Sharpening Your Coaching Skills

Transcription

1 Marie G. McIntyre, Ph.D. Your Office Coach Sharpening Your Coaching Skills How to Develop Employees & Resolve Performance Issues CONTACT INFORMATION Marie G. McIntyre, Ph.D Your Office Coach Free coaching tips: Personal coaching: Work style assessments: MBTI, DISC, FIRO, CPI, etc. LinkedIn & Book: Secrets to Winning at Office Politics 1

2 TOPICS for TODAY What do we mean by coaching? Why managers avoid coaching The secret formula for changing behavior How to conduct a coaching discussion What to do when coaching doesn t work What Do We Mean by Coaching? 2

3 COACHING Using constructive feedback to help an employee achieve work goals, learn new skills, or adopt more effective behaviors. Coaching discussions should be... Helpful, not critical A two-way conversation Focused on problem-solving 3

4 NOT BUT Parent Adult Adult Child Performance Distribution High Potentials Regular folks 70% Challenging Employees 10% 10% Superstars Incorrigibles 5% 5% 4

5 Two Types of Coaching Developmental Remedial Performance Distribution High Potentials Regular folks 70% 10% 10% Superstars Incorrigibles 5% 5% Developmental Coaching Challenging Employees Remedial Coaching 5

6 Why Managers Avoid Coaching Quick Quiz: What are your coaching challenges? It s hard to find time to do as much coaching as I need to. I m concerned that negative feedback may demotivate my employees. I get tired of arguing with employees about performance issues. People take my comments personally and become defensive. I tell employees about problems, but nothing seems to change. I worry about hurting employees feelings with critical comments. I know I should do more coaching but I m not sure what to say. My coaching discussions start off well, but then get off track. Coaching seems to help for awhile, but it doesn t stick. Some of my employees seem to want too much coaching. I try to coach employees, but my boss doesn t back me up. 6

7 Five Common Coaching Roadblocks Lack of time Wimpy managers Employee challenges Lack of management support No coaching roadmap MANAGER Creates an environment that enables results to be produced EMPLOYEE Responsible for producing results 7

8 Coaching requires Management Presence! Debaters Oppositional employees who turn every discussion into an argument Solution: Maintain control. Stay on track. 8

9 Power Grabbers Employees with a high need for control who attempt to take over the discussion Solution: Maintain control. Don t give in. Clingers Boomerang employees who are afraid to make independent decisions Solution: Don t reward. Increase autonomy. 9

10 Newbies Employees who lack experience with the task, job, or workplace Solution: Increase autonomy. Maintain control. Androids Task-oriented employees who don t grasp the importance of relationships Solution: Explain hazards. Relate to goals. 10

11 Divas Emotional employees who crave attention or have delusions of entitlement Solution: Don t reward. Inject reality. The Secret Formula for Changing Behavior 11

12 A paycheck does not buy someone s soul. It just rents their behavior. Seven Barriers to Behavior Change They don t know there s a problem. They know there s a problem, but they don t care. They would like to comply, but they don t know what s wrong. They know what s wrong, but they don t know how to fix it. They make efforts to fix it, but don t get any feedback. The behavior is ingrained in their personality. Other people are doing the same thing. 12

13 The AMISH Formula for Behavior Change Awareness of the problem Motivation to change Identifying target behaviors Substituting new behaviors Habit-forming practice Beth is having some serious problems... The hazards of psychic management 13

14 Four Factors Affecting Motivation Emotional goals vs. rational goals Lack of confidence Management actions Wrong reward equation Are you actually encouraging the behavior you don t want? 14

15 Define your Fuzzies Improve communications Develop good relationships Show more initiative Have a better attitude What needs to change? Skills Effort 15

16 How to Conduct a Coaching Discussion CHOOSE YOUR TIMING Never discuss performance issues when you re angry or upset! 16

17 Ten Steps to an Exceptional Coaching Discussion 1. Determine your goal. 2. Describe factual observations. Invitation to Change 3. Discuss behaviors, not personality 4. Appreciate strengths. 5. Explain why change is important. Two-way Problem-solving Action Planning 6. Ask questions to engage the employee. 7. Get input on possible solutions. 8. Agree on action steps and feedback plan. 9. End with optimism. 10. Follow up! The Importance of Preparation 1. Diagnosing the problem 2. Separating feelings from facts 3. Determining your goal 4. Preparing your invitation to change 17

18 DIAGNOSIS QUESTIONS 1. DEFINE YOUR FUZZIES What specific behaviors are causing the problem? What have I personally observed? DIAGNOSIS QUESTIONS 2. DIGGING DEEPER Do they do it correctly in some situations? Have they ever done it correctly in the past? Could they do it correctly if their life depended on it? 18

19 DIAGNOSIS QUESTIONS 3. LOOKING IN THE MIRROR Am I contributing to the problem behavior? Do I need to make any changes myself? Ten Steps to an Exceptional Coaching Discussion 1. Determine your goal. Transition Points Invitation to Change 2. Describe factual observations. 3. Discuss behaviors, not personality 4. Appreciate strengths. 5. Explain why change is important. Two-way Problem-solving Action Planning 6. Ask questions to engage the employee. 7. Get input on possible solutions. 8. Agree on action steps and feedback plan. 9. End with optimism. 10. Follow up! 19

20 Common Diversionary Tactics Accuse the accuser: I have a right to know who complained about me. Who told you that I was upset about the project? Deflect the blow: Jerry is late more often than I am. You should really be talking to him instead of me. Put up a stop sign: I already know what you re going to say. I did get annoyed with the marketing group, but I promise it won t happen again. Minimize the issue: I don t see why it s a problem if I come in late. I always make it up at the end of the day. Blame the boss: I would have gotten the project done on time if you hadn't waited so long to get me the financial data. Deny the problem: That s not true. I never get angry with my coworkers. The Importance of Following Up If performance improves, express appreciation. If coaching does not help, take appropriate next steps. If corrective action does not work, impose consequences. 20

21 When Coaching Doesn t Work When coaching doesn t work... Tighten up your leadership style Find a different solution Move to corrective action Say good-bye 21

22 Tighter Styles Consulting Reviewing work Answering questions Active oversight Input on decisions Supervising Defining tasks Giving instruction Close oversight Management decisions Looser Styles Collaborating Sharing perspectives Discussing ideas General oversight Mutual decisions Entrusting Agreeing on results Allowing autonomy Little oversight Independent decisions CORRECTIVE ACTION The last chance phase of performance improvement, used for serious offenses or after other methods have been unsuccessful. 22

23 Corrective Action should be... Firm, direct, and detailed Focused on an employee decision Specific about consequences If employees choose not to change, there must be consequences. 23

24 Corrective Action Discussions Specifically describe the problem behavior. Specifically describe the desired behavior. Help them understand the effects of their behavior. On the business On their career On customers On you On co-workers Or on anything else Describe the decision they have to make. Tell them what will happen if nothing changes. Offer to help. Negative Reactions Arguing Anger Verbal Attack Tears Threat of legal action Threat of harm 24

25 When Coaching Isn t Enough Regular folks High Performers Challenging Employees Superstars Incorrigibles Termination Coaching Impossibilities Square Pegs Freeloaders Poisonous People 25

26 When Coaching Works! Developmental Remedial Regular folks High Potentials Challenging Employees Superstars Incorrigibles Retention / Promotion CONTACT INFORMATION Marie G. McIntyre, Ph.D Your Office Coach Free coaching tips: Personal coaching: mmcintyre@yourofficecoach.com Work style assessments: MBTI, DISC, FIRO, CPI, etc. LinkedIn & Book: Secrets to Winning at Office Politics 26