Great information, Patrick. Effective coaching can specifically help employees improve areas of weakness, but can also accentuate areas of strength.
Coaching to me is getting the best out of everybody on my team with support, encourgement and sometimes tough love when needed. I sometimes use my own personal failures and achievments to coach.
Thanks for the response, Edwin. Support and encouragement go a long way to help employees work through barriers to their performance and productivity. Sharing your own struggles and achievements can help you gain trust and provide a model for your employees to follow.
Setting the best possible example is only a small portion of the pie. Members of a team will individually assess their view of the "example" left by someone in a lead role.
It's apparent now that an effective manager must help individual team members put their own ideas into fruition with a systematic way of evaluating the goals set by both manager and team member.
This takes communication through proper coaching. Eventually, all team members will have a good vision of their strengths and weakness and their own contribution to the overall goal.
My Definition of coaching is being a positive leader who is able to bring out the best in his/her's employees to help the overall and individual goals of a company and it's employees.
Acting more as a mentor, providing necessary inspiration and guidance regarding each employees discreet challenges that they are encountering.
Setting the example, maintaining a positive outlook in the face of challenges, and mentoring are all strong coaching traits and can serve you well in your quest to inspire others to accomplishment. Thanks.
I'm not sure when the term "coaching" became popular in the workplace. Unfortunately it seems to have taken on a negative connotation. In far too many companies, coaching sessions are seen by employees as the equivalent to "a trip to the woodshed" or "remedial training." HR departments have not helped either by requiring that documented coaching be a part of any disciplinary action. In today's workplace I would define effective coaching as making the most of an employee's potential without them feeling like they are being "coached". Coaching should also not be considered training. Training is adding potential and abilities while coaching is making the best use of the abilities at hand. An effective manager will be quick to determine whether an employee requires coaching or training then coaching to achieve maximum benefit from a newly learned skill.
Interesting post. I agree that coaching isn't training, but coaching should identify the potential and help point to the training necessary to expand the potential. Definitely agree that coaching should stay out of disciplinary action. Coaching is listening, asking the deeper questions, helping someone find their own path. Discipline is showing them the path. Thanks for the post, James.
Effective coaching is as much about listening as it is about directing. The real value in caosching may in fact be what you learn about your direct and personalities/strengths & weaknesses. The coaching process itself will help in knowing how to manage employess as they become more independent.
Effective coaching needs to be individualized to the person. Coaching needs to be consistent and a relationship needs to be built so that there is trust and both parties see improvment and change. A coach wants each team member to win, so that the team works together effectively.
The definition of coaching to me sounds like the “nourishment of human capitol.” I like this style a lot and think it is the style that should be sought after in any organization. When you compare a dictatorship type style to one where the other organization is always learning and getting smarter it is easy to see which competing competitors would win over time. A hundred smart minds would beat one smart mind any day.
Effective coaching is the ability to adapt to each employees needs and abilities. Not all people learn as fast or in the same manner. You need to work onit to define what is needed to obtain the best results.
Effective Coaching takes many shapes, however I believe the most important part of coaching is listening. To be effective we need to listen to what our teams are saying, once we listen we are able to effectively give the ffedback that is needed. If we just give "our" advice without listening to what the staff member is having issues with, we are missing the boat.
Richard,
Situational leadership can allow the coach to "adapt" to the employees' needs, but effective coaching can also help the employee anticipate various situations and visualize the results, helping the employee "adapt".
I have learned that you are right, Rod. Allowing employees to be heard and delving to ask the deeper questions will help us be the inspirational leaders we need to be...
In responding to the question as to why he quit coaching a team that just won the Super Bowl to coach one of the worst teams in football, Bill Parcells stated that he didn't want to maintain his success, but he wanted to challenge himself to greater success.
I think successful leaders looks at their direct reports in the same manner. Instead of maintaining the success of a department or company, good leaders looks to create success in their employees by coaching them to realize their full potential. Effective coaching is more than the x's and o's of plotting strategy, but also identifying and capitalizing on the individual strengths of the team members.
My definition of coaching is having a two way conversation with an associate or team about a particular situation and discusses the outcomes, the approach, company policy, and how the situation met or did not meet the expectation of the department or company. The coaching should have factual information and offer different solutions for similar situations.
Having the ability to hear the employees problem and come up with a solution or provide them with the skills to flourish in the work enviorment...
In administering and teaching our school's course syllabus one of our requirements is an oral presentation. Often times students are shy and reluctant to speak in front of their peers and instructors.
Coaching thus becomes an effective tool to allay their reluctance, fear and hesitation to deliver their presentation.
I focus on the individual's positive classroom accomplishments and abilities that they have demonstrated and developed to encourage the greater self confidence.
