Business productivity is about having the right people, even though I am daily bombarded with online tools and mobile apps that promise to solve all the problems with automation and data . In reality, success and business satisfaction are about doing the right things at the right time, which requires leadership and coaching. But coaching does not always work the way you want.
In fact, I am a strong supporter of coaching and mentoring in the workplace, but I recognize that these efforts can only result in eliminating your human resource problems and improving morale and performance. l & # 39; team. Some managers work too hard to correct the weaknesses of people that they have through coaching, rather than strengthening the strengths of the right people.
Most companies still operate around a set of coaching-related myths I've seen described in a new book, "The Power of People Skills," by Trevor Throness. Trevor is a seasoned coach who has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, organizations and business families across the country. He knows when it works, and when it does not work.
For example, he says that he has never worked with anyone who has succeeded because he had a set of well defined weaknesses. I have paraphrased here his summary of the most common coaching myths:
- Coaching is about helping people manage their weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses, including your star employees. The goal of coaching should be to capitalize and expand its strengths, not to manage its weaknesses. Coaching helps a person increase self-awareness and adjust their role to better leverage their greatest strengths.
- The basic weaknesses of people will change as they are driven. In reality, if you like the basic package of who your employee is now, know that it will improve with coaching and training. If you do not like the package today, all your efforts, your time and your money will not turn them into a different person. People can change, but you can not change them.
- Coaching will regulate the behavior of stubborn bad students. A good test of your bad performance is to mention the possibility of receiving coaching. If their ears straighten up and they express interest, there may be hope. If you do not see enthusiasm, do not waste your time with elaborate and ongoing coaching efforts that go beyond the basics.
- Challenging coaching conversations damage relationships. Ironically, more often than not, the opposite is true, if the conversation is direct and without excessive emotion. Superstar leaders are able to have difficult conversations without making enemies. They earn trust and loyalty because they are ready to tackle these problems without judgment.
- Successful coaching suggests making radical changes in life. Generally, radical changes are short-lived. Real change happens more gradually and takes more lasting efforts. A successful coaching engagement looks more like a marathon than a sprint. All that is needed is someone who is committed to improving a little bit and finishing the race.
- All generations of age can be trained in the same way. If you use the same approach with each age group, you will miss the note for all. Members of different generations tend to see the workplace differently. The best leaders and companies adapt the role and advice to the people they have, rather than expecting people to adapt to assigned roles.
- The person with the highest qualifications wins every time. Skill is needed, but if you have to compare the skill to the culture, choose each time. Hire to be fit; train for the skill. People who are bright, have sense of people and are eager to learn and grow are always a good choice. Seek nature-born leaders with dynamism, vision, purpose, and focus on the customer.
- Changes in personal life do not necessarily have an impact on work. In the end, your personal and professional lives are the same life. If your professional life goes bad, your loved ones feel it at home, and vice versa. The best leaders do not avoid personal problems, but add coaching to minimize the impact on the job and tailor roles where it is possible.
Effective coaching begins by sitting down with each of your team members, helping them identify their greatest strengths, and thinking with them about how they can capitalize on their strengths. Coaching does not save time for people who are not interested in growing up, not appealing to their clients or not going forward. Concentrate on coaching people, and the tools will do the rest.