Manager as Coach

If you're an emerging leader or have been one for a while but have never received coaching, it can be hard to know what managerial coaching is and isn't. And that's understandable—coaching can be a pretty nebulous concept. In this post, we'll break down what managerial coaching is and isn't, so you can understand what how to be a manager and coach for your team.

What is coaching? To help the employee with their needs, goals, and potential by helping create and implement plans for action. Coaching helps others succeed.

You’ll help individuals to reflect and gain awareness about:

• what is important to them
• their strengths, challenges, and options available to them
• what action they can take to make progress in their work 

So how can a coach add value? A coach can assist to:

• Clarify goals, needs, and interests
• See a situation differently
• Uncover alternative approaches
• Build self-awareness
• Identify action to move forward

What kinds of things do managers and leaders as coaches do? Depending on the situation and the individual, they can:

• Provide feedback on performance
• Ask questions to help clarify a situation and plan a difficult conversation
• Support a development plan for an employee to learn a new skill
• Help clarify goals and opportunities 

Coaching is not advising, it is more focused on asking questions than giving answers. Many people confuse coaching with advice and other business conversations. With coaching the focus is on the other person and the goals the other person wants to plan for and achieve.

Coaching skills include:

• Active Listening
• Asking Powerful Questions
• Relationship Building
• Shared Commitment
• Emotional Intelligence (Empathy)

And if you're looking for a little more guidance, you can grab a copy of my book or contact me directly for a 20-minute consult where you can ask me whatever question you have!