ABSTRACT
Contracting phase is what distinguishes coaching from other kinds of workplace communication. It’s the essence of coaching because of the time taken to examine the coachee’s underlying beliefs, values, and assumptions, and tying the business issue to the coachee’s development. In Contracting, the way in which the challenge is defined will contribute to the outcome. There’s nothing wrong with problem-solving in and of itself. When situations are urgent, problem-solving may be exactly what’s needed. The satisfaction and gains of problem-solving are reversed when considering the losses of learning and development over time. This chapter discusses three wisdoms about contracting which tightly correspond to a coaching mindset: see resistance as natural and necessary; be transparent; and be highly attentive to power dynamics. Luckily, coaching a peer doesn’t have to be nearly as infrequent as it is. Doing so requires a willingness to go against the grain of normal organizational behavior, and requires good contracting skills.
