In the realm of management coaching, leaders often encounter hurdles when attempting to guide employees towards recognizing and rectifying their performance issues. This article delves into the common pitfalls managers face and outlines strategies for fostering employee acknowledgment of problems, thereby setting the stage for effective behavioral change.
One of the primary obstacles in management coaching is the discrepancy between a manager's perspective and an employee's self-perception. Managers may presume that employees share their view of a problem, but this is frequently not the case, particularly when the issue involves habitual behavior. Employees tend to act in ways they believe serve their interests. For instance, an employee who consistently arrives late might weigh the benefits of avoiding traffic or enjoying a relaxed morning more heavily than the drawbacks of tardiness.
A study by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) found that 86% of companies feel they recouped their investment on coaching, and 96% of those who had a coach said they would repeat the process, indicating the positive impact of effective coaching when done correctly (ICF Global Coaching Study).
Managers may also shy away from coaching due to discomfort with confrontation, hoping instead that employees will self-correct. This passive approach often fails because it doesn't address the employee's positive reinforcement for their behavior.
When discussing performance issues, some managers speak in general terms rather than providing specific examples. This vagueness can leave employees unable to see how their actions deviate from expectations or differ from their peers. Detailed feedback is crucial for employees to recognize the need for change.
A common misstep is seeking agreement on peripheral details rather than the central problem. For example, a manager might focus on the fact that an employee submitted late reports instead of addressing the underlying issue of meeting deadlines. The conversation should pivot from merely acknowledging the events to recognizing the pattern of behavior as problematic.
To facilitate employee recognition of a problem, a manager must:
Positioning these two elements side by side helps the employee visualize the gap between their behavior and the expected standard.
Managers need to help employees understand the negative consequences of their actions. Before a coaching session, an employee's mental scale may be tipped in favor of continuing their behavior. The manager's role is to rebalance the scale, highlighting the negatives to make them more salient than the positives. This shift in perception is essential for gaining employee agreement that a problem exists.
Effective management coaching hinges on a manager's ability to align an employee's perception with the reality of their performance issues. By providing specific feedback, addressing the core problem, and rebalancing the employee's perception of their behavior, managers can pave the way for meaningful change and improved performance.
Courage And The Agony Of Coaching Employees
Coaching employees on sensitive and personal topics like performance or contribution to the organization can be as difficult and agonizing as telling a young son or daughter about sex for the first time. You end up playing the same mental games in your head over and over again: “What should they be told? How much do they already know? (Or how much do they want me to think they know?) How much detail should I go into?” If you are unable to answer any of these penetrating questions, you tend to put the task off for another six months. Eventually, you discover the harsh reality that there is very little they are unaware of, but a lot they don’t know.
The Survey Feedback Process for Organizational Development and Change
THE PURPOSE OF SURVEY FEEDBACK:In globally competitive environments, organizations are seeking information about obstacles to productivity and satisfaction in the workplace. Survey feedback is a tool that can provide this type of honest feedback to help leaders guide and direct their teams.
Executive Coaching and Effective Learning
We’ve all been through training events—workshops, seminars, and courses that didn’t affect our behavior as much as we would have preferred. And while each provides valuable information and tools for increased productivity, most of us also understand what happens after the workshop is over. We return to our work, our offices, our lives—and the principles we learned are swept aside by a tidal wave of meetings, projects, and commitments. If we’re motivated, we find a moment to reflect on and consolidate a couple of relevant points, but industry studies show that most new learning is lost within a few days of the event—as much as 90% in some cases. So what’s the solution?
