Coaching for optimal performance

1www.exploreHR.org

Coaching for Coaching for Optimal PerformanceOptimal Performance

2www.exploreHR.org

ContentsContents

1. Characteristics of Good Coach

2. Elements of Good Coaching Session

3. Communication Skills for Effective Coaching

4. Five Steps of Coaching for Optimal Performance

5. Coaching Strategies for Different Behavioral Style

If you find this presentation useful, please consider telling

others about our site – www.exploreHR.org)

3www.exploreHR.org

Characteristics of Characteristics of Good CoachGood Coach

4www.exploreHR.org

Benefits of Good CoachingBenefits of Good Coaching

Improve employee performance

Help develop employee’s competence

Help diagnose performance problems

Help correct unsatisfactory performance

Foster productive working relationship

5www.exploreHR.org

Characteristics of Good CoachCharacteristics of Good Coach

Positive

Goal Oriented

Supportive

Focused Observant

6www.exploreHR.org

PositivePositive

• Your job is not correcting mistakes,

finding fault, and assessing blame

• Instead, your function is achieving

productivity goals by coaching your

staff to peak performance


7www.exploreHR.org

SupportiveSupportive

• Your job as coach is to get workers

what they need to do their job well,

including tools, time, instruction,

answers to questions, and protection

from outside interference


8www.exploreHR.org

Goal Goal OrientedOriented

• Base your assignments on clear,

definable goals

• Tie specific tasks to those goals

• Communicate those goals to the

people who actually have to do the

work


9www.exploreHR.org

FocusedFocused

• Effective communication is specific

and focused

• You are far more likely to get action if

that employee leaves your office

focused on resolving the issue at

hand


10www.exploreHR.org

ObservantObservant

• Being observant means more than

just keeping your eyes and ears open

• You need to be aware of what isn’t

said as well as what is. If you are

paying attention, you won’t have to

wait for somebody to tell you about a

problem


11www.exploreHR.org

Boss vs. CoachBoss vs. Coach

BossBoss

• Talks a lot

• Tells

• Presume

• Seeks control

• Orders

• Works on

• Assign blame

• Keeps distant

• Talks a lot

• Tells

• Presume

• Seeks control

• Orders

• Works on

• Assign blame

• Keeps distant

• Listens a lot

• Asks

• Explores

• Seeks commitment

• Challenges

• Work with

• Takes responsibility

• Makes contact

• Listens a lot

• Asks

• Explores

• Seeks commitment

• Challenges

• Work with

• Takes responsibility

• Makes contact

CoachCoach

12www.exploreHR.org

Elements of Elements of Good Coaching SessionGood Coaching Session

13www.exploreHR.org

Elements of Good Coaching SessionElements of Good Coaching Session

Establish Establish

a purposea purpose

Establish Establish

ground ground

rulesrules

Keep Keep

focusedfocused

Develop Develop

dialoguedialogueSpeak Speak

clearlyclearly

Discuss one Discuss one

specific specific

issueissue

14www.exploreHR.org


Establish Establish

a purposea purpose

• Having a clear purpose at the

beginning of coaching session will

enable you to conduct focused

and productive discussion

15www.exploreHR.org


Establish Establish

ground ground

rulesrules

• As with any meeting, you and the

employee need to have a common

understanding of certain factors

• The most important are time and

roles

16www.exploreHR.org


Keep Keep

focusedfocused

A few guidelines to keep focused :

• Avoid making “noise” – anything

that distracts from the atmosphere

• Don’t look at your desktop or PDA

• Don’t touch your papers

• Don’t answer the telephone

17www.exploreHR.org


Develop Develop

dialoguedialogue

• A Don’t launch into a monolog

• If you’re coaching effectively, your

employee should probably do most

of the talking

18www.exploreHR.org


Speak Speak

clearlyclearly

• These tips will help you

communicate more effectively:

• Use the simplest, most

common terms

• Avoid the jargon

• Be specific

• Use the known to explain the

unknown

19www.exploreHR.org


Discuss one Discuss one

specific issuespecific issue

• Define the issue and limit the

discussion to something

manageable

• You’ll get other chances to discuss

other concerns – but only if you

resolve this specific concern right

now

20www.exploreHR.org

Communication Skills for Communication Skills for Effective CoachingEffective Coaching

21www.exploreHR.org

Seven Communication Principles for CoachingSeven Communication Principles for Coaching

1. Soften the ‘you’s or change the into “I” to avoid avoid

sounding pushysounding pushy

• Instead of : ‘You’ll have to….’, say ‘Could you….’

