Tired of Average Performance? Unleash the X-Factor in Your Team (Without Becoming a Micromanaging Monster)

Hey there!  Just wrapped up a coaching workshop for leaders and let me tell you—it’s like tending a forest. Each team member, a sapling with dreams. Mission: nurture, empower, and ignite their potential. 

No rulebook here. Just real conversations over coffee. We swap stories, laugh, and when the moment’s right, I nudge them toward the sunlight. “What’s your next step?” I ask. Their eyes light up—they see their path. 

No suits, no buzzwords. Just me, their silent cheerleader, whispering, “You’ve got this.” Because growth isn’t about KPIs; it’s about human flourishing. 🌿

So, my friend, coaching shoes laced up, team waiting. The forest awaits. Here are my notes: 

As a leader-coach, your focus can span three key areas:

Skills Development:

• Identify skill gaps hindering performance.
• Utilize targeted training, resources, or mentoring to bridge those gaps.

Efficiency Enhancement:

• Work with your team to identify and eliminate bottlenecks hindering efficiency.
• Explore process improvements and technology solutions to optimize workflows.

Personal Development:

• Foster an environment where your team feels comfortable discussing career aspirations and professional growth goals.
• Offer guidance and support to help them achieve those goals.

Coaching is unlocking a person's potential to maximize their own performance. It's helping them to learn rather than teaching them. It's about challenging them to think in new ways and helping them to find their own solutions. It's about holding them accountable for what they set out to do. In essence, it's about helping them to become better thinkers and better doers. 

Coaching Models: Tools in Your Toolkit

Now, let's delve into specific coaching models you can leverage to facilitate growth and development within your team:

1. Model Feed Forward (MFF):

Scenario: When an employee makes a mistake or needs to improve a specific behaviour.

Who: Ideal for both seasoned and new team members. Coaching Questions:

• What happened?
• What could you have done differently? (Focus on future learning, not dwelling on the past)
• How can we prevent similar situations moving forward?
• What resources or support can I provide to help you improve?

2. Model BREPA:

Scenario: When addressing a recurring performance issue or behavioural concern.

Who: This model is best suited for addressing specific, repeated issues with individual employees. Coaching Questions:

• Behaviour: Can you describe the specific behaviour that's concerning you?
• Rules: What are the expectations or policies related to this behaviour?
• Expectations: What are the desired outcomes or consequences of following these expectations?
• Penalty (optional): What are the potential consequences of non-compliance?
• Actions: What specific actions can be taken to address the issue and prevent future occurrences?

Monitoring Progress and Learning:

Once you've established action plans with your team members, it's crucial to monitor progress and facilitate continuous learning. Here's how:

Model GOLD: (very flexible model)

• Goal: Remind your team member of the original goal.
• "What were you hoping to achieve in this situation?"
• "How did this project fit into our bigger team goals?"

• Outcome: Discuss the achieved results and any deviations from the plan.
• "So, what actually happened?"
• "Did things end up going the way we originally planned?"
• Learning: Explore the key takeaways and learnings from the experience, both successes and challenges.
• "What did you take away from this experience, good or bad?"
• "Did you learn anything new about yourself or your skills?"
• What To Do Different: Discuss any necessary adjustments or changes to the plan moving forward.
• "Looking ahead, what could you do differently to reach similar goals in the future?"
• "Is there anything I can do to help you make these changes?"
• "How can I best support you as you use these learnings to reach your goals?"
• "When can we chat again to see how things are going and adjust anything if needed?"

STAR Model (for specific situations):

• Situation: Briefly describe the context of the situation.
• "Can you tell me a bit about what was going on when this happened?"
• "What was the context or background of this situation?"

• Task: Clearly define the assigned task or responsibility.
• "What were you specifically responsible for in this scenario?"
• "What were your instructions or goals for this task?"
• Action: Describe the specific actions taken by your team member.
• "What steps did you take to approach this situation?"
• "Can you walk me through the specific actions you involved?"
• Result: Discuss the achieved outcome and its alignment with expectations.
• "So, what happened in the end?"
• "Did things unfold as you initially expected?"

Effective coaching goes beyond simply providing advice or information. It taps into the power of the human brain to learn and grow. By creating a safe and supportive environment, a coach can help individuals challenge their limiting beliefs, develop new habits, and strengthen their neural pathways. This, in turn, can lead to improved performance, increased resilience, and greater overall well-being. Just as a personal trainer helps individuals strengthen their bodies, a coach can help individuals strengthen their minds.

Coaching Dos and Don'ts: Your Cheat Sheet

DOs

• Be a coach, not a dictator. Get excited about your team's potential and help them see it too.
• Ask questions, don't give answers. Guide them toward their own "aha!" moments.
• Focus on the future, not the past. Help them learn from mistakes and use those lessons to rock it next time.
• Let them drive the conversation. Coaching is all about them, so listen more than you talk.
• Embrace awkward silences. Give them space to think and come up with their own solutions.
• Celebrate wins, big and small. Recognizing progress builds confidence and motivation.
• Be specific with feedback. Point out specific actions and behaviors, both what went well and what could be improved.
• Create a safe space. Vulnerability is key for growth, make sure they feel comfortable sharing challenges. Silence is your friend. 
• Keep it regular. Don't save coaching for performance review time – make it an ongoing conversation.
• Practice, practice, practice. Like any skill, coaching takes repetition and self-reflection to master. Book your calendar to retrospect. 

DON'Ts

• Micromanage the heck out of them. No one likes a hovering helicopter boss!
• Play the "blame game." Focus on solutions, not finger-pointing.
• Rush the process. Allow time for reflection and exploration – breakthroughs don't happen on command.
• Pretend to know everything. Be comfortable saying, "I don't know, let's figure it out together."
• Talk AT them. It's a conversation, not a monologue.
• Offer generic feedback. The more specific, the more helpful.
• Assume one size fits all. Tailor your approach to each individual's needs and working style.
• Neglect your own development. Coaches need coaching too! Seek out mentors and resources to improve your skills.
• Get emotionally invested in the outcome.  Your job is to guide, their job is to own their growth.
• Give up when it gets tough. Building trust and a coaching mindset takes time and effort, persevere!

I'd love to hear from you! Share your experiences and any tips you have for those who are new to this field.