A popular misconception in business circles is that the terms ‘managing’ and ‘coaching’ are interchangeable. However, this is just not true.
Managing refers to overseeing the work of others and ensuring that their output aligns with the organisation’s goals. It may or may not involve coaching. Moreover, a person can be a good manager but he may not necessarily be a good coach.
Coaching is a two-way communication process between members of the organisation who are generally at different levels in the hierarchy. It is about inculcating critical thinking skills in employees to promote self-reliance and enable them to arrive at their own solutions, rather than depending on the boss to show them the way forward.
Every sport in the world requires the services, experience and mentorship of a coach. But coaching in the workplace is often seen as an optional activity powered by the belief that there are little to no returns on the coach’s time investment. The reality however is that coaching is just as essential in the workplace as it is on the playing field.
Regular and skilful coaching can lead to:
- Enhanced workplace performance
- Improved efficiency and productivity
- More skilled contributors
- A highly engaged and motivated staff
In short, coaching is an important skill in any organisation’s leadership toolkit.
If you are leading or managing an organisation, here are 10 ways to improve your coaching abilities for the most optimal results:
- Push employees to the edge of their comfort zone
Great things are never achieved from a position of comfort. In a non-challenging environment, employees tend to get bored, de-motivated and disengaged.
Learn each employee’s experience and identify their skillsets. Accordingly assign new tasks or projects that challenge their abilities and help them grow. Be available to answer questions and willing to help when they face roadblocks (which they will).
- Provide regular feedback
If your people don’t know how they’re doing, they won’t know if they need to improve. Set aside time to provide feedback on performance and improvement areas. Don’t wait for formal appraisals to do this. Regular one-on-one meetings or informal chats can work just as well.
Create a system of 360 feedback. Encourage employees to provide feedback to each other and to their manager. This creates an ongoing dialogue that gives everyone a voice and makes them feel part of the ecosystem.
- Listen
Coaching is not just about talking, advising or admonishing. Listening is also an important element of effective coaching. Be open to your employees’ ideas. By giving them a platform to air their thoughts and suggestions, they will feel that their opinion is respected and valued. They will then be more engaged, and more likely to contribute more.
- Encourage them to learn from each other
No single person can know everything required to run an organisation successfully. As a coach, you should encourage your employees to learn from and rely on each other. Persuade them to interact frequently so they can teach each other new skills or impart new knowledge. This will open up new possibilities and create a more connected workplace where synergies are effectively harnessed for the organisation’s benefit.
- Don’t command: motivate
Motivating is one of the primary goals of coaching. Help employees discover their own potential by pointing out the value in their work. Find a balance between providing direction, inspiring them and helping them develop self-confidence. Your employees will begin to feel more proud of their work, which will push them to work harder and deliver better-quality outcomes.
- Give appreciation – and make it genuine
As humans, we all respond to positive motivation. And one of the most effective tools for positive motivation is appreciation. Acknowledge the work your people are doing and let them know you appreciate their efforts, skills and attitude. Give rewards where appropriate and encourage them to continuously improve. By telling them that they have the potential to go above and beyond the minimum requirements of their job, you instil confidence and the desire to do quality work. This then becomes part of a virtuous cycle that can benefit your organisation in multiple ways over time.
- Guide, but don’t coddle
If a project assignment is behind schedule or heading in the wrong direction, you may be tempted to take over and simply complete it yourself. This is exactly what you shouldn’t do. Instead of losing patience and taking the task off their hands; offer guidance and teach them how to handle the situation. Make them accountable for their responsibilities and eliminate any possibility for ‘buck-passing’. When they learn through trial and error and know that the quality and timeliness of their work matters, they will deliver better outcomes.
- Make failure part of the learning process
Everyone makes mistakes. Responding to those mistakes and learning from them can actually create value for both your people and organisation. If someone makes a mistake, don’t brush it under the carpet. This will set a bad precedent and lower the expected standards for future performance. On the other hand, don’t crush the person either. Remain positive and calm. Focus on finding a solution. Encourage others to give suggestions for how the task could have been executed better, and how such mistakes can be avoided in future.
- Be available to offer help
A good coach would encourage their player to find a solution on their own. However, they will also be available to help when their people are unable to do so. Maintain an open-door policy so your employees know they can come to you with issues or concerns. Create a safe space where they don’t feel judged, lacking or otherwise uncomfortable to ask for advice or assistance when they feel overwhelmed or out of depth.
- Identify goals and create a roadmap
The members of a team may all have similar goals. If you’re coaching more than one person on a team, they need to know what those goals are and how they can achieve them. Sit down with them to identify goals that can contribute to the outcomes of the team and the company as a whole. If required, you can also help them develop personal goals that can further their careers.
Do you have any coaching tips or tricks you use in your organisation? Leave a comment below!
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