Thursday Tips & Tools #4 [+ Free Coaching Tool]

Hi friends, 

A colleague once asked me why I’m so skeptical of “traditional” performance management. 

Well, I’m not quiet about my disdain for sitting down once or twice a year to discuss employee “performance,” and I feel that PM as we know it is archaic and pretty much flawed. 

At TTGG, we believe that real employee development comes down to implementing the fundamentals of learning—consistent, constructive feedback, self-reflection, and guidance from someone who can challenge our perspectives.

That’s what coaching is.

In this fortnightly newsletter, I’ve gathered some useful resources for any leader that wants to coach others more effectively.

What I’m Reading

Coaching Questions: A Coach’s Guide to Powerful Asking Skills by Tony Stoltzfus. 

This is a super practical book by master coach Tony Stoltzfus in which you’ll find over a thousand coaching questions for a huge range of organizational scenarios. Tony outlines coaching models such as the ever-versatile GROW framework, techniques such as active listening, and collaborates with other professional coaches to offer tips and advice for coaching.

It might seem like this book has been written for professional coaches at first glance, but many of the principles and approaches are highly relevant to leaders too. At 260-ish pages long, the eBook is more like a cheat sheet; if you want a practical guide you can apply right away, this is a good place to start.

What I’m Listening To

At The Table with Patrick Lencioni

This is a seriously good podcast full of actionable advice for any leader, and it covers all kinds of workplace topics. Pat Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, chats with his co-hosts about teamwork, culture, and performance, among other things, and each episode lasts about 20 or so minutes.

In the episode titled One Hour Coaching Hack, you can learn how to get your whole team to give one another constructive, useful feedback in a way that builds valuable coaching skills. The takeaways are directly applicable—check it out.

Tool I’m Using [FREE PDF]

Coach - Encouraging Others 

The best coaches draw on a whole range of influencing skills to support, guide, and motivate their employees. If you’re not yet familiar with the Sphere of Influence 360 Coaching style, a few of these include:

• Encouraging others
• Offering support
• Providing food for thought, and
• Stimulating others.

This free tool for leaders explains what it means to encourage others from a communicative standpoint, then takes you through a brief exercise to help you strengthen this capability. 

Quote I’m Loving

“In the past, a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people… they no longer can lead solely based on positional power.” 

-- Ken Blanchard

Question For Your Co-workers

“How much did I talk vs. how much did I listen?” Your job as a coaching leader is to trigger reflection and new ways of thinking. That’s impossible if you are talking more than you listen to your coachee, and I can’t emphasize that strongly enough! 

“Old school” performance reviews tend to be structured a certain way—a leader runs through a list of KPIs while an employee sits passively and listens. It’s one of the most fundamental flaws of traditional performance management, in my eyes, because individuals should be in the driving seat when it comes to their own development. Wouldn’t you agree?

Oh, and if you’re looking for thought-provoking prompts for your colleagues, my fellow TTGG coach Marc Vanschoenwinkel has shared some of his favorites in this article: 31 Good Coaching Questions For Leaders To Ask, 

That’s it from me this week!

— Govert

1. I share regular leadership and coaching tips, articles, and news on my LinkedIn every few days. Send me a DM!
2. Want to start leading with Professional Closeness? Download my book The Power of Professional Closeness here.

Govert van Sandwijk is a seasoned international strategy facilitator, leadership development consultant, author, and executive coach who has delivered high-impact business, people management, and leadership development programs to over 5000 leaders across 40 countries. His first book, The Power of Professional Closeness, is an Amazon #1 Bestseller and shares the strategies that have made his approach so successful. Download Helping Leaders Navigate, his free guide to using professional closeness to improve your life and organization at https://timetogrowglobal.com.