Coach Your Employees to Success
One of the key traits of a great leader is knowing how to help someone step up to their own success. These leaders empower their teams to build their skill sets, take on new responsibilities, and thrive in their current - and next - roles. Coaching is a vital tool for providing the scaffolding your team needs to embrace a mindset of continuous improvement at the personal and organizational levels. Here's how to incorporate it into your business.
Help Your Employees Learn
Great leadership isn't just about imparting knowledge. It's about unlocking your team's potential to improve - and excel. While step-by-step instructions might make sense for a new or junior employee, more senior employees will benefit far more if you help them design the path from goal setting to goal attainment. That doesn't mean leaving them entirely to their own devices with a vague "happy to help if you need me" statement. Nor does it mean giving them your own plan but making it look like they've come up with it themselves.
Your exact coaching process will be unique to you and your team, but asking a series of leading questions will help your team member rise to the challenge while maintaining ownership over the outcome of a particular scenario. Consider asking things like:
Why is this important?
What's your next step?
What needs to change?
Who else is involved?
What do you need to succeed?
What does success look like?
These questions allow your team members to reflect on and develop their own action plan - and let you become a sounding board or guiding hand rather than a micromanager.
How to Be a Better Coach
Coaching might be a new and unfamiliar approach, but the good news is that it only takes about 15 hours to get your coaching skills to a point where they can make a positive impact. Dedicate some time to the following:
Get good about listening and questioning. Are you really listening or just waiting to chime in with an answer? Actively listen to your team members, and ask questions that can help you - and them - understand where they need to be.
Let your mentee put in the work. Coaching isn't a synonym for consulting. Instead of walking your team through how to solve a problem, let them arrive at the solution. Ensure that they have the resources they need to get there - but don't just micromanage them towards the goal you have in mind.
Encourage solutions-based approaches. It's easy to focus on barriers and problems. Instead, motivate your team to identify a solution, then work towards making it happen.
Fostering a collaborative environment. Knowledge doesn't only travel from top to bottom. It's lateral and cross-disciplinary as well. Encourage your team members to ask questions, share their knowledge, and learn from each other. You'll create an environment conducive to learning- and prime your team to become coaches themselves.
Become a Certified Coach with CEO Tools
Coaching is one of the most powerful tools you can offer your team. If you're ready to take your coaching skills to the next level - and build an organization of autonomous problem-solvers - apply to become a CEO Tools Certified Coach. Through individualized instruction and access to proven methods and case studies, you'll deepen your skills to drive value for your business. Sign up today and watch your business grow the way it deserves.