I feel like the most important step in coaching is data collection. I observe the employee in action, and sometimes try not to let the employee know I am watching. I also like to gather thoughts or feedback from those around my employee without directly asking for it. I look at the employees result's, the employee's own preparation, and the opportunity for improvement that I see existing. Non-verbal communication is immensely important. If I am sending out vibes of aggression, what I am saying will be received as discipline instead of guidance for improvement. I also believe tone of voice and patience is essential. You can be assertive and lay out expectations and goals. Clarity is important if you want goals to be met.
To effectively coach you need to know the employee AND yourself. My team members and I recently took the Myers-Briggs test. The individual results were spot-on in identifying our preferences in thinking and behaviors. So I can adjust my coaching techniques to suit the preferences of the coachee. Such as if they prefer information to be presented bottom-line and to the point,or with more details and fluff.
Zillah,
this is so true & bravo for using the assessment appropriately. I've seen more than a few managers who get their results from these type of tests & tell their teams: "this is how I am, you all need to learn to live with me."
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I actually somewhat follow the four steps of the coaching process. I usually prepare by making observations and then begin an open question dialogue with the coachee. I listen and depending on the response and openness of the person I will share my observations. Following, I offer my support and guidance in creating an action plan. In the last two steps I am less involved but I make sure that I do it and that I am consistent. I believe that open ended questions are key to the coaching process because it allows for thinking and reflection that can be lead to a best solution for the coachee.
I believe myself to be a good listener. Listening to what an employee needs to move forward with their career is very important. This will help the employee grow in their own area.
I begin by preparing for my coaching session. I note what I need to discuss with the employee and what the goal is. When I meet with the employee I present, ask questions, and listen. Then with the employee I try to agree upon a plan and set up a deadline/follow up. The most important communication skills are listening and then speaking. You need to actively listen and then be able to communicate efficiently so there is clarity and both parties are in agreement at the end of the coaching session.
I start the process by bringing up the possibility of coaching informally to make sure my employee is open to the idea. I think the most important communication skill is honesty. If both the coach and the coachee are not honesty with each other nothing will be accomplished.
While all steps are critical to the coaching session, I believe active listening is the most important. I believe it is very difficut to coach someone else unless you demonstrate "active listening" with that person. Active listening is very difficult for most to do and requires a lot of practice to become a habit. If you demonstrate "active listening" with other employees during the coaching process, I also believe they will be more receptive to your ideas and feedback. In addition, if you do not "actively listen" to the employee, you may never properly identify the true performance issue and it will be difficult to get buy-in on an agreed goal. Active Listening is actually a part of all the steps of coaching an employee.
I do agree that it is all in the presentation. If I need to coach an employee I will do my part first by observing, evaluationg anfd finding out what is going on or what has changed. By helping an individual to see that there might be better ways to accomplish the goal in a positive way is a great coaching tool.
My first step is identify what an employee needs to be coached on by observing their job performance. I then tell the employee that we will be doing some coaching in the future and that is an ongoing process so that they are expecting to be coached. At a later time I check in with them about the issue to be coached to see if they believe that this is an area they need/are motivated to work on. Active listening is key when coaching an employee. I need to make sure that the employee feels that there concerns are heard and that they are also understanding the coaching process and my feedback.
I agree that we must get our coaching hats on straight - remaining neutral and unemotional while actively listening are the priorities. I deal primarily with unpaid interns with 4-month commitments; this gives very little time to identify problems and find the solutions. Some are very entitled and some already know everything so getting their coachee hats on straight is the problem. Fortunately, most know they are there to learn so the primary role of the coach is to teach new skill sets and professionalism.
After observing an employee with my own eyes, I sit down in a one-on-one type setting and provide some positive feedback as well as seek out their thoughts on what their personal challenges might be, with the hope that they self evaluate and have identified areas that I might have noticed. I ask open-ended questions and ask them to elaborate should I need more insight. Then I just listen.
Roslyn,
open ended questions are one of the best ways to coach & really help our employees.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Yes, the Golden Rule of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," is not really all that beneficial. Everyone is different and if you follow those guidelines, you are saying, "I expect everyone to learn as I learn, to act as I act, etc." Everyone is different and we all have different learning styles, communication styles ... different skills and talents we bring to the table. One person's weakness can be another person's strength. It is important to approach everyone with as little inflexibility as possible ... open to what they can and do contribute, open to their ideas ... and be able to gently guide them or plant seeds via the questions we ask and the discussions we instigate.
Matthew sounds like he's talking about 2 different things. "Observe and Assist" sounds like coaching. "Stern and to the point" sounds like managing.
As a Career School instructor in a field where my students are most likely going to need to be an entrepreneur and run their own business (as opposed to going to work for a company), I find that I do more coaching during the time they are attending classes and after graduation I often move into the role of a mentor (which still incorporates coaching). However, becoming a coach allows me to work with my own clients on their issues in new ways. Rather than just "hypnosis" for weight loss or other presenting issues, we can easily incorporate coaching into their program and the process.
I agree with this. I am currently in a managerial role and coaching is a ongoing process, be it simple or more complicated, I think that listening is key. I am excited about applying what I have learned during this course and applying my listening skills when coaching.
I try to prepare myself for each coaching session by looking for the positive in each employee. The second thing I do is to make sure I'm leading by example and not doing what I'm coaching my employees not to do. In other words, I try to keep myself grounded which takes commitment. It is a matter of respect not only for your employees but for yourself. This way of life gives me more confidence and makes the coaching experience more palatable. I have been on the receiving end of negative coaching by egotistical managers who think they are omnipotent and above the law. No one wins.
For me the biggest struggle that I had in becoming a manager was to have individuals that wanted to be coached. I started off with numerous instructors that were stuck in their ways and wanted no part in improving as an instructor. In doing that the individuals ended up going against our core values and are no longer with the company. I am axcited to say that I know have a new team that wants to be here and to do a great job. With that it makes the coaching process much easier and effective. I do feel that I spend more time in the supportive role when communicating with my instructors. I want them to know that their voice is heard and it is not just what I say goes. In doing that I have to also be an active listener and allow the instructors to make some of their own decisions.
I too use coaching skills during my classes when I wear the hat of an instructor. As the director of a program, I use that same coaching skill for managing my team of staff members. Active listening is not only important as a key to open communication and ongoing dialogue, but it provides the benefits of belonging and being important to the team as a whole. That also brings about continual feedback that sparks up motivation to directly link improvement in performance. This is a lengthy course, but beneficial to management and instructors alike.
