Coaching is about letting the intuitive and inventive muscle of curiosity uncover new and novel approaches to problem resolution and cultural innovation. When someone is there to point out areas that need to be addressed, the person receiving the information is provided the option to explore different courses to take. An engaged worker in that position is exercising his/her innovative style. Given the right tools, greater outcomes abound.
Managers with a coaching mindset can enhance engaged workers to be stellar performers, while non-engaged workers get the chance to address their barriers to enlighten themselves to become more intellectually and motivationally involved with their work. Any actively disengaged workers can be assessed to change, or be given the chance to find appropriate employment that fits them better. Using a coach approach to performance development gives everyone the choice and chance to advance.
We all have had people in our lives that have influenced us in one way or another (teacher, family, friend, coach, etc.). What simple and powerful tool did they use to help you do something different. Coach Sweeney – my golf coach – helped me understand how my swing was out of alignment. Once I could hear, visualize, and feel what I was doing wrong, and identify a better method to follow, I changed. My drives were perfect faders, my short game was precise, and his simple correction helped my putting. Coach Sweeney observed what was going on, listened to me, asked provoking questions, and provided feedback that helped me correct what I was doing wrong. He was similar to my current business coach, there to help me address my blind spots, chokepoints or thought processes to let me remove my own obstacles.
Providing coaching to help engage an employee is an objective and subjective process. Objective to help this person be the best they can be, and Subjective to point out barriers/habits that just don’t work. Building respect, collaboration, and support are the essential elements to help enhance an employee’s unique talents, thoughts, and life experiences in driving performance, success and personal well-being. If you have interest in learning more about coaching, you might want to check out this article that discusses the characteristics of an effective coach.
Having a coach is not a fad. It is a performance development tool that provides greater results with less effort. Have you implemented a performance development tool that creates greater engagement with less effort?
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