A Simple Process for Coaching Your Team
If you are in a leadership or management role of any kind, it’s likely that you’ve been entrusted with the responsibility of bringing out the best in your people. If you are truly passionate about helping them to develop their talents and achieve success, you have probably found that an annual performance review just doesn’t cut it.
This is where coaching can truly make a difference.
But how do you get started? What does coaching look like? Here are a few steps you can implement if you’d like to begin a coaching relationship with your team:
1. Identify the 3 to 10 people that you want to invest in further. Invite each of these people to meet with you for 45 minutes every month, above and beyond any regular meetings you have already in place. Call these meetings “coaching sessions.”
2. In each session, ask questions about how they are progressing with their annual plans and the goals that they have established. Check in on the action plans they committed to during previous coaching sessions. Finally, ask how you can help them to succeed with their plans in the month ahead.
3. Write down what you hear. Record their plans and goals so that you can refer back to this information in future coaching sessions. End each session with written action plans that include specific due dates.
4. Follow up and encourage them, both during and outside of your sessions. Set a reminder for yourself in Outlook the day before they are going to give a big presentation or celebrate a special milestone. Acknowledge and encourage with a phone call or email.
Is this an incomplete process? Sure! But even this simple strategy is effective when implemented by a leader who is passionate about seeing those she leads succeed.
You don’t need an elaborate system or masterful communication skills to be a good coach. You do need to schedule the coaching sessions, ask the right questions, and then follow up.
Be on time and be present. Make their agenda your agenda, and watch as you see their hearts grow and their actions improve.
Simple to understand, and challenging to execute.
Here is to making an even greater difference!
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Tags: Coaching, Communication, Leadership, Learning and Development, Teamwork
Thanks coach for a great reminder of the simplicity of the coaching model. Sometimes we make this more about us and the systems/tools than about the person we are coaching. Asking the right questions can make or break the session and the follow-through can make or break the implementation. Keep up the great blogging!
Dan
Thanks Coach Dan. You get it!
A bit simplistic, but good. Thanks Daniel.
Easy to understand and challenging for many to execute. My pleasure Kyle.
Keeping it simple keeps it happening. I’ve found holding some of those coaching sessions away from the office (country club, coffee shop, etc.) helps ensure it’s clear that the focus for the discussion is specifically on the person being coached — not just another appointment at the office.
It sounds like you do face to face coaching like myself. I completely agree with you about getting off-site for some of these sessions. I’ve even done walking coaching sessions, where we take a walk around the building or in a nice park. If you have to be stuck in the office, remember to get out from behind the desk and at least sit next to them.
That is a great bit of advice Bruce. I am sure it makes your coaching sessions stand apart from the rest of your meetings. Way to go!
Thanks for the reminder of the need to work on relationships!
My pleasure!
Simple and effective. The ‘challenging’ part is interesting. If it is so simple and effective, why is it so challenging? Because you MUST be intentional. Thanks, Daniel, for making it so simple. For “putting it on the bottom shelf”, so to speak, so others can reach it.
Daniel, I know you wrote this awhile ago, but I just read it. I am a Division 1 volleyball coach, and I have been contemplating picking out a few of my players who I believe have some really good leadership skill sets, and having some additional meetings with them (we already meet w/ each player on monthly basis outside of the gym). My worry is will I isolate these players from their teammates, or will I create any animosity amongst the team. I really think I could help bring out some great qualities in these kids. Am I out thinking myself on this topic?
Thanks,
Matt
Hey Matt,
I am sorry for the delayed response but I am just plugging back in. Your question is valid and my take would be that you would hope that some of the other players might want to know what these meetings are about. If they do, you might want to consider offering them the same.
I have always most enjoyed coaching those who really want to grow.
Keep making a difference,
Daniel