Or ‘Would you be able to….’

2.2. Focus on the solutionFocus on the solution, not the problem

• Instead of ‘We’re out of mild….’, say ‘We will pop

down the shop for some milk’.

22www.exploreHR.org

3. Turn can’ts into canscan’ts into cans

• Instead of ‘We can’t do that until next week’, say

‘We’ll be able to do that next week’.

4.4. Take responsibilityTake responsibility – don’t lay blame

• Instead if ‘It’s not my fault’, say ‘Here’s what I can

do to fox that’.


23www.exploreHR.org

5.5. Say what do you wantSay what do you want, not what you don’t want

• Instead of ‘Don’t drive too fast’, say ‘Drive carefully’

6.6. Focus on the futureFocus on the future, not the past

• Instead of “I’ve told you before not to……, say

‘From now on…….”

7.7. Share informationShare information rather than argue or accuse

• Instead of ‘No, you’re wrong’, say ‘I see it like

this….’


24www.exploreHR.org

Gather Good Information with your EARsGather Good Information with your EARs

E E – explore by asking questions

A A – affirm to show you’re listening

RR – reflect your understanding

SS – silence, listen some more

25www.exploreHR.org

To listen more effectively…..To listen more effectively…..

Attend physicallyAttend physically – the right body language helps us to

focus on the speaker and encourages the speaker to give

us more information.

Attend mentallyAttend mentally – follow the speaker’s flow of thought,

listen to understand, not evaluate; listen first, then assess

Check it verballyCheck it verbally – paraphrase, clarify, probe further,

summarize your understanding

26www.exploreHR.org

Good Habits of Effective ListenersGood Habits of Effective Listeners

• Looking at the speaker in order to observe body language

and pick up subtle nuances of speech

• Asking questions

• Giving speakers time to articulate their thoughts

• Letting people finish what they are saying before giving

their opinion

• Remaining poised, calm, and emotionally controlled

• Looking alert and interested

• Responding with nods and ‘uh-uhms’

27www.exploreHR.org

Asking Questions in Coaching SessionAsking Questions in Coaching Session

An effective question is brief

An effective question is focused

An effective question is relevant

An effective question is constructive

28www.exploreHR.org


An effective

question is

BRIEF

• The longer the question, the

more likely you are to louse it up

• Short sentences aren’t just easier

to understand, they are also

easier to say.

• To keep you question brief, think

about two things : 1) what do you

want to learn from then answer?

2) what words will best elicit this

information?

29www.exploreHR.org


An effective

question is

FOCUSED

• Target a single and a particular

aspect of that subject per

question

• If you don’t, you may render any

answer meaningless

30www.exploreHR.org


An effective

question is

RELEVANT

• Keep you questions on subject

and on target

• If an answer strays off the point,

tactfully refocus

31www.exploreHR.org


An effective

question is

CONSTRUCTIVE

• You need to accentuate the

positive in you approach to

questioning, not because it make

you seem nicer, but because

your questions will be more

effective

32www.exploreHR.org

Exploring QuestionsExploring Questions

Open Questions

Open Questions

Open questions yield lots of information

because they allow a person to explain what is

most important or interesting and encourage

elaboration.

Probing QuestionsProbing

QuestionsProbing questions are those that relate to the

topic we want to explore further. They

encourage the speaker to flesh out the details.

33www.exploreHR.org

Closed vs. Open QuestionsClosed vs. Open Questions

When did that happen? What led up to that?

Was your trip successful? What did you manage to

accomplish on your trip?

Did you like the candidate? In what ways do you think that

candidate meets our need?

Did you have a good meeting? What happened at the meeting?

