Coaching for Improved Performance and Development
Course Description
This course provides supervisors with essential coaching skills for addressing performance and conduct problems and developing employee skills. Supervisors will learn two processes, one for dealing with performance or conduct situations and another for coaching employees to develop new skills and competencies.
Course Objectives
* Know the 7 key steps to top performance.
* Understand what makes a good coach.
* Be able to use five key coaching skills:
Connect
Observe and analyze
Ask questions
Communicate observations
Help the employee learn and make changes
* Be able to address performance and conduct situations by using the STAR coaching process.
* Know how to encourage employee performance improvement through feedback and coaching.
* Know how to use helpful communication styles to forge positive coaching relationships.
* Understand how to develop effective ongoing coaching relationships.
* Know how to plan with the employee to develop new capabilities.
Course Length: 1 day
Course Outline
What is coaching? What do effective coaches do?
• The job of the supervisor
* Plan, organize, and control work
* Best Coach/Worst Coach – What makes an effective coach?
• The importance of positive feedback and active listening in coaching
High Performance Tools
• SMART Objectives – Activity: Write a SMART objective for a project you are currently working on. Write a SMART objective for an employee who reports to you.
• Performance Elements and Standards
• Conduct Standards – Activity: Is this Performance or Conduct?
• Feedback to improve performance and conduct – STAR
• Coaching – C.O.A.C.H.
Coaching for Performance and Conduct Improvement
* Use STAR to Improve Performance Problems
State what you’ve observed
Tell the employee of the standard/goal/requirement
Agree on a plan to close the gap:
* One-on-one coaching
* Pairing with a more experienced employee
* Training
* Job aids
Review the solution/Restate your support
* Use STAR to Address Conduct Problems
State what you’ve observed
Tell the employee of the standard/goal/requirement
Ask the employee what s/he can do to bring conduct up to the standard
Review the solution/Restate your support
Practice/Activity: Improving Performance and Conduct Scenarios
Coaching for Development
The Process/Coaching Skills
Connect/Build rapport
Observe and analyze
Ask questions
Communicate your observations
Help the person develop new skills
3 Key Questions
1. Where do you want to be?
* Brainstorm.
* Generate a detailed mental picture.
2. Where are you now?
* What skills do you need to acquire?
* What talents do you need to develop?
* What resources do you need to access?
3. How do you get from here to there?
* Complete your Individual Development Plan (IDP).
* Write specific objectives. Take action.
Coaching Communication
Helpful/Harmful Communication Styles/Developing Communication Style Flexibility
Coaching Practice – Scenarios [Three sample scenarios below]
1. You just observed Edgar make a presentation to senior management. Despite being a bit nervous, he did a great job. In fact, your supervisor told you that the material was well presented. As you and Edgar walk back to the office together, which skill (COACH) would you use and what would you say to Edgar?
2. Amanda is frustrated by a challenging work problem and asks to be taken off a project. As her supervisor, you know that Amanda gets impatient when a quick solution isn’t to be found. Which skill(s) would you use, and what would you say to Amanda?
3. You have a good relationship with Andrew, one of your staff members. You are meeting to discuss a change in job procedures that you anticipate he may not like, and there may be some resistance. In coaching him, which skill(s) would you use and what would you say to Andrew?