We ALL Need Coaching

Top organizations and leadership teams know that to maximize the potential and output of people, it starts with a Coaching Strategy that the entire organization buys into, not just those at the lowest levels. No one is above coaching because no one is perfect, as strong as they may be at their jobs, or knowledgeable and tactical as they may be for a business or industry. A great example of those at the top of their game who receive coaching regularly is 7-Time Superbowl Winner Tom Brady. Despite owning nearly every measurable QB Record in NFL history, he embraced coaching every day. Why bother if he is already the best at what he does, and his talent and effort yielded such success? Tom answered that question some years ago saying “I don’t practice to get 10% better, I do it to get 1% better”. That says a great deal about why we all need coaching.

It can be a tough concept for some to believe that they need coaching, offering familiar counters to the suggestion of coaching:

• You told me I was doing a great job
• Our clients love me
• What am I doing wrong?

Such answers should ring alarm bells to an organization that there is much work to do to reframe what coaching means. And if the leaders at the highest levels don’t believe in building a coaching culture and receive and provide coaching themselves, that culture will not trickle down and permeate throughout the broader business. But when there is full, organization, buy-in, that is when the magic happens. It is when people ‘Want’, not ‘Are Required’ to be coached. it is human nature to want to be recognized and celebrated for our talent, our strengths, and the effort we make to strive for excellence. That happens through good, courageous coaching, from coaches and leaders who recognize that, even as the coach to their people, they too have work to do for the continual improvement that is a true competitive differentiator between organizations.

An individual grows professionally based on multiple factors, including:

• Comprehensive Training
• Consistent Coaching
• Talent
• Experience
• Environment
• Access to Tools and Resources
• Strong Leadership

There are, of course, many more components that factor into career performance, all of which can impact a person’s pace, and ultimate level, of success.

Among those listed, Coaching is perhaps the most important factor of all. Training is typically where every employee begins with a new company, which some companies do exceptionally well, while others look to quickly train and lean on ‘experience’ and on-the-job learning, believing people will learn more by doing, including making the mistakes that are valuable in the learning process. Provided it is for that reason, and not to simply get people productive from a cost-savings, or ROI, perspective. Some companies do overkill training, it still needs to be comprehensive as much to ensure business security and quality, as it is to build and maintain employee confidence, which breeds company loyalty. Provide the foundation, and good things will follow.

Post-training learning happens not only through the experience of doing the job, but also via coaching that should be taking place regularly for the employee. The next question an organization should answer is whether they have a definitive reason for coaching. Any organization can highlight their coaching program, and it does serve the company and organizations as well it could, beyond simply a mechanism or precursor to performance management, which we know sometimes leads to employee termination. It is critical that a company can demonstrate that an employee has been properly trained, coached, and given ample opportunity to be successful.

The level and quality of coaching going on is seldom scrutinized yet is often the reason an employee fails. A coaching program where leaders and coaches ‘check the box’ instead of conducting meaningful, goal-oriented sessions, is not a coaching program. It is the minimal level, or perceived ‘necessary evil’ given to employees, who then struggle to understand why its people cringe at the thought of coaching, and thus struggle to achieve all goals, and progress at the pace that would otherwise be achieved with stronger leadership and organization buy-in to coaching.

Rather than creating a coaching program, the real goal of a company and even an individual organization or team within said company, should be to create a Culture of Coaching. This is not only achievable and worth the investment, but will pay incredible dividends to the bottom line and to the level of employee morale and engagement. An Organizational Mission to commit to coaching and to development that includes everyone, from top to bottom. Formalizing, Announcing, and Celebrating the Team-Wide commitment to coaching becomes that line of demarcation where people can let go of past experience where coaching was non-existent, routine, or simply poorly done. Stating not only the advent of the mission, but the intended goals for each level is a powerful message far likelier to resonate to all employees.

The true Coaching Culture begins at the point of commitment. It transforms and takes hold of an organization when everyone buys in and is willing to accept coaching from a variety of sources, not only their direct leadership team. If everyone believes in, and eventually embraces, coaching, everyone who is part of the team and organization becomes both ‘Coachee’ and ‘Coach’. It begins with leadership, and sets the tone for everyone else. Starting at the executive level, the transparency offered, will be the backbone and foundation for the success of the organization.

It is imperative to shake off the past, we can’t change it. We can only impact what happens today and each day thereafter. Begin by being honest and clear about the state of your coaching program today. Is coaching a work task for leaders or coaches to complete or do all of your teams and people live and breathe coaching?  Assess these areas:

• Strength: Is Coaching and Leadership strong, meaningful and consistent? Do leaders and coaches maintain a high bar for themselves and those they coach? Is coaching done with intent, creating the right atmosphere, accurately assessing their people, and mindful of how to partner with the coachee to agree on goals to set for improvement?
• Approach: Is it a top-down approach where changes and strategy come from senior leadership, moving level to level until reaching the entry-level employees, all of whom are told how it will be going forward? While time-effective, possibly cost-effective in the short term, it will inevitably backfire, and alienate a workforce who feel less valued and invested, always expected to only do as their told without thinking or given the opportunity to truly buy-in and absorb the change.
• Consistency: Is the current culture a network where the philosophy and approach to coaching is consistent across all levels? As employees move to a different leadership team or organization, is there a plan, with proper oversight, that ensures coaching continuity with the new leadership or coaching team, avoiding a culture shock to the employee, now asked to adapt to a different way of thinking, or to unfamiliar goals?
• Collaboration: What is the level of collaboration within the company? Is there collaboration, or is the company made up of distinct and independent organizations and leadership teams and styles, each marching to the beat of potentially different drums? If so, is performance consistent across these organizations and teams, or do some perform markedly better than others? Is there a ‘secret sauce’ in one department that becomes their hallmark, nearly a proprietary practice? If so, is it being shared with other groups who could benefit from a proven, successful approach?

Independence can be a great thing, a powerful attribute in a leadership team, and one that if not harnessed correctly, can create a splintered, erratic experience for people. Independent thought is important, so an environment is distinct, is comfortable innovating, and not one built on robotic, automated responses that only regurgitate the thoughts and information shared from above. Without encouragement for people that express themselves, ask questions, and even appropriately object to changes if they feel it may be a mistake, a business will find progress and culture-building an uphill climb.

Click the Pic for a great HRB Article on the impacts of

Building Great Coaches within Your Leadership Team

Review and assess your coaching program, starting with the leadership team, who in most cases is the group responsible to deliver coaching to their direct reports. Some organizations do invest in a team of coaches that are not direct leadership of an employee, which can be effective in providing a safe, secure environment where coaching is not a referendum on employee performance, nor a risk to job security, but a belief in giving team members specialized coaching for their success. This may seem like a positive move on the surface, but if that trust, and confidence is not there with a person’s direct leader, it would be worth focusing training to the leader to be better for their people to build the safe, secure partnership coaching should be.

Remember that coaching is not a weekly, daily, or monthly ‘activity’. It comes through in all we do, how we walk around, speak to people, answer questions, provide help and support, communicate personally or digitally, and provides the example for others to emulate. And when all leaders at all levels are coaching in all they do, regardless of responsibilities within a single department, an organization has achieved a Culture of Coaching.