34www.exploreHR.org

Some Probing QuestionsSome Probing Questions

• Can you be more specifics?

• Can you give me an example of that?

• What happened then?

• For instance?

• How does this affect you?

• What might cause that, do you think?

• Can you fill me in on the details?

35www.exploreHR.org

Five Steps for Five Steps for Effective CoachingEffective Coaching

36www.exploreHR.org

Five Steps of CoachingFive Steps of Coaching

Describe

performance

issue a

professional

manner

Discuss the

causes of

the problem

Identify

and write

down

possible

solutions

Develop

specific

action

plan

Conduct

follow up

session

37www.exploreHR.org

Describe Performance IssueDescribe Performance Issue

Describe

performance

issue a

professional

manner

• As you describe the problem, be

specific. Point out the acceptable levels

(quantity or quality) of performance and

show the employee exactly where

his/her output doesn't meet those levels

• Refer to any available data that will

help you indicate to the employee that

there is a problem

• It's important to open this discussion in

a positive, non-threatening way

38www.exploreHR.org

Discuss the

causes of the

problem

• Remain relaxed and friendly

• Gather all the information you can

about the problem by asking open-

ended questions (general questions

beginning with words like "How,"

"What," "Who," and "When")

• These questions will bring you closer to

the source of the problem

Discuss the Causes of the ProblemDiscuss the Causes of the Problem

39www.exploreHR.org

Discuss the

causes of the

problem

• You may find it appropriate to ask some

specific questions designed to clarify

and pinpoint causes

• This is a good time to listen and respond

with empathy, since the employee may

express concern or frustration over

factors which he/she feels cannot be

controlled

Discuss the Causes of the ProblemDiscuss the Causes of the Problem

40www.exploreHR.org

Diagnosing Performance ProblemDiagnosing Performance Problem

Role ExpectationsRole ExpectationsRole ExpectationsRole Expectations

Ability (skills and knowledge)Ability (skills and knowledge)Ability (skills and knowledge)Ability (skills and knowledge)

Job DesignJob DesignJob DesignJob Design

Work EnvironmentWork EnvironmentWork EnvironmentWork Environment

Personal/Motivational ProblemPersonal/Motivational ProblemPersonal/Motivational ProblemPersonal/Motivational Problem

Most Most

performance performance

problems are problems are

due to one due to one

(or more) of (or more) of

five factors :five factors :

41www.exploreHR.org


Role Role ExpectationsExpectations

Role Role ExpectationsExpectations

Ability Ability (skills and (skills and

knowledge)knowledge)

Ability Ability (skills and (skills and

knowledge)knowledge)

• Does the employee know what is

expected? Does s/he even know there

is a problem?

• Does the employee have the requisite

skills, abilities and aptitudes to perform

the job? Has s/he received training to

do the job?

42www.exploreHR.org


Job DesignJob DesignJob DesignJob Design

Work Work EnvironmentEnvironment

Work Work EnvironmentEnvironment

• Does the employee have the necessary

tools and resources to perform the job?

Does the system support good

performance?

• Is good performance rewarded ... or

punished? Is poor performance

rewarded? Is the employee being

treated fairly? Do working conditions

support good performance?

43www.exploreHR.org


Personal/Personal/Motivational Motivational

ProblemProblem

Personal/Personal/Motivational Motivational

ProblemProblem

• Does an issue or a problem exist in the

employee's personal life that may

contribute to poor performance? Is the

employee's attitude or morale

preventing the employee from

successfully applying his/her skills and

abilities?

