COACHING SKILL

Leaders and managers have varied aptitudes for coaching. One way to acquire
coaching skill is to study basic principles and suggestions and then practice
them. Another is to attend a training program for coaching that involves
modeling (learning by imitation) and role playing. Here we examine a number of
suggestions for coaching, all of which might also apply to coaching a group or a
team as well as an individual. The typical scenario for a leader to coach a team
would take place in a meeting with all most of the group. If implemented with
skill, the suggestions will improve the chances that coaching will lead to
improved performance of individuals and groups.
1. Communicate clear expectations to group members. For people to
perform well and to continue to learn and grow, they need a clear perception of
what is expected of them. The expectations of a position become the standards
by which performance will be judged, thus serving as a base point for coaching.
If a team member is supposed to contribute three new ideas each month for
improving operations, coaching is justi ed when an average of only one idea per
month is forthcoming.
2. Build relationships. Effective coaches build personal relationships with team
members and work to improve their interpersonal skills.32 Having established
rapport with team members facilitates entering into a coaching relationship with
them. The suggestions that follow about active listening and giving emotional
support are part of relationship building.
3. Give feedback on areas that require specic improvement. To coach a
group member toward higher levels of performance, the leader pinpoints what
speci c behavior, attitude, or skills require improvement. An effective coach
might say, I read the product-expansion proposal you submitted. Its okay, but it
falls short of your usual level of creativity. Our competitors are already carrying
each product you mentioned. Have you thought about . . . ? Another important
factor in giving speci c feedback is to avoid generalities and exaggerations,
such as, You never come up with a good product idea or You are the most
unimaginative product development specialist I have ever known. To give good
feedback, the leader or manager has to observe performance and behavior
directly and frequently, such as by watching a supervisor dealing with a safety
problem.
4. Listen actively. Listening is an essential ingredient in any coaching session.
An active listener tries to grasp both facts and feelings. Observing the group
members nonverbal communication is another part of active listening. The
leader must also be patient and not poised for a rebuttal of any difference of
opinion between him or her and the group member. Beginning each coaching
session with a question helps set the stage for active listening. The question will
also spark the employees thinking and frame the discussion: for example, How
might we use the new computer system to help our staff generate more sales?

5. Help remove obstacles. To perform at anywhere near top capacity,

individuals may need help in removing obstacles such as a maze of rules and
regulations and rigid budgeting. An important role for the leader of an
organizational unit is thus to be a barrier buster. A leader or manager is often
in a better position than a group member to gain approval from a higher-level
manager, nd money from another budget line, expedite a purchase order, or
authorize hiring a temporary worker to provide assistance. Yet if the coach is too
quick to remove obstacles for the group member, the latter may not develop
enough self-reliance.
6. Give emotional support. By being helpful and constructive, the leader
provides much-needed emotional support to the group member who is not
performing at his or her best. A coaching session should not be an interrogation.
An effective way of giving emotional support is to use positive rather than
negative motivators. For example, the leader might say, I liked some things you
did yesterday, and I have a few suggestions that might bring you closer to peak
performance. Displaying empathy is an effective way to give emotional support.
Indicate with words that you understand the challenge the group member faces
with a statement such as, I understand that working with a reduced staff has
placed you under heavy time pressures. The genuine concern you show will help
establish the rapport useful in working out the problem together.
7. Reect content or meaning. An effective way of re ecting meaning is to
rephrase and summarize concisely what the group member is saying. A
substandard performer might say, The reason Ive fallen so far behind is that
our company has turned into a bureaucratic nightmare. Were being hit right and
left with forms to ll out for customer satisfaction. I have fty email messages
that I havent read yet. You might respond, Youre falling so far behind because
you have so many forms and messages that require attention. The group
member might then respond with something like, Thats exactly what I mean.
Im glad you understand my problem. (Notice that the leader is also giving the
group member an opportunity to express the feelings behind his or her problem.)
8. Give some gentle advice and guidance. Too much advice giving interferes
with two-way communication, yet some advice can elevate performance. The
manager should assist the group member in answering the question What can I
do about this problem?34 Advice in the form of a question or suppositional
statement is often effective. One example is, Could the root of your problem be
insuf cient planning? A direct statement, such as, The root of your problem is
obviously insuf cient planning, often makes people resentful and defensive. By
responding to a question, the person being coached is likely to feel more
involved in making improvements. Part of giving gentle guidance for
improvement is to use the word could instead of should. To say, You should do
this, implies that the person is currently doing something wrong, which can
trigger defensiveness. Saying, You could do this, leaves the person with a
choice: accept or reject your input and weigh the consequences.35 (You could
accept this advice to become a better coach!)

9. Allow for modeling of desired performance and behavior. An effective

coaching technique is to show the group member by example what constitutes
the desired behavior. Assume that a manager has been making statements to
customers that stretch the truth, such as falsely saying that the product met a
zero-defects standard. In coaching him, the managers boss might allow the
manager to observe how she handles a similar situation with a customer. The
managers boss might telephone a customer and say, You have been inquiring
about whether we have adopted a zero-defects standard for our laser printers.
Right now, we are doing our best to produce error-free products. Yet so far we do
not have a formal zero-defects program. We stand by our printers and will x
any defect at no cost to you.
10. Gain a commitment to change. Unless the leader receives a commitment
from the team member to carry through with the proposed solution to a problem,
the team member may not attain higher performance. An experienced manager
develops an intuitive sense for when employees are serious about performance
improvement. Two clues that commitment to change is lacking are (1)
overagreeing about the need for change and (2) agreeing to change without
display of emotion.
11. Applaud good results. Effective coaches on the playing eld and in the
workplace are cheerleaders. They give encouragement and positive
reinforcement by applauding good results. Some effective coaches shout in joy
when an individual or team achieves outstanding results; others clap their hands
in applause. Leadership Self-Assessment Quiz 10-3 will help you think through
the development you need to be an effective coach. If you are already an
effective coach, look for ways to improve. Leadership Skill-Building Exercise 10-4
gives you a chance to practice coaching.