Coaching for performance
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Coaching is delivered within organisations to construct maximum performance and development in the workplace, focusing on how particular skills and goals can impact an individual’s facilities, such as increasing productivity or confidence.
Coaching provides a reflective space for someone (an employee) to discover resolutions and concepts of ways to develop in specifically chosen areas. The coach (manager/leader) must activate active listening and questioning in a non-judgemental way to help the employee discover their insights and opportunities.
Is coaching just for senior managers and executives?
Well no! There are many ways to successfully engage employees in the workplace, and coaching is one of them. More companies than ever are now realising that coaching at all levels of line management, and for other roles too, can provide direct performance and business benefits.
Asking the right questions
A great approach revolves around four questions:
- Where are you now?
- Where do you want to be?
- How are you going to get there?
- How will you know when you’re there?
On the face of it, this may look easy but once the coaching relationship develops so do the questions and the reflective thought behind them.
These questions help the individual:
- Set goals
- Recognise reality in terms of where the situation currently stands
- Assess options for resolutions
- Develop an action plan or way forward
There are many coaching models out there, however, they don’t all result in a great coaching experience.
Keeping things simple
Keep things simple by focusing on the individual, listening, asking the right questions, searching for what lies beneath the issue, challenging people to stretch their thinking and behaviour and, above all, building a good relationship.
Coaching can only work if the relationship between the coach and individual is based on trust, is strong and non-judgemental.
What about remote coaching?
- Encourage the employee that they are in a safe, non-judgemental space
- Turn off notifications and your phone for focused time together where you are genuinely listening
- Ensure the employee is in a private, quiet place and doesn’t have the kids or partner in the background
- Audio-only coaching can give people a little more comfort rather than feeling they are being watched or judged
- Use empathy and genuine interest, don’t grill the employee
- Keep documentation and share this for the employee to add comments to
- Be encouraging and promote the employees’ value
- Keep it regular
Case study
Take a look at our case study example to see how Sussex HR Hub helped one of our clients get to the bottom of why a key manager wasn’t performing, was stressed, and was on the verge of leaving the company.
To find out more about how coaching can improve performance in your business, please contact us.