Communication Tip:
Coaching to Improve Performance
If an employee, child, or someone else whose
performance you depend on isn’t working up to your expectations, use
coaching to identify the problems and motivate the other person to
improve.
Coaching is a three-step process: Researching
the problem, which you do before you meet with the person, having the
coaching session, and then following up to make sure that improvement is
made.
Before You Meet with the Other Person
Before you coach the other person, research
and determine the following:
- Why isn’t the other person working to your
expectations? Is it because they didn’t have adequate training? Do
they lack the time, tools, and resources to do the job? Are they
unmotivated because of lack of support, unclear direction, or lack of
appreciation?
- What needs to be done to correct the problem? Does
the other person not know what is expected of them? What skills does
the person need to gain to do the job? What obstacles need to be
removed? What realistically can be done?
- Can the person do the job if he or she wanted to? If
the person isn’t a good fit for the job, he or she might need to do
something else.
Coach the Person
When you are ready to meet with the other
person, conduct the coaching session as follows:
- Pick a private place where you
won’t be disturbed.
- Describe specifically the reason
for the discussion, expressing your concern about the problem and how it
affects you and others.
- Give the other person a chance
to respond. The other person might apologize or rebut what you said.
Listen attentively.
- Seek the person’s opinion on
ways to improve performance.
- Discuss solutions.
- Agree on a solution and action
plan.
- Follow up.
- Praise positive results.
Tips
Here are some tips to use in the course of
the coaching process:
- Think win-win. Your goal is to solve the performance problem
and encourage the other person to grow.
- Address the behavior, not the person.
- Maintain a friendly, supportive, and positive tone.
- Be direct, specific, and non-punishing.
- Use “I” statements, as in “I’m concerned that…”
- Use open-ended questions to encourage discussion.
- Avoid language, tone, and gestures that are emotional or condescending.
- Stick to the issue. Do not wander off on other subjects.
- Give yourself and the other person enough time to work out a
solution.
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