Being a manager isn’t easy. The workplace is more unpredictable than ever before. In addition, we require more from our managers, expect more from them, & yet continually fail to prepare them for their roles.
Employee coaching is one additional need that calls upon the insights & expertise of managers.
The fact is that employees also wish to do well at work. They want to feel connected, empowered, & do work which has meaning & purpose. Thus, empowering managers as coaches & not commanders can help bridge the gap between leaders & teams.
Well, the need for employee coaching has never been higher. In order to retain & grow top talent, more and more companies are becoming proactive in their approach to employee development.
This implies ditching the company’s traditional programs for an approach which supports & develops the entire person. More than just teaching skills, coaching helps employees better understand themselves & the way they work. This results in greater job satisfaction, improved retention, & collaboration across teams.
This blog covers how one can use employee coaching for developing agile teams. We have some examples for you!
So, let’s begin our discussion.
Developing Agile Teams: Benefits Of Employee Coaching Programs
When managers/ bosses take on the role of coaches for their teams, they obtain far more than just performance improvement. Here are the top benefits of workplace coaching:
- Increased job satisfaction
- Creating a culture of feedback
- Developed psychological safety
- Helps recognize skills for career growth
- Empowers employees who wish to lead
When coaching employees, you are empowering each individual as a leader, capable of thinking, solving issues, & taking reasonable action.
In addition, you must know that the traditional, hierarchical structure of leadership & management doesn’t work in this fast-paced world. Moreover, companies responding to this rapid change need to push decision-making out of the organization.
However, employees aren’t prepared to do that in the present management model. That’s where coaching comes in – to model behaviors of vertical & horizontal communication, collaboration, risk mitigation, etc.
Also Read: Team-Building Exercises
Employee Coaching Examples For Developing Agile Teams
What does employee coaching look like & how can you use it for developing agile teams?
Coaching is most efficacious when you can target specific behaviors & competencies which can be improved over time. In addition, one needs to note that coaching doesn’t need to come into play when employees suffer. Instead, it must be embraced as a regular part of workplace culture.
Below are some examples of employee coaching:
1. Specific Skills Coaching
While working with a consumer success representative, a manager notes that they have a significant number of unresolved tickets. Instead of telling them to get through the backlog, the managers work with that employee to create a process for resolving & escalating consumer issues.
2. Sales Coaching
A sales representative with an excellent sales history is transferred to a new territory where the company’s numbers are low. Working with their manager, they are able to recognize where the disconnect is. As a result, together, they craft a new message & reach out to the sales enablement team, who builds content to help them get in touch with buyers in the new market.
Also Read: How To Coach Your Sales Team On Soft Skills
3. Personal Productivity Practices
At work, multiple systems are usually in place at a given time, i.e., larger company systems, team-wide processes, & individual systems. Sometimes, these clash with one another.
In addition, by paying attention & having conversations with employees, managers can help them streamline their individual processes. Well, this is different from micromanaging as it is an inclusive practice built on understanding & respecting individual differences.
4. Performance
Coaching isn’t just for employees who are underperforming. Effective coaching generally has a positive impact on performance.
For instance, an employee with some negative experiences at their past job feels anxious while asking for feedback or participating in performance reviews. Instead of reaching out to coworkers for support, they try to figure out everything on their own.
Moreover, a manager who understands the significance of coaching for developing agile teams can help support employees with more feedback. Thus, by making it a regular part of the culture, the company normalizes feedback as an integral part of growth.
5. Communication
Effective communication skills are vital to thrive when working within & across different teams. Perhaps more than any other skill, communication significantly impacts leadership skills, psychological safety, long-term development, etc.
Well, it is not easy to talk about communication at work.
For instance, employees are highly effective in their roles but can be abrupt with their communication, specifically while using asynchronous tools like Slack. Because of this, there have been certain complaints regarding their brusque tone. When confronted, the employee justifies by saying that they were trying to save time by keeping messages short & concise.
Just like the example mentioned above, many of us could go years without realizing that people at work take exception to our communication methods. While it might be challenging to work through initially, effective communication skills pay the dividend in the end.
Final Thoughts
When a car gets stuck in the mud, you try spinning the wheels. But the same trick doesn’t always work. Thus, when a project or your entire team is stuck, it is vital to get help to get things moving again.
The best leaders understand this & know how to make their teams agile. In addition, they get that the way they show up for their teams, not just when things are great, but every day, is the only difference-maker for their employees, resulting in favorable outcomes.
Thus, developing agile teams is integral for effortless functioning in the workplace.
If you wish to know about employee coaching, you can email us at [email protected] or visit our website RILCA. Our experts will get in touch with you & help you out with your concerns.
