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23 COACHING AND MENTORING DEVELOPING LEADERS FOR A COMPLEX WORLD develop a vision and a factual road map to develop a plan of action as laid out below. Step Explanation Sample Questions Principles of a coaching conversation G = Goals Agree a specific aim, objective and topic for discussion. What outcome do you want? Why are you hoping to achieve this goal? What do you want to achieve long term? R = Reality Both parties invite self- assessment and other specific examples to illustrate their point. What is happening now? What is really stopping you? Who is directly and indirectly involved? O = Options Coach prompts suggestions from the person by asking effective questions and guides them towards making choices. What could you do? What other options are there? Would you like another suggestion? W = Way forward Both parties commit to action, define a time frame for the objectives and identify how to deal with possible difficulties. What will you do? What issues have we surfaced/still remain? What insights have you had? FORMATION RANK NAME AC Capt Kevin Fitzgerald AC Comdt Elizabeth Barrett AC Flt Sgt Anne Kelly AC FQMS Anthony Murtagh NS Lt Cdr Gavin Mc Carthy NS Lt Cdr David Memery NS Lt Tom Mullaney NS Lt Cdr Trish Butler NS SCPO Brendan Madden 1 Bde CS Conor Kelleher 1 Bde Sgt Graham Forde 1 Bde Comdt Tadhg O' Donoghue 1 Bde Cpl Yvonne Kearney 2 Bde Comdt Paul Conlon 2 Bde Comdt Luke Foley 2 Bde Comdt Enda CaldDwell 2 Bde CS Matt Masterson 2 Bde BSM Mark Gallagher 2 Bde Capt Cian Harte 2 Bde Capt Michelle Kelly 2 Bde BQMS Stephen Daly 2 Bde CS John Kennedy DFTC Comdt Shane Courtney DFTC Comdt Sean Clarke DFTC Sgt Alan Fitzgerald DFTC Comdt Padraig Duggan DFTC A/BQMS Philip Wolfe DFHQ Sgt Patrick Mulholland To learn more about how to practice a coaching style of leadership, see DFDMJ1, the Defence Forces Leadership Doctrine, which is currently under revision, with an updated edition due to be published shortly. 5 In order to help personnel to reach their potential, the DF have in place a coaching and mentoring programme within each Brigade having its own Mentoring Advisory Team (MAT) in order to enhance the capability of delivering coaching and mentoring. While the programme has many volunteers to become mentors it has currently received less mentees. Becoming a mentee is rank agnostic, the old saying "you're never too experienced to learn" springs to mind. The field of neuroscience supports this thesis with regard to the neuroplasticity of the brain. In fact, current thinking in this field suggests we never stop learning due to the brain being malleable. Therefore, with this hypothesis we never out rank the ability to get better and learn. As a mentor, I have witnessed first-hand the powerful effect coaching/mentoring had on coachees/mentees - assisting them to become more focussed, to think in solution-focused terms and to grow in confidence, which has had both a positive effect on their professional and personal life. Why not reach out to your local MATS team – their details are listed below. They will help you develop as a person by providing, active listening, feedback, trust and safety – all in a confidential environment. 1 Clutterbuck, D. (2019). Everyone needs a mentor (5th ed.). London: CIPD. 2 Whitmore, J. (2009). Coaching for performance. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. 3 NZDF. (2018). Performance and development (P&D) toolkit. Wellington: Headquarters New Zealand Defence Forces. 4 Whitmore, J. (2017). Coaching for performance. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. 5 Coffey, M. (2020). «Being before doing» - An exploration of a coaching style of leadership for NCO's in the Irish Defence Forces. Maynooth: Unpublished thesis for MU. 1. Create awareness 2. Be solution focused 3. Generate responsibility 4. Move to action

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