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Note from the President
Feature Article -- Learning to Speak Powerfully
News -- CFR Resources Just for You!
We Recommend -- Renewal Coaching
Upcoming Events -- Calendar of Great CFR Seminars
Don't Forget -- CFR Blog

Greetings Colleagues!
Frances Shuster, PCC President, Coaching For Results, Inc.

I have recently been privy to a number of examples of negative presuppositions and the deleterious effect the presumption and the language had on the receiver. As I discussed these incidents with my clients, it was evident that the outcome of the conversations would have been entirely different had a positive presupposition been offered instead of a negative one. I challenge you to be mindful of your presumptions and your language during the next few days and to make it your goal to offer those you interact with the gift of presuming positive intent demonstrated by your words.

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Learning to Speak Powerfully
By Edna Harris

I wonder why it is so difficult to change my language pattern particularly as it relates to building positive presuppositions into my repertoire. I have finally come to realize that a positive presupposition is simply speaking into existence what I believe another person can accomplish before I have actually seen evidence to that effect. As this relates to education, my positive presuppositions are based upon my universally held beliefs about teachers. Some of these beliefs include:

I believe that all teachers care about students.
I believe that all teachers plan lessons using the curriculum guide and correlate student outcomes to state standards and appropriate resources or want to learn how to do that.
I believe that all teachers interact with the parents of their students.

I know that I act upon these beliefs when I interact with teachers whether I have known this teacher in the past or if this is my first encounter with him.

I know that when I am seeking additional information in an interaction or if I am trying to help a teacher to gain clarity around an issue, I can use positive presuppositions. Positive presuppositions meet the International Coach Federation (ICF) standard of powerful questioning—“ability to ask questions that reveal the information needed for maximum benefit to the coaching relationship and the client.” This language pattern “evokes [the client’s own] discovery, insight and commitment to action.” Using the belief statements above, some possible positive presuppositions might be:

“When you think about the needs of your students, what guides the decisions that you make? (presupposes that the teacher cares)
“As you planned this lesson, which planning documents—the curriculum guide or the state standards was the most helpful to you?” (presupposes that the teacher planned and/or knew to use the curriculum guide and state standards)
“What was the parent’s reaction when you talked with her?” (presupposes that the teacher contacted the parent)

I realize that sincere positive presuppositions send a deeper meaning than the words I speak. They convey to the teacher that I have faith in him and trust him to make good decisions about students. These words also convey that the teacher is a good problem solver and that he has thought about the action he took. Even if the teacher did not complete the action specified in the positive presupposition, he probably will do so in the future because he now sees it as an expectation and a strategy to address a possible concern. I have the ability, through the use of positive presuppositions, to send a powerful message without being negative or punitive.

The language of positive presuppositions does not come naturally to me. I believe it will be an acquired skill that I will have to continually plan for and practice. Since I understand the dynamic impact positive presuppositions have upon the listener and the subsequent impact upon students, I will continue to strive to incorporate them into my conversations with others.

Edna Harris is a founding member of Coaching for Results. She holds a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) certificate and has been coaching for nine years. Edna is one of the authors of Results Coaching: The New Essential For School Leaders, a book that will be released by Corwin Press in September, 2010. Edna receives great pleasure in assisting school leaders access their competence, confidence and courage to lead students to their highest levels of success. For information on Edna and our other coaches, go to www.coachingschoolresults.com and click on “coaches.”

CFR Resources Just for You!

You’ve been telling us that you want more from CFR and we’ve heard you! Check out these books authored by CFR Coaches and Trainers. We think you will agree that they are “must have” books for your own libraries.

The Elementary Principal’s Personal Coach:
Tapping Into Your Power for Extraordinary Leadership
by Diana Raney Williams, Essie Hayden Richardson
Foreword by Shirley M. Hord

The guidance and inspiration principals need to take on the challenges of leadership!

Perfect for principals to use on their own or as part of formal professional development, this resource provides scenarios for rich conversations to strengthen a leader’s capacity for problem solving and handling the day-to-day challenges of the elementary principalship.

Reflect on lessons learned from the real-life scenarios
Deepen their understanding about their practices through powerful coaching questions
Write about and reflect on their own experiences in journaling sections Engage in proven professional development activities with their staff

Order this great resource now at: The Elementary Principals Personal Coach

Coaching Conversations
by Linda Gross Cheliotes and Marceta Fleming Reilly

An effective and inexpensive approach for facilitating transformation through the entire school community!

Coaching conversations shift responsibility for instructional improvement from the school leader to the entire school community. With these proven, practical coaching conversational techniques, school leaders can engage and motivate their school communities to work collaboratively toward total school transformation. This easy-to-use, research-based handbook helps school leaders:

Renewal Coaching: Sustainable Change for Individuals and Organizations
by Doug Reeves and Elle Allison

The CFR coaches are currently involved in a book study on Renewal Coaching and find the premise of the book to be extremely valuable. Reeves and Allison have identified seven stages of renewal: Recognition, Reality, Reciprocity, Resilience, Relationship, Resonance and Renewal that lead to a research-based approach to individual and organizational improvement that is sustainable.

See Details and Register at www.coachingschoolresults.com

For more information on presuming positive intent and other essential skills of a coach leader, enroll now in one of our valuable and highly rated seminars.

Most seminars are four days in length. Some are held on four consecutive days while others are held in two-day increments over two months so please check the seminar dates carefully. Most seminars also include a series of three, hour-long follow-up teleclasses specifically designed for seminar participants!

Powerful Coaching Level II: Lewisville, TX,
May 20-21 & June 3-4, 2010
(Follow-up Teleclass dates will be forthcoming)
Instructional Coaching: Dallas, TX, June 21-24, 2010
(Follow-up Teleclass dates will be forthcoming)
Leadership Coaching for High Performance: Dallas, TX,
September 14-17, 2010
(Follow-up Teleclass dates will be forthcoming)
Strategies for Powerful Leading and Living: Dallas, TX,
October 6-7 & 20-21, 2010
(Follow-up Teleclass dates will be forthcoming)

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