Coaches' New Year's Resolution: Resist the Compulsion to Tell

Coaches' New Year's Resolution:

Resist the Compulsion to Tell

Promote Self-Driven Discovery

For academic coaches as well as those who are called upon to understand (and perhaps fund) academic coaching, one of the most significant conceptual challenges is to shift from the culture of telling to the culture of questioning. Historically, much of education has been anchored in telling, and telling is useful in many contexts. Educators in a variety of roles have positively associated telling with helping. It takes effort to challenge this association and operate differently. Even when coaches are clear on the questioning focus, telling can sneak into coaching conversations.

Dr. David Yeager, developmental psychologist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, refers to what he calls "the compulsion to tell" in his book 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People. He notes that it is important to acknowledge the good intentions of conveying information, and identifies three characteristics of telling that can help educators identify why it seems so positive and useful — and why it is hard to shift:

Telling is efficient (it's quick to impart knowledge you've built and refined through experience and effort)

Telling feels polite (if someone is struggling with a task, it seems right to provide useful information)

Telling gives the teller a good feeling (if the information we share brings resolution or relief, we feel we have been supportive)

There are many situations, of course, in which telling is appropriate and makes the most of these characteristics — helping someone with directions, as Yeager points out, or in a higher education context, providing a student with information about a prerequisite to a course. However, as coaches, we need to focus on how questioning invites our students to explore what they already know and build their own answers. With a culture of questioning, we convey to students the respect and equal-power status that can help them access the courage to think for themselves.

As you begin the calendar year, we invite you to resolve to combat the compulsion to tell, and see where the results take your students.

Make 2025 the Year Coaching Solves Higher Ed’s Toughest Challenges

Higher education is grappling with unprecedented challenges—rising mental health crises, the need for greater career readiness, and the unfortunate reality that many students struggle to secure meaningful employment or are let go shortly after starting. These issues affect not only individual students but also university outcomes like enrollment, retention, and long-term institutional success.

By equipping your staff with coaching training, you can help students build resilience, achieve meaningful employment, and address many challenges that universities face today. Allocate your budget toward LifeBound’s training options this year and plan ahead to ensure your institution is prepared to address these critical needs effectively. Let’s create a campus-wide culture of coaching and make an impact in 2025!

LifeBound offers multiple ways to train academic coaches, faculty, or staff:

3-Day Virtual Training

Next Class: Feb 7, 14, 21

A dynamic, interactive course focused on practical coaching techniques.

Self-Paced Inclusive Coaching Success Course

Choose your own dates!

A flexible, 15-hour program designed for those who want to deepen their skills at their own pace. The course dives deep into foundational and advanced coaching techniques as well as motivation, resilience, career readiness, cultural competence and coaching diverse student populations, and includes private sessions with a LifeBound Coach. Institutional packages are available for group training.

LifeBound Certification Program

Spring Session: Register by January 20

For coaches ready to take their skills to the next level, the Spring 2025 cohort of the LifeBound Certification Program offers an in-depth dive into advanced coaching practices and strategies, culminating in certification as a LifeBound Coach.

Let’s make 2025 a year of transformation for your institution and the students you serve!

Learn More at lifebound.com

Live 3-Day Course

Format

Online

2025 Dates

February 7, 14, 21

March 14, 21, 28

April 4, 11, 18

(view all 2025 dates online)

Time

3 days, 6 hours each

Cost

$1,500 per person

LEARN MORE

Self-Paced Course

Format

Online

Dates

Choose the dates that work best for your schedule

Time

15 hours (self-paced), plus 3 hours with LifeBound Coach

Cost

$1,500 per person

If you’ve already completed the 1-Day or 3-Day program, email contact@lifebound.com to receive a discount code for $500 off the new Self-Paced Course. Contact us about group rates.

LEARN MORE