The leap from coaching culture theory to real-world practice is tricky but it's worth the effort
Recently, we were launching a coaching programme with a group of senior managers, when one said: "I already work 10 hours a day, and now you want me to work 'extra' to act as a 'coach' to my people - where am I supposed to find the time?"
The comment took our facilitator by surprise. He thought, "Don't you know? Companies that develop coaching cultures report significantly reduced staff turnover, increased productivity, greater happiness and satisfaction at work, etc, etc.?
Luckily, he did not blurt out these statistics but thought more carefully. "How many of these busy managers in the room feel the same way? These people are not interested in hearing about statistics. They need to know how coaching will benefit them back on the job tomorrow."
"Aren't we just too busy for this now?" A very valid question indeed.
Today, many organisations are committed to making coaching a priority. People have read all about the accolades of 'coaching cultures' from proponents such as Jack Welch and Ken Blanchard. In addition, there is considerable academic support for the view that developing a coaching culture can yield significant organisational benefits.
However, the leap from "coaching culture theory" to "real world practice" is proving to be quite tricky. While organisations have been sending their managers to "coach training" so they can work some coaching magic back at the job, many managers and companies alike are finding it difficult to translate the skills learned in the classroom to the day-to-day working environment.
--It's a mindset thing
A coaching mindset implies that leaders approach employees not simply as subordinates, but as proteges - resources to be developed and expanded. Coaching is more than just learning various "How to coach models". It's about understanding other people and how to communicate and get the best out of them.
Coaching programmes must address the mindsets of participants and their preconceived notions about coaching. People need to feel and believe that coaching can make their jobs easier, not harder. It's less about all the things they have to get done and more about getting these things done more effectively.
However, before we can expect busy managers to become good coaches, we have to give them tools they can use immediately and valid business reasons as to why they should even be interested.
--Where do we find the time to coach?
"Well … Do you have time to walk around the shop floor and observe what is going on? Do you have time to gather your team together to address important production issues? Do you have time to talk with your sales reps about customer strategies, sales plans, or proposals that must be written? Do you have time to speak with customer service people about handling customer complaints? Do you have time to formulate those good questions that encourage people to think differently, more strategically, more out-of-the-box? Do you have time to tell people they have done a good job and it is appreciated? Do you have time to really listen to what your people are saying? Do you have time to create positive working relationships with your team? Do you have time to give clear and precise messages of what you observe regarding a person's behaviour?
"Well, of course, that's my job, that's what I do."
Then you are already 'coaching'. The question is, can you do it more effectively?
Managers need to stop thinking of coaching as an event they schedule after their own work gets done or a reaction to a performance issue. The role of "coach" isn't something that they should turn on or off. They need to adopt coaching as a daily leadership practice and focus on creating a supportive, encouraging and trusting environment for their teams.
Unless coaching programmes are managed and designed effectively, the results may not measure up to expectations.
Challenging some commonly held assumptions about what coaching looks and feels like can create a practical, adaptable way for managers to build coaching into their leadership repertoire - and to have it stick.
From a development standpoint, managers need to understand the purpose and process behind coaching. We find this works best if coaching programmes incorporate two themes:
-A business purpose for coaching - for instance, improving the effectiveness of sales calls, building team resilience before a corporate re-branding and reorganisation, increasing key customer retention, or reducing the churn of front-line sales staff.
-Have a focus on personal context, or more bluntly: how can I use this in my work?
This gets managers to see how coaching is not just another thing to add to the to-do list, but rather a way of actually reducing workload, improving performance and leading people more effectively.
--How about 10 minutes or less?
For coaching to have any chance of sticking, it must fit into the reality of the manager's working life. This means that the coaching process must be straightforward, flexible and 'next-day useable' … and something that they can do in 10 minutes or less!!
Knowing that they can, and should, coach in bursts of 10 minutes or less is very freeing for managers. They can imagine how coaching can be part of their regular working life, rather than have it become yet another burdensome add-on to their already long list of responsibilities.
The goal of the coaching programme should be to turn the question posed by our manager around, "Do I have time not to be a good coach?"
John DiDominic is an executive director of client solutions at the APMGroup .The APMGroup has been helping build high performance organisations in Thailand since 1992. Write to him at john_d@apm.co.th