But the problem is not the coaching. Rather, they have not been targeting who and when to coach. Coach training often fails to explain that coaching is only one answer to performance issues; one that works when applied to the right situation and individual. Managers need to recognise when and who to coach, and when not to coach.
Valuing the process
The case for performance coaching by line managers is supported by its link to the performance management cycle.
When a manager does not see the performance increase they had hoped for from coaching, inevitably they start to question the value of the process. They fail to see that the success of coaching largely rests on the client, including:
- the motivation to want to develop;
- the confidence to take on a performance stretch;
- the resources to come up with the answer – and act on it;
- valuing external support.
These conditions will not exist in every member of a manager’s team. The manager may have a team member who:
- shows little interest in development;
- stays in their comfort zone, even though the manager believes they could do more;
- has little experience in coming up with their own solutions;
- is experienced so rarely seeks out the manager’s support.
Managers need to recognise where coaching is best placed, rather than coaching everyone. They should consider two factors in a direct report’s behaviour: their skill level and their motivation/confidence level. By separating out those two elements it is then possible to recognise different needs at different stages.
Who not to coach
- New team members are often seen as a natural target for coaching, as a means of building their relationship with their manager, but they are looking for clarity on what is expected of them and how to work effectively in a new environment. Asking questions can reduce confidence, as they are made painfully aware of what they don’t know.
- Underperformers need to understand and accept what is expected of them before coaching will give a return. Coaching when the need is for performance management rarely succeeds.
- Skilled team members who are clearly engaged with their job may see coaching as a suggestion of deficiency or a means of reducing their autonomy.
Who to coach
The return on investment (ROI) for a manager who coaches is greatest when the individual can call on skills and experience but lacks motivation or confidence. Coaching then becomes a powerful means of helping them to challenge their self-limitations, and to transfer experience from a past situation to a new one. It builds both the belief of the individual that they can do more, and releases the energy to be able to do so.
A manager should regularly take stock of their team against these parameters to target their coaching and to ensure they get a better ROI in terms of time. The motivation to become an even better coach will also increase.
Carole Pemberton is founder of Coaching to Solutions and author of Coaching to Solutions: A Manager’s Toolkit for Performance Delivery (Butterworth-Heinemann, 2006).
carole.pemberton@career-matters.com, www.coachingtosolutions.com
Volume 3, Issue 5