Coaching Employees

Businesses today are under tremendous pressure to become more effective amidst increases in international and global competition. If an organization desires to progress in an extremely competitive environment, leaders will need to devote more energy and resources to create teams and build positive communications with committed employees. Managers will need to transform into leaders and coaches instead of supervisors, controllers, and authorities. Coaching employees is the key to influencing, motivating, and recognizing people and employees who will contribute and cooperate with their leaders. This change in management style and type of interaction with people can have a great influence on productivity, excellence, quality, and competitive spirit.

What is a leader? A leader is a coach, someone who is willing to empower and coach employees and promote accountability. It is top management's responsibility to be a coaching role model for the other leaders to follow. Many traditional supervisors and managers hesitate when confronted with this methodology. Fears of losing control and status arise and it is "hard to let go." But coaching employees is not a loss of power; it is a process of communicating and engaging employees so problems can be solved creatively. It involves recognizing people for their contribution. This is what truly promotes a productive employee environment.

Coaching employees removes barriers and boundaries and this new environment emphasizes individual and team achievement of a common organizational goal. The coaching leadership style builds personal and team morale and fosters a partnership where employees feel like they are contributing to the success of the organization. When coached, employees will take an interest and "stake" in the organization and its future. It is for this reason alone that coaching should become a proactive process for top level managers. This collaboration and relationship building is an investment that is just as important as capital technology and marketing strategies and will return a benefit to the organization as employees increase productivity and quality.

Leading and coaching employees facilitates effective communication from all levels of an organization and provides a channel for feedback and dialogue. People can learn in a positive way how they personally can make efforts to support the organization. Too often managers alone define mission statements and objectives, solve problems, and dictate solutions. Employees are prone to get lost in the shuffle. In a coaching environment, objectives are developed together with employees. Employees are asked for input on problems. A shared commitment and vision is created to guide one's effort instead of bureaucratic processes, power, and authority. Proactive leaders encourage participation, deal with resistance, listen effectively, provide constructive feedback, and recognize successes and effort. The reward of leading and coaching employees within the organization will occur as organizations become more effective and successful based on a collaborative environment.

Coaching does have its challenges and is not an automatic technique that works every time. It is a process and investment. With it, management can build a successful organization based on the strengths and relationships of every member. Coaching will truly be one of the most important top level leadership skills of the future. People at the top must spearhead the effort and be a beacon of light for middle level and front line leaders to follow.

CMOE has been helping Pfizer, HP, Chevron, and many other multinational companies and organizations develop their leaders throughout the world. Please click here to learn more about Coaching Employees and other programs. You can contact a CMOE representative directly at (888)262-2499 or click on the tool bar below.