Do you see every interaction with team members as an opportunity to build confidence and develop potential?
Coaching is imperfect and often messy, but also real, relevant, and replicable. Coaching continuously requires a lot of engagement. First, you have to inherently want to lift others up, not just by affirming what they’re doing right, but also by addressing what’s wrong, slightly off, or even unacceptable. It takes a mindset shift, courage and consideration, diplomacy, practice, and repetition. Consider these best-practices:
- Be aware of what’s happening with the team you lead.
- Have a “check-in” versus a “check on” process.
- Recognize the different ways team members want and need coaching.
- Balance your critical feedback with specific reinforcing praise.
- Ask how you can help.
- Ensure that everyone has the resources and tools to complete their work and help others.
- Add “coaching” to your daily task list.
FROM MESS TO SUCCESS: COACH CONTINUOUSLY
- Extend real-time coaching beyond your 1-on-1s and formal performance reviews.
- Implement at least one of the coaching best practices with a team member during the upcoming week.
- Review your interactions. How much telling did you do versus coaching? Did your team member leave demoralized, or with a “path to improve” and a time frame to revisit?
- Did you balance your time validating, inspiring, and recognizing with challenging and course-correcting?
- Think about those leaders who are the best coaches in your organization. Discuss their strategy and process with them.
Don’t let 1-on-1s slip into the ineffective and monotonous territory of simple status reports and progress checks. Sign up for: The Journey: Becoming A First Class Manager to improve your 1-on-1s and use them to engage your people, uncover issues, and unleash potential.
