When to Call in "The Coach" (page 3 of 3)
I was working with a company in the high-tech arena. They
were doing exceedingly well. The COO asked me to develop
some processes and procedures to increase the productivity
of their call center.
As I began my work, the call center manager kept telling me
how profitable the call center was. I asked him, "If you
could wave a magic wand and change anything, what would it
be?" At first he said there wasn't anything he'd change.
After some digging, however, I got him to admit to wanting
to change one small thing. This small thing soon became a
big issue.
It seemed that the call center manager was buried in
paperwork from the same processes and procedures that he
originally created in order to keep the call center
productive. As a result, he was now unable to grow and
develop his team on a one-on-one basis. The cost was a loss
of productivity and morale despite what the monthly numbers
showed. He wanted to develop himself and his managers to be
better coaches and developers of employees.
Once again, the manager, for fear of failure, was reluctant
to "make waves" or admit to the weakness within his system.
The apparent success of the call center made this admission
all the more difficult. Fortunately, all that was needed
were a few coaching and time-management tips.
*******
Often these issues are less complicated than they seem.
The emotions of individuals can cloud their objectivity and
make problems seem larger than they are. We need to teach
our clients to be 100% objective. Coaches and "coachees"
alike must focus on facts and data, not emotions, in order
to get things done.
To summarize, when determining if coaching is needed I
recommend following these three steps:
- Observe - Carefully observe team members and their
managers or leaders. Match their words to their actions
to uncover the personality and culture of the
team/organization. Be objective, and when you see a gap
between an organization's or individual's words and their
actions, take steps to narrow the gap. One way to measure
actions against words as well as teach accountability to
teams and managers is to create written plans.
Have managers and team members alike create plans for
completing their projects and achieving their goals.
These plans should include specific actions and deadlines
by which to complete those projects and goals. Create
benchmark meetings to check on progress and determine the
reasons why specific deadlines or milestones have or have
not been met. These plans now become the coach's
"playbook" by which to measure and coach by.
Accountability becomes less of an issue with these plans
for two reasons: (1) the plans are in writing and (2) the
plans were written and agreed to by all individuals
involved.
- Assess - Determine the level of the team's experience
and expertise. Ask yourself and those involved open-ended
questions to determine what obstacles are standing in the
way of solving their issues or asking for help. Look
behind the questions and answers of those involved to
help them see what they otherwise could not.
Once we peel back peoples questions, answers and actions,
we get to the root of their issues. This root, when
exposed, reveals their true level of experience,
expertise and understanding. The data contained in this
root is vital for the executive coach or corporate
consultant, as it is the raw material that we need to
take our clients to their next level of performance.
- Act - We know that most folks don't ask for help.
When your observations and assessments indicate that an
organization, department, team or individual is silently
screaming for a coach's expertise, take action. Never be
reluctant to show those involved what they cannot see for
themselves. When fear, emotions or ego stand in the way
of an individual's or company's objectivity and
productivity, it is time for the coach to step in.
As coaches, we have an important and rewarding role to
play. We must not only observe, assess and act upon those
obstacles that stand in the way of an organization's
ultimate success, but must also teach its managers to
build a culture of "no fear" where open and honest
communication can take place. In this way, we can
transform the foundation of the organization, allowing
on-going growth and development for individuals, their
managers and the company as a whole.
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