Quick Tips on Coaching Employees for Improved Performance
1. Be clear on the reason for coaching: What are the goals? Without
goals there is no coaching.
2. Get to know the person you are going to coach?do your
homework.
The more you know about their vision, objectives, challenges,
strengths, and weaknesses, the more convincingly you can offer
performance improvement ideas.
3. Coaching is not one-sided. It is a give-and-take sharing of ideas
and information. Provide a structure overall, but then stand back.
Answer questions or be a cheerleader, as needed.
4. Lead but don't give the answers; give direction. Try to
provide
information which the person can use to chart the next course of
action.
5. Don't ask, "Why?" Probe deeper. Instead ask "What got in your
way
and how can you deal with it next time?"
6. Avoid negatives such as "I don't think..." and "You
shouldn't...,"Instead encourage and use phrases like "What if we
tried to..." or "Maybe you could..." or "another option might be..."
7. Realize a coach never has all the answers. If you don't know
the
answer, admit it. Find the answer and provide it at the next
coaching session.
8. Recognize progress, no matter how small. Rewarding small efforts
inspire bigger efforts. Provide encouragement and support each step
along the way, giving feedback to help build upon each success, no
matter how small.
9. Give feedback at the end of each session. Make suggestions for
improvement. Ask the coachee to list two or three of the most
important things he or she has learned. This will reinforce learning
and help build the coachee's satisfaction with the learning process.
Ask for feedback on your coaching skills as well.
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About the Author:
Karen S. Sieczka is the founder of Karen S. Sieczka Training and
Curriculum Development, http://home.earthlink.net/~ksieczka/. She is
currently writing Foundations of Leadership, a workbook on
leadership development and has developed short trainings on employee
enrichment issues. Sieczka also writes articles and tip sheets on
various subjects including aging, literacy, and crisis
communications issues. She can be reached at ksieczka@...