Your Office as Coaching Central by Bill Peace
At the end of your work day, think about who you spoke with. What were their concerns? What were the topics? Did you pick up on any coaching cues? Meaning opportunities where the employee is guided along through the coaching process.
Chances are someone wants a focus partner, or a motivation partner.
In the Coaching Perspectives IV’s chapter, “Your Office as Coaching Central: Everyday Coaching Opportunities for Managers,” we follow three managers who identify three distinctly different coaching opportunities in their work environments.
Brett, a financial institution branch manager, sees the value of developing his high potentials through coaching. He exposes his career-oriented team members to firsthand experiences like handling difficult conversations with members to effectively setting team and individual goals.
His coaching approach is a combination of first teaching, then coaching. In Brett’s coaching process, employees are asked relevant, valuable coaching questions about their experiences and devise action steps or plans on how to best resolve challenges, or plan effectively on their own.
Wendy, an information services manager, wanted to build on the company’s hollow annual performance review outline and asking coaching questions was the answer. She soon discovered the professional wants, ambitions, and ultimate direction of her employee.
And finally, Susan, a lending manager, who alters her coaching approach, realizing that despite similarities in their work responsibilities and the repetitiveness of the job for some in her department, coaching must be individualized.
Coaching opportunities in today’s corporate environment are both evident and hidden. As these three managers have shown, use your coaching advantage to grow and develop talent, build a more robust profile of the employees working for you, and individualize your approach to maximize the results.
