The success of managers depends on the performance of their staff and there are many situations in the workplace where coaching can be used:
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To improve performance in the day to day job role
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To raise an individuals awareness of themselves and their capabilities
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To empower individuals take on more responsibilities
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To deal with an underperformance issue
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For career planning/personal development purposes
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To support traditional training interventions and help maintain good performance
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To reduce the cost of sending staff on external training (from both a cost and time perspective)
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To motivate the staff member
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To facilitate and support an organisational change
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To improve staff retention by providing tailored and focused development
Coaching should be seen as an investment, like buying a new computer system, and this investment should lead to success for the individual and organisation. If, as a manager, you invest time in coaching your staff properly, then the benefits you will gain will include:
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A more productive and efficient department/team
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Development of your own management skills
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Greater awareness of your team’s strengths and weaknesses
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A reputation as a good ‘people manager'
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Less time on time consuming fire fighting and more time to develop yourself
Now, some staff members may not want to be coached, they may feel that you are interfering and are expecting more work from them. They may feel demotivated by it, which if done incorrectly or for the wrong reasons, could be a possibility. However, coaching is a skill and if done correctly should do the opposite. Very few staff want to do a bad job, so any help provided to help them perform better, can only be positive. In some organisations performance is linked to pay, so why would staff not want to be coached as part of their own self development?
Coaching requires a different type of management approach and those with a naturally autocratic style may not find it easy, thinking that it is easier just to tell staff what to do rather than all this coaching stuff! However, if done properly, coaching is good for business.
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