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University of California, Davis

Coaching Conversations

Throughout the Coaching Skills for Managers specialization, we’ve discussed many topics for improving coaching conversations with our employees. It is now time to put all of that theory and discussion into practice and examine great examples of common coaching conversations! Note: This course builds on all previous courses in the Coaching Skills for Managers specialization. It is highly recommended that students complete or be familiar with the topics covered in those courses before taking this course. In particular, you should be familiar with the coaching strategies and tools discussed in previous courses (such as the 5 whys technique, resisting what is, among others), and should have a full understanding of the Thought model and the various components of it: circumstances, thoughts, feelings, actions, and results. By the end of this course, you will be able to demonstrate appropriate and effective strategies when engaging in coaching conversations with those that you lead. By exploring and analyzing common coaching scenarios that are acted out in this course, you will have a great sense of what works well and not so well during such a conversation. Specifically, you'll be able to better differentiate between a developmental coaching approach and a directive management style, discuss new strategies and techniques for dealing with both mind set and skill set gaps, describe how to use the feedback loop effectively in a conversation, and demonstrate the use of good questioning techniques and the thought model to not only help an employee identify issues, but help the employee really change their thinking. The final assignment is all about actually having a coaching conversation with another person where you can apply everything you've learned in this course and throughout the Coaching Skills for Managers specialization. Again, it is highly recommended students complete the other courses in the specialization before taking this one. This peer review assignment, in particular, will be difficult to complete without knowledge of the topics covered in these courses. After going through the course materials and completing the assessments, you will be able to have more effective one-on one-coaching meetings with those you manage and deepen your understanding of the essential practice of coaching conversations.

Status: Coaching
Status: Constructive Feedback
BeginnerCourse12 hours

Featured reviews

F

5.0Reviewed Jun 3, 2020

Great course... thanks Kris for making this course, it was very helpful for MBA in HR aspirants in the future.

YL

5.0Reviewed Sep 18, 2020

Good Course, Kris with years of coaching experiences deliver the program using Experiential Approach teaching. Thank You

KD

5.0Reviewed Apr 1, 2017

This was a nice course, it put everything together from the previous 3.

MM

5.0Reviewed Jul 14, 2020

Kris Plachy though really well. Amazing coach! Looking forward to learning more from her.

DF

5.0Reviewed Oct 27, 2025

The review and grading can be a challenge depending on how many are enrolled.

BA

4.0Reviewed Aug 2, 2020

The peer reviews did NOTHING to help me learn. I think it would have been better to give a scenario and then have us coach that. Make it more personal and relatable.

GB

5.0Reviewed Aug 29, 2016

Very good course. Specially the assignment where in the participant gets to record the coaching conversation and shares for review. Also, gets a chance to review the assignment of fellow partici

MB

5.0Reviewed Mar 14, 2021

An excellent course .It helped me to be a better leader and gave me the skill to coach my staff

RK

5.0Reviewed Nov 25, 2025

This model helps to improvement areas in several behaviours,skilss,negotiation,managing priorities

PP

5.0Reviewed Jul 9, 2017

this is "MUST DONE" course.We do not learn how to get the best out of our employees. I should have done this course before and I would have avoided a lot of mistakesThank you very much !

BN

5.0Reviewed Apr 21, 2020

Excellent way of coaching. Very simple yet powerful coaching Tools and techniques.Thanks to Ms Plaschy for her life stories and learnings to become even for more effective.

M

5.0Reviewed Nov 23, 2020

Excellent course! You'll really get to practice what you've learned through the required assignment. It was truly helpful and insightful. Thanks to Kris and her team!

All reviews

Showing: 20 of 100

Jeff Casselman
2.0
Reviewed Jan 16, 2020
Bruno Figueiredo Ribeiro
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Reviewed May 5, 2020
Sarah Fisch
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Reviewed Mar 18, 2020
Betraaj K N
5.0
Reviewed Apr 22, 2020
Carine Roenen Laroche
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Reviewed Oct 31, 2018
Giada Pezzini
3.0
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Gagan Deep Singh Baath
5.0
Reviewed Aug 30, 2016
Bashar Hossien Safi
5.0
Reviewed Mar 29, 2020
Ma. Almira Tumibay
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Reviewed Nov 24, 2020
Sarah Miller
4.0
Reviewed Mar 26, 2017
Bobby Adams
4.0
Reviewed Aug 3, 2020
Joy Bowden (Shortbed)
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Reviewed Jan 5, 2025
Jordi Rodríguez Campano
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Reviewed Aug 31, 2016
Michael Franck
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Reviewed Aug 10, 2016
Mireille Najjar
5.0
Reviewed Aug 5, 2022
Dr. Muhammd Zia-ur-Rehman
5.0
Reviewed Nov 17, 2018
Martyn Mayfield
5.0
Reviewed Jun 9, 2017
Kerry Tomlin
5.0
Reviewed Jul 5, 2019
AMANDA JAYATHILAKE
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Reviewed Nov 14, 2020
VIKASH SOUNDARARAJAN
5.0
Reviewed Nov 24, 2025