The best leaders are coaches.  Like coaches, they give direction.  They scrutinize performance.  They strategize when the team is struggling and they are there to praise the victories.  They motivate their players to reach higher and achieve more. They don’t just get involved when things go wrong.  They are in the game from start to finish.

At work, it’s easy to get bogged down in the minutia of day to day managing, that we forget the leadership part.  If you believe that successful managers are great leaders, and great leaders are great coaches, it makes sense that we should be spending more time coaching.  Here are some coaching tips I have found have a real impact in the workplace:

Meet with your employees on a regular and formal basis.  I know many of you feel like you talk to your employees every day, but that is not the same as a formal weekly meeting.  When you take the time to meet with them either one on one (and I recommend that for key people or supervisors or managers that work for you,) or in a group, they immediately feel more engaged.  It provides them with the opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns without feeling like they are bothering you during the day.

Think about their professional development and discuss it with them.  Great leaders care about their employees’ happiness.  Research shows that one of the most important engagement influences at work is the opportunity to grow and the opportunity to use the skills they have.  You can only help them if you understand what these factors are.  Sometimes the employee themselves isn’t even sure of the direction they want to go in.  Help them figure it out.  Ask probing questions like what is it you like most about your job?  What is it you hate most about your job?  Often that can be a great indication of the path they should take.

Tell stories.  If you have ever played a sport and had a great coach, I bet one of the things you remember most are the stories he or she told in the locker room or on the bus after the game.  People like to know you are real and even a little vulnerable.  Share your experience.  The more your employees feel you “get it,” the harder they will work for you.  And nothing proves you get it like a great story.

So let me ask again, are you in the game?

Thoughts…….. Contact me at abbe@TECResourceCenter.com