44www.exploreHR.org

Identify

possible

solutions

• After you have identified the likely

causes of the performance problem, you

will want to decide how to correct it

• The employee is closest to the problem -

so ask for his/her ideas and write them

down

• This not only enhances the employee's

self-esteem, but it provides a written

record of possible solutions

• The employee will be more committed to

solving the problem if he/she has had a

say in the solution

Identify Possible SolutionsIdentify Possible Solutions

45www.exploreHR.org

Conduct

follow up

session

• Setting a date to meet again sends a

message to the employee that solving

the performance problem is important to

you

• It also tells the employee that you want

to know how well he/she is handling the

actions agreed upon

• A follow-up meeting enables you and the

employee to get together to discuss any

progress or problems and plan further

action

Conduct Follow Up SessionConduct Follow Up Session

46www.exploreHR.org

Coaching Strategies for Coaching Strategies for Different Behavioral StyleDifferent Behavioral Style

47www.exploreHR.org

Four Styles of BehaviorFour Styles of Behavior

Dominance

Influencing

Steadiness

Compliance

48www.exploreHR.org

Dominance

• They like to control their environment by overcoming

opposition to accomplish their desired results

• They are direct, forceful, impatient, and can be extremely

demanding

• They enjoy being in charge and getting things done

• When they are negatively motivated, they can be defiant

• They don’t like being told what to do

• They are reluctant with tasks that involve dealing with lots of

detail

• They would quickly become bored with a routine task

49www.exploreHR.org

Influencing

• They like to shape the environment by influencing or

persuading others to see things their way

• They dislike for handling complex details or working as lone

rangers

• They prefer to deal with people rather than things

• They enjoy making a favorable impression, a good motivational

environment, and viewing people and environment optimistically

• They will chat with you about anything on their minds

• They motivate their people and love to generate enthusiasm

• When negatively motivated, they can be indiscriminately

impulsive

50www.exploreHR.org

Steadiness

• They like to cooperate with others to carry out a task

• They are team player and prefer dealing with things, one thing

at a time

• They are patient, reliable, loyal and resistant to sudden

changes in their environment

• They appreciate an orderly step-by-step approach

• They tend to perform in a consistent, predictable manner and

prefer a stable, harmonious work environment

• When they get demotivated they can become stubborn or

stern, moods usually expressed in the form of passive

resistance

51www.exploreHR.org

Compliance

• They are cautious and demands quality and accuracy

• They appreciate opportunities for thorough, careful planning

• They are critical thinkers who are sticklers for detail

• They prefer to spend time analyzing a situation and like the

steadiness, are slow to accept sudden changes

• They like following procedures and standards – preferably their

own

• They respond favorably to logical, well-thought-out, planned

options

• When they are negatively motivated, they become cynical or

overly critical

52www.exploreHR.org

Coaching Strategies for DominanceCoaching Strategies for Dominance

Dominance

• Be clear, direct, and to the point when you

interact and communicate with them

• Avoid being too personal or talking too

much about non work items

• Let them know what you expect from

them. If you must direct them, provide

choices that give them the opportunity to

make decisions

• Accept their need for variety and change.

When possible, provide new challenges,

as well as opportunities to direct the

efforts of others

53www.exploreHR.org

Coaching Strategies for InfluencingCoaching Strategies for Influencing

Influencing

• Ask about things going on in their lives

outside of work

• Let them share with you their goals at

work and elsewhere

• Tie your objectives to their dreams and

goals

• Create democratic atmosphere and

interaction with them

54www.exploreHR.org

Coaching Strategies for SteadinessCoaching Strategies for Steadiness

Steadiness

• Provide specific direction and offer

assurances when necessary

• When implementing change, be sure to lay

out a systematic, step-by-step procedure

and draw out their concerns and worries

about the situation. They need to feel

secure

• Assure them that you’ve thought things

through before initiating changes. Give

them a plan to deal with problem when

they occur

55www.exploreHR.org

Coaching Strategies for ComplianceCoaching Strategies for Compliance

Compliance

• Opportunities to demonstrate their

expertise

• Plenty of details

• Enough time to prepare for meetings

properly – especially if they have an item

on the agenda to present

• Situations where their systematic

approach will contribute to long term

success

56www.exploreHR.org

Recommended Further ReadingsRecommended Further Readings

1. Marshal J. Cook, Effective CoachingEffective Coaching, McGraw Hill

2. Jack Cullen and Len D’Innocenzo, Coaching to Maximize Coaching to Maximize

PerformancePerformance, Velocity Business Publishing

57www.exploreHR.org

End of MaterialEnd of Material

Documents

Coaching for optimal performance