Coaching Skills

Coaching a perfect team is a dream, not always a reality.  In many situations there is a need to work with team members who lack either commitment or interest in their job.  These people will demonstrate their feelings through ineffective performance, a lack of performance or totally unacceptable performance.  An effective coach is able to shape the performance of many “diamonds in the rough”.  Turning less than desirable performance to acceptable and acceptable performance to superior performance is a most satisfying experience for any one who acts in a leadership capacity.

Five ideas to increase success with coaching include:

1.  Create a motivational climate by:

    1. Allowing team members to challenge the way things are done.
    2. Share a team vision… make certain that everyone answers the question “Why are we here?” in the same way.
    3. Enable team members to act by building their self esteem; make them feel good about themselves.
    4. Encourage them; recognize accomplishments; forgive mistakes
    5. Model the way
    6. Value a unique relationship with each team member; no favourites.
    7. Develop yourself; be a work in progress, growing changing, improving.

2.  Demonstrate the most respected leadership qualities: honesty; decisiveness; leading by example; delegating; recognizing others; being objective; tolerating disagreement.

3.  When providing feedback, capture “real” behaviour.   Focus on facts; not judgments.

4.  Ask… don’t tell.  Hold them responsible for solutions to performance problems. Ask:

    1. Is there a reason?
    2. Is there an explanation?

5.  Focus on the future, not the past. Ask, “What can be done to fix it for the future?”