Managers are often faced with the challenge of providing training to their team members. It is important to ensure that the goals are clear, important to the company, and fully aligned with the objectives of the team and the personal and professional goals of the person being trained. However, it can be difficult for managers to be full-time coaches. At times, they need to break the “rules of coaching” by providing mentoring, training, setting objectives, and delegating specific tasks to their team members.
If this is not done, employees can feel abandoned and under-resourced. This can lead to underperformance, lack of confidence, and even turnover. Erickson has identified five factors that are essential for successful training of leaders and professional coaches. If you want to incorporate more training tools into your leadership style, Michael Bungay Stanier's books The Coaching Habit and The Advice Trap are great resources. It is important to note that the International Federation of Coaches does not allow time with direct reports to be counted towards the training hour requirements for their credentials, indicating that managers should not be expected to fully perform the role of “coach”.Employee surveys have revealed that employees still want to receive training, and broader organizational research indicates that companies with higher levels of employee engagement also have a strong coaching culture.
Coaching can be beneficial in many situations and produce great results. For managers who want to incorporate more coaching into their leadership style, there are a few key considerations. First, it is important to understand the five factors identified by Erickson as essential for successful training of leaders and professional coaches. Second, it is important to recognize that the International Federation of Coaches does not allow time with direct reports to be counted towards the training hour requirements for their credentials. Finally, it is important to understand that employee surveys show that employees still want to receive training, and broader organizational research indicates that companies with higher levels of employee engagement also have a strong coaching culture. By understanding these key considerations, managers can make an informed decision about when coaching is the right choice for their team members.
By incorporating more coaching into their leadership style, managers can create a culture of learning and development that will benefit both their team members and their organization.
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