In our previous blog, Coaching Your Team to Success, we looked at the benefits of coaching, overcoming obstacles to coaching, and using the GROW model to guide coaching conversations. Once you are ready to implement a coaching culture, your first step will be getting your team on board.
Get the Team on Board
If you have not provided consistent coaching up to this point, you’ll want to tell your team that you have decided to implement (or enhance) a coaching culture. This is best done at a team meeting to ensure that everyone on the team hears the same message at the same time.
Your message should include:
- The reasons for your decision, and some facts that back up the benefits to them and the organization
- Your commitment to their career and professional development
- Your plan to schedule a meeting with each of them individually within a specified time period to begin the one-on-one coaching process
- Your desire to receive feedback from them and to keep the process flowing in both directions
Don’t be surprised if your announcement is met with skepticism or a lack of enthusiasm. And, don’t take it personally. Rather, understand that until they begin to realize the benefits, your staff may be slow to come around.
Assess Your Staff
While the coaching process remains consistent for all team members, the specific plans and action items will be based on how each employee is currently performing. A good first step is to do a cursory evaluation of your staff.
Generally, each staff member will fall into one of three categories:
- Underperformer – the coaching goal here will be to improve performance to a satisfactory level through a specific, measurable improvement plan.
- Good Performer – hopefully, this makes up the bulk of your team. These are the solid, steady, reliable employees who, with the right coach, can really grow. The goal here is to go from good to great.
- Top Tier – employees who are already performing above average and should be developed for promotion within the company. The goal with this group is to prepare them for positions of greater responsibility. Failure to keep them engaged could result in losing them.
Check out this blog for more information about The Coaching Process.
A Note of Caution
Begin the coaching process with the conviction that you can and will affect forward motion in each employee’s performance. You owe it to your team to give them every opportunity to succeed.
With that said, acknowledge that underperforming groups will pose the greatest challenge to you as a coach. While they likely represent the smallest percentage of your team, they can easily drain the largest percentage of your coaching resources. Don’t allow this to happen. You’ll be shortchanging your stronger performers while the weaker ones drain your ability to coach at maximum effectiveness.
Click the link to learn more about BRODY’s Coach with Courage training.