Coaching Directs
I was over on the Manager Tools website and listened to a podcast on the importance of coaching direct reports. The hosts explain some of the reasons managers seem to have an aversion toward coaching. They dispel the myth that it takes a tremendous amount of time. According to them, all it takes is 5 minutes per week for each direct report.
They make the case that managers who communicate regularly that they need to see notable improvement, provide guidance on how to do so, and measure progress will noticeably outperform the managers that do not. Further, organizations filled with these managers will drastically outperform others.
They compare these brief coaching sessions to a performance fitness program. Managers and their teams get stronger every day, so they are ready to take advantage of opportunities and weather any storms.
Check out the podcast here.
Joe, you’ve made it abundantly clear that you are not big into coaching so I think I’ll go right to Wanda on this one.
Joe Kerr: Hold the phone there bud! I can coach with the best of them. You should have seen my Knute Rockne “win one for the Gipper” speech the other day. We needed to hit a deadline and I had to step up and make sure we crossed the goal line. I was the Gipper by the way. It was a bad week for the market. I really took a bath. I let them know how important it was for me to hit my numbers this year – to avoid having to cancel my golf vacation in Boca. I find real life stories that are close to home are the most inspirational.
Moderator: Did you make the deadline?
Joe Kerr: Not exactly, but it was one hell of a speech. I wish I had taped it.
Moderator: How about you Wanda, any thoughts?
Wanda B. Goode: I certainly agree in the importance of coaching. In his book, Why Employees Don’t Do What They’re Supposed to Do and What to Do About It, Ferdinand Fournies points out that many mistakenly believe that just hiring the right people is all it takes – Just let them go and do their thing. If that were the case we wouldn’t need managers, just good recruiters.
Stumble it!
