Coaching has become a popular method for improving performance – in our own lives, in the lives of star athletes, and in the lives of our employees. Most business coaches have a ton of training behind them, but I find there are a few simple things I can do to getting great results when I coach.
Last week I was meeting with the manager of a department. He was telling me about one of his employees who had failed his first year apprenticeship exam for the second time. “I can’t figure out what’s wrong with him,” the manager told me. “He does a great job for us, he did well in the course – 87% – but he just can’t seem to pass the exam. He’s been told the only way he can write again is if I write a letter to the school. I can do that, but I wonder if it will do any good? Will you talk to him?”
Of course I will! He brought a young man (Mike) to my office who was bouncing with energy and enthusiasm. Mike told me he loves his job and can’t wait to get to work every morning.
As we talk about the exam, I can see how frustrated and anxious he is about it. He really wants this! He knows he’s good at what he does and can’t understand why he has failed twice in the exam. He’s getting a lot of pressure from the other guys he works with – they’re teasing him about failing. His parents really want this for him and they’re adding pressure from their end. Mike is beginning to wonder if there is any point in continuing in the apprenticeship program.
We talk about his ability – he wasn’t a great student, but doesn’t appear to have a learning disability. We talk about his preparation for exams and how he studies – here’s a possible area for improvement. We talk about his strategy in the exam – he goes in physically prepared but doesn’t really have a strategy. So, we’ve got two areas for possible improvement to work on.
After talking about study habits and exam strategy, we move back to the subject of the exam and re-writing for the third time. He wants to set a deadline to work toward – he’ll set the date a month from now. As he’s talking about this, I can see him getting physically worked up about it already. He voice gets louder; he lifts his shoulders, and tenses his arms and his facial expression becomes one of concern.
I ask if he is required to set a deadline – “no.” I suggest he not set a deadline, that he study and prepare until he knows in his gut that he’s ready and then set an appointment to write. I further suggest that he not tell anyone when he’s going to write again. If the guys bug him about why he’s not going again right away, he should say something like, “We will sell no wine before its time.”
Bingo! The shoulders go down, his face relaxes and I can hear the sigh of relief. I know we’ve found his solution. I can’t say for sure he’ll be successful next try, but I do know we’ve wiped out the pressure that seems to be a big part of his problem.
So what can you learn from this little scenario that will help you coach your employees?
1. Help your employee be comfortable talking to you. Engage in some relevant small talk. Is he happy in his job? What excites him most about his job? Any problems on the job that might be contributing to this situation? Any problems outside of the job that could be contributing?
2. Try to get to the root of the problem. Explore all the possibilities and clues from the past.
3. Share any strategies that have worked for you in the past that might help your employee. Don’t expect you’ll hit the answer right away or that what worked for you will necessarily work for him. What you share is just information.
4. Explore the alternative solutions. What seems to feel like the best solution to your employee? Remember, it’s won’t necessarily be what you would do and that’s O.K!
5. Ask lots of questions and listen to the answers. It’s in this process that the solution is most likely to surface from your employee. It never ceases to amaze me that the answer is inside the person I’m coaching and when I ask the right questions the answer pops to the surface. Some people seem to have trouble asking the right questions. When the questions you ask come from genuine interest and curiosity you’ll find the right ones.
6. As you’re talking, be aware of anything physical that would indicate a reaction to what is being discussed, as well as any changes during the conversation that will let you know when you’ve found the best solution.
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Great stuff. I’m not a boss but helps to give some insight when my boss speaks with me