Harvard Business Review Guides Ultimate Boxed Set (16 Books)

Chapter 1

Shift Your Thinking to Coach Effectively

by Candice Frankovelgia

Do you ever say to yourself (or others), “This person just doesn’t get it” or “This person will never have what it takes”? If so, you may have what Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck calls a fixed mind-set, which will severely limit your ability to make a difference as a coach. Low expectations rarely yield growth and often lead to frustration on both sides. You may occasionally encounter someone who truly can’t develop, but the real barrier is most often the belief that the person won’t make progress.

It’s easy to fall into this trap. After you’ve acquired a lot of experience and knowledge in your field, doing things yourself may seem simpler and faster than helping your ...