Reproduced with permission from the TRDEV list:

Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 06:10:58 -0400
From: Valerie Stewart
Subject: Coaching

Permission to add a thought to the conversation about coaching? It sometimes makes things easier if you can find an opening in which you can say that people don't change, they add (behaviour, skills, whatever). The 'startle' value when someone says 'You can't expect me to change the habits of a lifetime,' and you actually agree with them - but then go on to say that people can always add new ones - can defuse some of the tension/resentment etc.

Cheers,

Valerie.