10 Coachable Moments
Growing as a coach, leader, or manager is an art form. I recently read an article on 10 Coachable Situations.
The author wrote, "When I hear managers talking about coaching their staff, they often speak of coaching them to improve their performance, usually at an annual performance review. What if you considered coaching a tool you can use at any time, not only when your employees are not performing but also when they are doing great work? Coaching allows you to extend your influence all year long, in many situations, at any time. It requires you to pay attention to appropriate situations for coaching."
How will you recognize those coachable situations? Here are a few ways:
When someone is struggling: Help them out by coaching them. Asking them questions that will help them to figure out (on their own) how to ease the struggle is the right thing to do.
When someone’s performance is not what you know it to be: Good performers sometimes fall on tough times. Coach them to get back to their usual stellar performance.
When someone’s performance is amazing: Make sure they know what they did well. Ask them what they think made their performance noteworthy (so they can recognize what the cause of their success is and repeat it). Don’t forget to express your gratitude for a job well done.
When you notice unsavory behavioral habits: Such as someone on your staff being too overbearing or timid, coach them to change their behaviors to ones that will help them become more effective.
When old, ineffective habits have become new productive habits: Tell them what you’ve noticed and how much you appreciate their hard work to break the old ways of doing things. Ask them how they can sustain the new habits and coach them to do so.
When someone needs to stand up and lead: Do you have someone on your staff who could be a better leader? Coach them on the changes they need to make to achieve this goal and congratulate them on the positive steps they take.
When someone needs to let others lead: Do you have someone on your team who is overly dominating? Are they preventing others from taking the lead? Coach them to pull back on their dominance.
When someone wants to try something new: Is there a new project that needs to be completed, and you have a staff member ready to dig in? Sit down together to create a plan for success. Then, meet with them regularly to let them talk about the project until the individual feels confident that they can complete it successfully.
When someone new comes onto your team: The "sink or swim" philosophy isn’t always the best. Meet with your new charges regularly to coach them in understanding the organizational culture and top priorities of the position.
When someone is ready to move up: Is someone on your team ready for a promotion, either within your organization or elsewhere? Coach them to learn the skills they’ll need at the next level and assist them in becoming ready.
King Solomon wrote, "A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!" (Proverbs 15:23). An 'apt reply' is a word spoken at the right time, in the right tone, and in the right spirit. This can be transformative in your workplace because it invests personally in people's lives, futures, and potential. If we view these ten situations as ten coachable moments, we will begin to create a culture for coaching and helpful feedback. Thoughtful interactions can turn into inspiring moments that uplift the discouraged, redirect the driven, and fuel the amazing to greater heights because they are words of beauty and priceless value. As King Solomon wrote, "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver" (Proverbs 25:11).
Learn more about creating a culture of coachability.
