How do you get the productivity you need when fear, worry, and anxiety seem to be driving some people's focus? Performance reflects leadership's ability to ensure productive action and accountability.
Here are a few tips:
1. Coaching reflects the coach's ability to effect change in another person. It requires preparation, a mindset of support, and the ability to uncover the core problem to implement an effective solution. There is no telling in coaching. Remember, whoever has the answers is the one with the responsibility to get the work done. If the coach has all the answers, you will not get the productivity you are looking for from the person actually responsible.
2. All of us make excuses when we drop the ball, and humiliation won't get a person to own their crap. Instead, start with open-ended questions to engage in a discussion. This does not mean that you are fluffy or weak. It means that a
conversation is always more effective than a lecture. Conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue!
3. Leave your frustration at the door.
State your disappointment and move on to a solution. Avoid the "why did this happen" storytelling. It yields more excuses than progress. It takes the person's focus off the real purpose of your conversation. Getting them to own the solution to their performance.
4. How you say it is actually what a person hears.
Words generally have little value (7%) when it comes to dealing with a conflict. Tone and body language are at the heart of how effective your message is heard.
5. Just because you said it doesn't mean the other person gets it.
6. Timing is everything. It is
best-done one-on-one and face-to-face when it comes to holding people accountable: no email or text coaching.
7. If you don't inspect what you expect, plan to get nothing you want. Even the best intentions lack impact. Think of coaching as a series of sprints on the way to completing the marathon. Each sprint has a checkpoint. Miss a checkpoint, and your runner may have an issue you don't know about.
8. End all conversations with…agreements. What will you do, and by when? Otherwise, get ready for another conversation…
9. Aggressive leadership, though in the short term it may feel powerful,
is actually destructive. It shuts down the desire for the person actually accountable to engage. Without real engagement, a person feels powerless, and this does not inspire action.
10. If you want to get someone's head into the game,
try encouragement.
I am not big on acronyms, and here is one worth remembering… we call it the Coach's Motto: C.A.M.P.
The commitment a person feels when they know their coach believes in them and is helping them reach their potential is a gift you give. I can tell you from personal experience in giving this gift, you will receive more than you ever imagined.
Shine the light…and everyone soars.
Live All in,
Renie