What is Coaching in the Workplace?
“Coaching in the workplace” can be quite an abstract concept. All too often, I hear confusion around who can and who can’t benefit from some form of coaching– either acting as a coach or receiving it.
One of the most common mistakes I see companies make is to treat coaching as a means of fixing an underperforming employee. Today, let’s jump right into this myth, and of course, the real truth behind it.
Coaching commonly shows up as a last resort, instead of as a tool used commonly throughout functioning leadership practice.
You may have even seen coaching happen in organizations as a last attempt to “save” someone in their role. In truth, these individuals don’t need coaching, but a tailored performance plan and the drive to be able to deliver the results.
Think about it this way, if an employee needs “fixing” they are probably not the employee who will respond well to coaching. After all, coaches aren’t principals who dole out detention; they are teachers who guide learning.
See also: 3 Coaching Myths, Debunked
Coaching is actually most effective when an individual has a high level of untapped potential, and a coach wants to help them deepen their strengths and leverage their talents.
Why? Because at its core, great coaching is about building a relationship and drawing out the best your employee has to offer.
Are you successful at coaching? Consider asking yourself the following question: Are you listening and questioning or simply telling your employees what to do? One of the core lessons for managers is that coaching isn’t always about telling people the answer. Rather, it is more about having a conversation and asking good, open-ended questions that allow the people you are coaching to reflect on what they are doing and how they can do things differently in the future to improve performance.
Inside this blog post, we share more on how to coach high-potential employees and create an environment of success in your organization.
Utilizing strengths-based development will help coaching in the workplace become a success.
Even with the best of intentions, it’s helpful to have concrete techniques for becoming a great coach for your team and introducing coaching in the workplace. One of our favorite techniques is taking a strengths-based approach, which allows managers to discover their natural talents as well as the talents of their team in order to obtain peak performance.
The best way to learn about strengths and receive a little strengths coaching yourself is through Leadology’s 21-Day Strengths Challenge. In just 21 days you'll....
Gain tremendous self-awareness about the value you bring to your work
Discover a whole new language to advocate for yourself and your team
Feel more energized and confident about how you show up as leader
If you’ve already taken the challenge, or know you’re ready for something more involved, then our signature leadership training program could be for you. Within Activate, we’ve identified the core topics that every manager needs to maximize engagement and performance for their employees. The curriculum includes growth mindset, giving feedback, one-on-one meetings, and more. Beyond learning these key techniques, you’ll also have the opportunity to listen, learn, and practice your managerial coaching during live weekly group coaching calls. Wondering if Activate is a fit for you or your organization? The first step is to jump on a call with our team, and start to bridge that gap of coaching in the workplace.
By Team Leadology
