Zoe Training & Speaking Blog

by Anna Conrad

Imagine [insert your favorite sports team here] without a head coach. What would happen? Who would guide the team and keep them all working together towards one common goal: to win the game? The same thing is true with your team – they need a good leader who understands what it takes to be a good coach.

But what does it mean to be a good coach? It is not just yelling at everyone to move faster or pick up the ball. Coaching is a skill that combines motivation, integrity, and knowledge. Do you have what it takes to be a good coach?

• Coach to a specific behavior. Don’t just yell at your employee to “get it right!” What exactly do they need to do? Instruct them to measure the angle using a specific tool to teach them and ensure success next time.
• Make sure the behavior is observable. “Don’t be so stupid!” May be something that you say inside your head, but what comes out needs to be more helpful. What exactly did they do, and did you observe it? Avoid the temptation to rely on others to tell you; only coach to behaviors your have observed, not what you have heard about.
• Coach to one or two behaviors at a time. Pick one or two key things for the person to focus on to improve his performance. Not only does this allow the person to focus their energy, but it is usually not overwhelming or demotivating.
• Be a good listener. There is a reason you have two ears and only one mouth. Listen carefully without interrupting. Observe the other person’s body language. Sometimes what is being said is not as important as what is not being said.
• Don’t let your ego get in the way. Just because you may have been great at your technical job doesn’t mean that you will be a great supervisor. Remember, some of the best coaches have never played the game professionally. Don’t assume your way of doing things is the only way. Allow your staff to get the results the way they think is best; they may come up with a process or procedure that is faster and more effective.

Being a good coach takes time, practice, and experience. Sometimes the hardest thing about leading people is realizing that they don’t need us to tell them what to do (even if think we know the answer), they just need us to help make them better.

Anna Conrad, JD, is an expert in organizational effectiveness and leadership development, and she is President of Impact Leadership Solutions. Anna Conrad has over a decade of experience in executive and leadership coaching, group facilitation, leadership development, and training. She has been a trusted confidante to leaders in numerous Fortune 500 companies, including the financial, telecommunications, legal, and health-care sectors, as well as in academia, government, and nonprofits.