A common problem I hear from coaches is that the person they’re coaching isn’t ‘ready to learn’. Coaching progress then slows down or stops while the coach waits for the learner to signal or say that they are ready. Problem is, because learning is hard and uncomfortable, many people may never feel that they ‘are ready’. Instead of waiting, coaches need to actively help ‘make their learners ready’. This can be done by presenting the new idea or behavior multiple times in a variety of ways so that the learner gets used to it. The new behavior or skill can also be broken down into smaller, component parts so that it doesn’t seem so daunting. Either way, it is up to the coach to help ‘make the learner’ ready, so that they can continue to progress.
