Coaching in Management: A Practical Guide To Coaching

Traditionally, managers have relied on a command-and-control approach, giving directives from the top down. However, modern employees now seek leaders and managers who are genuinely invested in their personal and professional development, providing continuous feedback and opportunities to excel in their roles.

Transforming managers into coaches rather than bosses is key to fostering a better employee experience and driving high performance. Unfortunately, many managers have misconceptions about coaching in management, believing it to be like therapy, time-consuming, or exclusive to executive positions.

So, what is coaching in management, exactly? Blanchard defines coaching as "a deliberate process using focused conversations to create an environment that results in accelerated performance and development."

Using coaching behaviors (facilitating, inspiring, and guiding) in management positively impacts productivity, creates a sense of trust between managers and their teams, and improves team members' expertise in mastering their tasks.?

While traditional management tells people what to do, makes assumptions, and solves problems, a coach-like manager asks their team what needs to be done, checks in with them, encourages brainstorming, and helps others solve problems.

Four Essential Coaching Skills?

Coaching in management is a powerful managerial tool that should be part of the job description for managers. What are the essential skills managers need to develop to coach their team? Blanchard recommends four coaching skills to have more effective interactions with their people:

1. Listen to learn. Effective managers listen to learn something they might not have known before, get a different perspective, or hear new ideas.?
2. Inquire for insight. Managers who are great coaches ask questions that encourage their people to share ideas that can benefit the team's goals.?
3. Tell your truth. Being honest about what you see and hear in the coaching interaction is important, but doing so in a kind, forthright way can empower both parties.?
4. Express confidence. This is how managers can preserve good relationships with their team regardless of the type of conversation.?

Coaching Behaviors

Coaching in management is all about listening, asking questions, and not giving advice. That may seem counterintuitive, but good coaching does not mean giving the person all the answers. It means helping them grow so they can figure out the answers for themselves.

Active listening

Active listening is essential for giving useful feedback. By actively listening to employees, the manager can learn about their strengths and weaknesses, what motivates them, and what challenges they face.?

How do you know if you're practicing active listening with your team? Follow these best practices to ensure you're really listening and not just waiting for your turn to talk:

Reassuring—Letting the coachee know that you're there for them, that this is their time, and that you're not there to judge.?

Restating and paraphrasing—Rephrasing what the coachee said in your own words, to ensure you understood what they meant.?

Summarizing—Restating key elements of what you just talked about.?

Clarifying content—Making sure you understand WHAT you're talking about.?

Clarifying process—Making sure you understand HOW the coachee wants to discuss the topic at hand.

Showing empathy—Non-judgmental listening and demonstrating that you really feel what they feel.?

Asking questions?

The best coaching questions are open-ended questions, which elicit longer answers and provide much more information than closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions can help you gain valuable insights into how the employee is performing, their challenges, and what support they need.

Closed-ended questions elicit short answers but are also useful for clarification. Here are a couple of examples:?

• Do you have the information you need??
• Does the customer know about the delay??

Probing questions are great for getting more detail. For example:?

• What is it about _________ that interests you??
• If that were to occur, what would it do for you?

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Promote performance and engagement

Great coaches focus on future performance, while bosses typically look for errors and punish performance mistakes. They also recognize people's unique strengths, enhance employees' natural talents, and set teams up for success.

The best coaches understand that their role is to foster an environment that motivates employees, so they prioritize both individual and team engagement. They take action to accomodate their employees' workplace needs whenever it's needed.

Seven Essential "Coach-Like" Questions

?? Michael Bungay Stanier suggests seven essential "coach-like" questions to get a coaching session rolling.?

The "Kick Start" Question: Ask, "What's on your mind?" to initiate a focused conversation.

The "A.W.E." Question: Ask, "And what else?" to generate greater understanding, mindfulness, and self-knowledge.?

The "Focus" Question: Ask, "What's the real challenge here for you?" This can generate unique insights from your coachee.?

The "Foundation" Question: Ask, "What do you want?" and later, "But what do you really want?" to get to the main challenge.?

The "Lazy" Question: Ask, "How can I help?" This prevents you from jumping in and trying to save the day before you really understand what's going on.?

The "Strategic" Question: Ask, "If you're saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?" This helps the team member focus and commit on their own.?

The "Learning" Question: Ask, "What was most useful for you in this session?" This ensures everyone finds these meetings valuable.

Questions You Should Never Ask

Madeleine Homan Blanchard , Master Certified Coach, shares the top five questions any coach should avoid.?

"How can I help?"?

Though a well-intentioned question, it ultimately undermines the coachee’s autonomy and capabilities by suggesting they need help. Instead, coaches should foster a co-created space where coachees help themselves, emphasizing partnership rather than dependence.

"How does that make you feel?"

Along with "How do you feel about that?, these questions, borrowed from therapy, are often irrelevant and annoying, especially for executives, and have no place in coaching. They can make clients feel unsafe or distracted from the conversation. Some people find it challenging to communicate their emotional state, so emotion-related work should be reserved for therapy.

"How is that working for you?"

Popularized by Dr. Phil, this question is often perceived as mocking or cruel, making clients feel inadequate. Coaching should avoid making clients feel judged or insulted.

"Have you thought about…?"

This question is a subtle way of giving advice, which can shut down the client's thinking, even when they don't notice it. Coaches must differentiate between advising and coaching, and those coaches who are also consultants need to choose their role at any given time.

"Why do you think that?"

Why questions can make clients defensive, divert them from problem-solving, and rarely generate anything useful. Rephrasing why questions into what or how questions is more effective and less confrontational.

The saying "people join companies but leave managers" emphasizes the importance of effective leadership. Today's workforce demands more than just a paycheck; they look for meaningful development and engagement. Coaching in management provides the ideal environment for growth, which drives collaboration, performance, and productivity.

Coaching in management should not be seen as intimidating. When managers have the right tools and training, it can be straightforward, rewarding, and enjoyable. Once everything is in place, your impact as a coach will go well beyond your turnover rates. Coaching contributes to your employees' overall well-being and success, creating a positive ripple effect throughout the organization.

If you want to develop these skills and learn more tips on how to be a better manager, check out the Lead Like a Pro workshop. It’s a comprehensive program?that will?equip new managers in your company with essential tools and skills and experienced managers looking to supercharge their leadership skills.