections.