Coaching Skills For Optimal Performance

Coaching for
Optimal Performance
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Contents
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
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Characteristics of
Good Coach
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Benefits of Good Coaching
Help develop employee’s competence
Help correct unsatisfactory performance
Help diagnose performance problems
Foster productive working relationship
Improve employee performance
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Characteristics of Good Coach
Positive Supportive
Goal Focused Observant

Oriented
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• Your job is not correcting mistakes,
Positive finding fault, and assessing blame
• Instead, your function is achieving
productivity goals by coaching your
staff to peak performance
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• Your job as coach is to get workers
Supportive what they need to do their job well,
including tools, time, instruction,
answers to questions, and protection
from outside interference
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• Base your assignments on clear,
Goal definable goals
Oriented
• Tie specific tasks to those goals
• Communicate those goals to the
people who actually have to do the
work
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• Effective communication is specific
Focused and focused
• You are far more likely to get action if
that employee leaves your office
focused on resolving the issue at
hand
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• Being observant means more than
Observant 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
Boss vs. Coach
Boss Coach
• Talks a lot • Listens a lot

• Tells • Asks
• Presume • Explores
• Seeks control • Seeks commitment
• Orders • Challenges
• Works on • Work with
• Assign blame • Takes responsibility
• Keeps distant • Makes contact
Elements of
Good Coaching Session
Elements of Good Coaching Session
Establish Establish Keep

a purpose ground focused
rules
Develop Speak Discuss one

dialogue clearly specific
issue
• Having a clear purpose at the

Establish
beginning of coaching session will
a purpose
enable you to conduct focused
and productive discussion
Establish • As with any meeting, you and the

ground employee need to have a common
rules understanding of certain factors
• The most important are time and

roles
A few guidelines to keep focused :

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
• A Don’t launch into a monolog

Develop
dialogue • If you’re coaching effectively, your
employee should probably do most
of the talking
• These tips will help you

Speak
communicate more effectively:
clearly
• Use the simplest, most
common terms
• Avoid the jargon
• Be specific
• Use the known to explain the

unknown
• Define the issue and limit the

Discuss one
discussion to something
specific issue
manageable
• You’ll get other chances to discuss

other concerns – but only if you
resolve this specific concern right
now
Communication Skills for
Effective Coaching
Seven Communication Principles for Coaching
1. Soften the ‘you’s or change the into “I” to avoid

sounding pushy
• Instead of : ‘You’ll have to….’, say ‘Could you….’
Or ‘Would you be able to….’
1. Focus on the solution,

solution not the problem
• Instead of ‘We’re out of mild….’, say ‘We will pop
down the shop for some milk’.
3. Turn can’ts into cans

• Instead of ‘We can’t do that until next week’, say
‘We’ll be able to do that next week’.
4. Take responsibility – don’t lay blame

• Instead if ‘It’s not my fault’, say ‘Here’s what I can
do to fox that’.
5. Say what do you want,

want not what you don’t want
• Instead of ‘Don’t drive too fast’, say ‘Drive carefully’
5. Focus on the future,

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

‘From now on…….”
5. Share information rather than argue or accuse
• Instead of ‘No, you’re wrong’, say ‘I see it like

this….’
Gather Good Information with your EARs
E – explore by asking questions
A – affirm to show you’re listening
R – reflect your understanding
S – silence, listen some more
To listen more effectively…..
Attend physically – the right body language helps us to

focus on the speaker and encourages the speaker to give
us more information.
Attend mentally – follow the speaker’s flow of thought,

listen to understand, not evaluate; listen first, then assess
Check it verbally – paraphrase, clarify, probe further,

summarize your understanding
Good 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’
Asking Questions in Coaching Session
An effective question is brief
An effective question is focused
An effective question is relevant
An effective question is constructive
• The longer the question, the
An effective
more likely you are to louse it up
question is
BRIEF • 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?
• Target a single and a particular
An effective
aspect of that subject per
question is
question
FOCUSED
• If you don’t, you may render any
answer meaningless
• Keep you questions on subject
An effective
and on target
question is
RELEVANT • If an answer strays off the point,
tactfully refocus
• You need to accentuate the
An effective
positive in you approach to
question is
CONSTRUCTIVE questioning, not because it make
you seem nicer, but because
your questions will be more
effective
Exploring Questions
Open questions yield lots of information

Open
Questions because they allow a person to explain what is
most important or interesting and encourage
elaboration.
Probing Probing questions are those that relate to the

