Table of Contents, Communication Secrets

Westside Toastmasters is located in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California - Westside Toastmasters on Meetup

Continuous Coaching

As mentioned, coaching is integral to leadership. While coaching sessions need to be planned in advance, informal coaching can occur at any time or at any place. Often this is nothing more than giving feedback, positive or negative. Keep to the rule of opening with a positive and ending with a commitment to improvement.

One more point: We have emphasized coaching as a leadership behavior, assuming a leader-to-subordinate direction. Peer coaching is equally valuable. And so is "upward coaching"—e.g., coaching your boss. Follow the same process outlined in the action coaching model. The outcome will be increased trust and improved performance. And whenever you can bring that out in another person, it's a leadership action.

Coach as Leader

Coaching and leadership go hand in hand. From creating trust through discipline, reward, and mentorship, coaching behaviors exemplify leadership behaviors; in fact, they are leadership behaviors. All coaching behaviors are centered around strong organizational goals and work together to reinforce the coach-individual relationship. In doing so, they create a situation in which the individual as well as the team can thrive.

Fundamentally, coaches, like leaders, are teachers. They teach by their words as well as lead by their actions. Harvey Penick and Vince Lombardi draw life lessons from the task at hand. Through coaching, the individual acquires job skills, but more important, she or he also gains knowledge about life itself. It is the life lesson that matters most in a person's development. It is an investment in the person's future to which leader-coaches must continually strive to contribute.

Communications is essential to effective coaching. It is essential that all good leaders coach their people. The suggestions provided here will help you use your communications skills to improve coaching.

Establish trust. Before you begin coaching, ask the following questions:
- What do you like about this job?
- What do you dislike about this job?
- What do you see yourself doing in 6 months?
- Where would you like to be in 5 years?
- How can I help you to achieve your goals?
Set expectations. Align the individual's performance with the team or department's performance.
- Relate team or departmental goals and objectives.
- Link the individual's performance to those goals.
- Gain agreement on performance
- Commit to deadlines.
Teach always. Find out the individual's professional interests.
- What do you want to learn more about?
- What can I teach you about our business?
Problem-solve. Uncover problems that may be hindering the person's performance.
- Is there anyone (or anything) standing in the way of your achieving your objectives? Explain.
- What do you need in the way of assistance from me to solve your problem?
Serve to motivate. Create condition in which the individual can motivate him- or herself.
- Demonstrate how the individual's performance contributes to the whole organization.
- Provide incentives for achievement: first choice on projects, opportunity for promotion, opportunity for bonus, etc.
Deliver discipline. Follow through on the consequences of deficiencies in performance.
- Discover why performance is deficient.
- Impose the discipline. Follow through on corrective measures.
- Gain agreement on improved performance. Insist on a deadline.
Recognize achievement. Find ways to acknowledge good performance.
- Deliver on promises by providing agreed-upon rewards: choice of projects, promotion, bonuses, etc.
- Acknowledge performance to higher-ups and peers.
Be a mentor. Be available to provide assistance over time.
- How are you doing at work?
- Do you have any frustrations that I should know about?
- What can I do to help to achieve your long-term goals?
- Whom would it be useful for you to know? Facilitate the introductions and follow up on the outcomes.

Action Coaching Model

Choose an individual whom you need to coach. (If you don't have someone in particular, ask someone to coach you.)

Plan ahead. Make a commitment to coach.
- What do you want to say to the individual? Make notes on performance and suggestions for improvement.
Uncover the motivational tick factor. Discover the "why" of work.
- Think about what excites this person—money, power, family, friends, hobbies. How can you respond to those needs in a way that leads to improved performance?
Give feedback. Let the individual know how he or she is doing.
- Find one positive thing to say. Isolate the deficiencies. Ask the individual, "Have you considered doing this?"
Get commitment. Gain agreement and establish a time frame.
- Make certain you gain closure: What will be done, and by when will it be done?
Follow up. Make certain you evaluate the outcome.
- Look for opportunities to give feedback. Be vigilant for signs of improvement. When you see them, give praise. If the deadline passes with no improvement, schedule another coaching session.