Chapter 10:

Coaching and Providing Feedback for Improved Performance

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What is Coaching?

• Coaching is a means for managers to provide guidance, insight, and encouragement to their employees for improved work performance through frequent interactions.

• Coaching conveys a set of beliefs, values, and vision and enables goal setting and action steps for the realization of extraordinary results.

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The Importance and Benefits of Coaching

• Coaching reduces employees’ fears related to their (and others’) status in the organization.

• Coaching enables workers to feel they are part of the organization rather than used by it.

• Effective coaching endorses rather than diminishes people’s skills and abilities.

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The Importance and Benefits of Coaching

• Coaching helps people overcome personal obstacles hindering their success.

• When used in team settings, coaching improves team communications and provides a structure for managing conflict.

• Coaching behaviors encourage others to coach.

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Skills and Characteristics of Effective Coaches

• A desire to bring out the best in others’ performance

• Ability to give constructive and positive feedback

• Honesty and trustworthiness• Willingness to NOT assign blame

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Skills and Characteristics of Effective Coaches

• Good communication skills• A parallel style of thinking and acting• Responsibility and accountability• Constructive conflict management• A personal level of caring

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Effective Coaching Behaviors

• Coaching sessions require managers to use face-to-face discussions of performance problems.

• Effective coaches don’t legislate quality; they model it.

• Effective coaches and their sessions contain high levels of supportive behaviors and moderate levels of initiating or problem-solving behaviors.

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Effective Coaching Behaviors

• Successful coaches use supportive behaviors far more frequently than unsuccessful coaches. Supportive behavior categories: – Verbal– Tangible– Active

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Effective Coaching Behaviors

• The best coaches ask questions that enable the employee to discover how to improve.

• Successful coaches challenge employees and stimulate resolutions.

• The best sessions are those in which the coach plans, prepares, and rehearses prior to the counseling session.

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Supportive Coaching Behaviors

• Collaboration regarding solutions to problems.

• Help and assistance through training and resources.

• Concern over the employee’s needs and objectives.

• Empathy for the employee and attention to obstacles and problems.

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Supportive Coaching Behaviors

• Expressions of the value of the employee and his or her contribution to work.

• Acceptance of responsibility in situations.• Interaction that provides time for the

employee to air his or her feelings.

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Initiating Coaching Behaviors

• Feedback and analysis of issues and concerns.

• Clarification of leader expectations and requirements.

• Exploration of impact and effects of employee’s actions.

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Initiating Coaching Behaviors

• Action planning around solutions and desired changes.

• Seeking commitment to the action plan.• Clarification of positive and negative

consequences connected to future action and plans.

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Counseling

• Counseling is used to address personal or attitudinal problems rather than those related to an individual’s ability (or lack thereof).– Directive counseling methods include:

• Probing• Questioning• Discussing specific problems and possible solutions

– The nondirective approach involves being a good listener and sounding board.

• Seldom should a manager get involved in counseling an employee.

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Helping Others Set Goals

• Incorporate goal setting into the coaching activity to motivate employees to set a new course or direction.

• The organization’s environment must be conducive to individual growth and development in the context of organizational goals.

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Helping Others Set Goals

• Goals set for yourself are more likely to be achieved when they are SMART.

• Goals should be challenging, yet realistic.• Employees should establish and update

goals periodically.• Commitment to goals will vary directly with

the amount of participation and input from the employee in setting the goals.

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Five Steps for Helping Others Set Goals

• Prepare• Clarify• Decide• Commit• Participate

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What is Feedback?

• Information that enables individuals or groups to compare actual performance with a given standard or expectation.

• Involves offering your perceptions and describing your feelings in a nonjudgmental manner and supplying data that others can use to examine and change behaviors.

• Assists in goal setting and performance improvement.

• Provides direct information about how you are performing and how to direct your future efforts in terms of corrective action.

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Importance of Job Feedback in Organizations

• Seasoned employees give feedback to new employees or team members, ensuring that employees experience many aspects of the business and become successful at teaching, coaching, and mentoring others.

• Knowledge of effective feedback mechanisms can reduce the strain caused by having to continually train new people.

• Feedback mechanisms allow employees to:– Share progress toward goals– Relay current problems– Inform management about how they feel about their jobs, co-

workers, and the organization in general

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Importance of Feedback for Individuals

• Greatly benefits those with whom you work.• Shows us how others perceive us.• Provides us with information needed to change our

behaviors and attitudes, to be more efficient and effective.

• By asking for feedback we:– Demonstrate our commitment to improve and our

dedication to do things right– Signal a desire to remain involved with an organization

in a longer and more meaningful capacity– Build and enhance our esteem

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Characteristics of Effective Feedback

1. Specific 7. Timely

2. Nonpersonal 8. Frequent

3. Work related 9. Purposeful

4. Documentable 10. Constructive and balanced

5. Descriptive 11. In the appropriate setting

6. Nonprescriptive 12. Interactive

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Benefits of Giving Feedback

• Ensures that individuals focus on meeting organizational goals and objectives

• Reinforces positive and effective actions and behaviors

• Provides corrective action of ineffective or problematic behaviors

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Benefits of Getting Feedback

• Builds our confidence by reinforcing our strengths

• Directs us toward areas needing improvement

• Helps us understand our blind spots – weaknesses of which we’re unaware

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Benefits of Asking for Feedback

• Demonstrates our commitment to improve• Demonstrates our dedication to doing

things right• Shows our commitment to continued

service in an organization

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Challenges in Providing Feedback

1. Managers are uncomfortable giving negative feedback and discussing performance weaknesses.

2. Employees tend to have an inflated view of their own performance.

3. Managers are afraid of the reaction they might get when delivering negative feedback to some employees.

4. As organizations have downsized and increased spans of control, managers have less time available to provide effective feedback to greater numbers of employees.

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Tips for Preparing and Leading a Feedback Session

• Prepare a script• Examine your motives• Ask for input• Offer help, support, and suggestions• Clarify expectations and specify next steps

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Tips for Receiving Feedback

• Keep an ongoing performance folder• Evaluate your own progress on a regular

basis• Let someone know if a change in your

personal circumstances is affecting your work

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Asking for Feedback

• Demonstrate you’re open to continual change and learning

• Learn why you’re not getting the feedback• Assess why you want feedback before you

request it• Ask for suggestions on how you can

improve