Questions topic we want to explore further. They
encourage the speaker to flesh out the details.
Closed 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?
Some 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?
Five Steps for
Effective Coaching
Five Steps of Coaching
Describe Discuss the Identify
performance causes of and write
issue a the problem down
professional possible
manner solutions
Develop Conduct
specific follow up
action session
plan
Describe Performance Issue
Describe • As you describe the problem, be
performance specific. Point out the acceptable levels
issue a (quantity or quality) of performance and
professional show the employee exactly where
manner 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
Discuss the Causes of the Problem
Discuss the • Remain relaxed and friendly
causes of the • Gather all the information you can
problem 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 Problem
Discuss the • You may find it appropriate to ask some
causes of the specific questions designed to clarify
problem 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
Diagnosing Performance Problem
Role Expectations
Most
Ability (skills and knowledge)
performance
problems are
due to one Job Design
(or more) of
five factors : Work Environment
Personal/Motivational Problem
Role • Does the employee know what is

Expectations expected? Does s/he even know there
is a problem?
Ability • Does the employee have the requisite

(skills and skills, abilities and aptitudes to perform
knowledge) the job? Has s/he received training to
do the job?
Job Design • Does the employee have the necessary

tools and resources to perform the job?
Does the system support good
performance?
Work • Is good performance rewarded ... or

Environment punished? Is poor performance
rewarded? Is the employee being
treated fairly? Do working conditions
support good performance?
Personal/ • Does an issue or a problem exist in the

Motivational employee's personal life that may
Problem contribute to poor performance? Is the
employee's attitude or morale
preventing the employee from
successfully applying his/her skills and
abilities?
Identify Possible Solutions
Identify • After you have identified the likely
possible causes of the performance problem, you
solutions 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
Conduct Follow Up Session
Conduct • Setting a date to meet again sends a
follow up message to the employee that solving
session 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
Coaching Strategies for
Different Behavioral Style
Four Styles of Behavior
Dominance Steadiness
Influencing Compliance
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
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
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
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
Coaching Strategies for Dominance
• Be clear, direct, and to the point when you
interact and communicate with them
Dominance
• 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 53
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Coaching Strategies for Influencing
• Ask about things going on in their lives
outside of work
Influencing
• 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
Coaching Strategies for Steadiness
• Provide specific direction and offer
assurances when necessary
Steadiness
• 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
Coaching Strategies for Compliance
• Opportunities to demonstrate their
expertise
Compliance
• 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
References/Recommended Further Readings
1. Marshal J. Cook, Effective Coaching,

Coaching McGraw Hill. You can get
this excellent book at this link :
http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Coaching-Marshall-J-Cook/dp/0070718644/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books
2. Jack Cullen and Len D’Innocenzo, Coaching to Maximize

Performance,
Performance Velocity Business Publishing. You can get this excellent
book at this link
http://www.amazon.com/Managers-Coaching-Maximize-Performance-Manager/dp/1580990169/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF
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What are the characteristics of a good coach?

What are the characteristics of a good coach?

What are the benefits of good coaching?

What are the benefits of good coaching?

Coaching for

If you find this presentation useful, please consider telling

Help develop employee’s competence

Help correct unsatisfactory performance

Help diagnose performance problems

Foster productive working relationship

Improve employee performance

Goal Focused Observant

• Talks a lot • Listens a lot

Establish Establish Keep

Develop Speak Discuss one

• Having a clear purpose at the

Establish • As with any meeting, you and the

• The most important are time and

A few guidelines to keep focused :

• Don’t look at your desktop or PDA

• Don’t touch your papers

• Don’t answer the telephone

• A Don’t launch into a monolog

• These tips will help you

• Avoid the jargon

• Use the known to explain the

• Define the issue and limit the

• You’ll get other chances to discuss

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

1. Focus on the solution,

3. Turn can’ts into cans

4. Take responsibility – don’t lay blame

5. Say what do you want,

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

5. Focus on the future,

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

5. Share information rather than argue or accuse

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

E – explore by asking questions

A – affirm to show you’re listening

R – reflect your understanding

S – silence, listen some more

Attend physically – the right body language helps us to

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

Check it verbally – paraphrase, clarify, probe further,

• Giving speakers time to articulate their thoughts

• Letting people finish what they are saying before giving

• Remaining poised, calm, and emotionally controlled

• Looking alert and interested

• Responding with nods and ‘uh-uhms’

An effective question is brief

An effective question is focused

An effective question is relevant

An effective question is constructive

Open questions yield lots of information

Probing Probing questions are those that relate to the

When did that happen? What led up to that?

Was your trip successful? What did you manage to