Last week we read about
giving managers the right tools to lead their team, understanding individual
learning styles, and that coaching isn’t just for middle management. Continue
reading to learn more tips on coaching your team to be leaders.
Recognize players on the
team. Good coaches don’t stand on the sideline and only speak when the
play goes wrong. They shout encouragement every day. Words like “you’re doing
a great job,” “thank you for that extra effort” and “you are important to our
team,” when said with sincerity, make an individual feel they are part of
something. Most people enjoy it when someone pays attention to how they’re
doing. Showing appreciation and encouraging employees are two skills that
every coach should demonstrate to their team.
Acknowledge those small
improvements. Good coaches also look for the small things that individuals
can improve. John Wooden was one of the greatest collegiate basketball coaches
in history. Wooden kept diaries on each of his players. He kept track of the
small improvements he felt they could make and then, at the end of practice,
he would share these thoughts with each player.
Wooden’s unique insight and
his unprecedented achievements – a .806 winning percentage, 19 conference
championships, 10 national championships, seven straight national titles and
four unbeaten seasons – have stood the test of time. A good coach works daily
to improve the small things that help the team perform at its best.
Is he or she the right
coach for the team? Just because someone is great at getting the job done
doesn’t mean they’re good at developing people. Do your managers have the
aptitude to be good coaches for their employees?
While there is no fail-safe
methodology to hiring the right people, you can improve your odds if you use a
personality-profile tool to help identify the strengths of your management
staff and the areas where they can improve.
With a clear picture of
their abilities, it’s easier to educate them on how to be a better coach.
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your managers will help increase their
effectiveness when it comes to coaching the rest of the staff. Check out
www.hiringsolutions.net . They have a variety of tools to assist in this
area.
Keep employees in the
loop. Are your managers keeping their staff involved? Employees want to
feel like they are part of the team. Ask for their input and ideas on how to
improve performance, increase productivity and decrease costs.
Most employees don’t have a
clue about what it costs the company to handle a customer call, what it costs
to acquire a customer or what it costs to lose a customer. Oftentimes,
front-line employees can identify problems or weak systems. They usually have
the easiest and most cost-effective solutions.
Employees are in the
trenches every day. They know what works well and what doesn’t. Keep them
involved, share the numbers with them and let them know what it costs to run
your company. They’ll have more respect and a keener understanding as to what
their contribution can be. A manager with strong coaching abilities can be
invaluable in retaining and motivating your employees and helping them develop
their skills. Wouldn’t it be great if we all had a John Wooden coaching our
team?
This 2-part article, written
by David Saxby President of Measure-X, recently appeared in EnergyPulse
Magazine on 4/7/2006. Please visit our website to find out more about David
Saxby and Measure-X If you missed the first part of this article or would
like the entire article as one piece, please let me know.
MEASURE-X
6227 North 15th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014
888-644-5499
www.measure-x.com
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