13
2008
Coaching - You Make Us Do It!
Recently, while coaching a member of the Executive Team of one the clients of TriOpus Group, we were both indulging each other in a bit of mutual admiration. I was saying how happy I was to work with such a company that realizes the importance of continuous improvement and the value of learning.
The woman I was speaking with was equally gracious in saying that the coaching I was providing was indeed very helpful. It was great because, she said, ‘You make us do it’.
When the session ended and I hung up the phone, I couldn’t get that sentence out of my mind. ‘ You make us do it’. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that that is the essence of really effective coaching. But what is ‘it’? ‘It’ or ‘they’ are the skills and techniques that will make a difference to your clients, customers, co-workers, your sales and your bottom line if practiced systemically and effectively.
Just think for a moment about all the training sessions and seminars that you have been to over the years. You had a great time, met some valuable contacts, and learned some techniques and skills. Wonderful. ‘Money well spent’ you might say. But hang on a minute
What happened once you returned to your workplace? Your co-workers were on a totally different wavelength than you. They may have even had to do your work while you were away. They were not particularly interested in what you had learned. You were alone in your thoughts and pretty soon, you reverted to the old ways of doing things. End result: nothing much had changed.
When you go to a training session and then return to your workplace, who is making you do it? Who is making sure that what you have learned is put into practice right away? All too often the answer is ‘nobody’. In reality, the responsibility for making things happen is a partnership between the leader and the employee.
If you are an employee sent to learn some new skills, ask how they will be used at work and ask who will be your support back in the workplace.
If you are a leader and coach, here are a couple of pointers to help you:
Next time, before you send an employee off to learn some new skills, explain how these skills will make a difference on the job.
When they return from the training, work with them to establish a plan to ensure that the skills are used on a regular basis.
Also, watch the employee in action and provide meaningful feedback
And, lastly, let the employee know the impact of the use of the skills to the organization.
After all, it’s your job to make them do it.
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