You know exactly WHAT your team needs to have a remarkable new year, now it’s time to focus on HOW. How do you identify the habits that will make the biggest difference? In today’s Asking for a Friend, I share an EASY, and CREATIVE development exercise we’ve been using with teams worldwide– to build the habits most critical to their success.

This exercise works great in one-on-one coaching, mentoring, or career development conversations. 

It begins by inviting your team to reflect on one habit or behavior that would make a significant difference in their work.  Or, in accomplishing a specific MIT (Most Important Thing) priority. This should be a vital habit, that feels challenging to do well.

Our SynergyStack™ System makes it easy to identify key habits, with forty-eight proven habits to choose from (and a few bonus cards to add your own).

This employee development activity works great for one-on-one or team development conversations in your next team meeting.

How to Coach Your Team on the Team on the Habits that Matter Most

Learn More About the SynergyStack™ Team Development System

The SynergyStack™ System is a revolutionary team development system that fosters collaboration and ignites team performance.

If you’re tired of light team-building activities that don’t create lasting change, the SynergyStack™ gives you the framework for more meaningful conversations. Team-building that sticks.

Unleash Productivity

The SynergyStack™ System catalyzes sustained team productivity and personal excellence. Build robust habits that lead to breakthrough results and happier teams.

Less Stress, Better Teamwork

Create a space where teamwork beats tension. SynergyStack team development and team-building activities turn stress into progress by agreeing to a well-defined framework for everyone to work together smoothly and peacefully.

Collaborate with Confidence

 Communication is the bedrock of successful teamwork. The SynergyStack™ System equips everyone with the language and insight to contribute meaningfully, ensuring that ideas flow and collaboration is seamless.

A Multiverse of Applications

 Whether you’re an executive steering a start-up, an HR leader committed to building a great culture, or a trainer looking for proven, easy-to-use team development activities, the Synergy Stack is your versatile partner. Its diverse applications adapt to your needs, delivering impactful outcomes fast with precision.

Quickly See Real Change

This isn’t just a fun team-building tool. The SynergyStack™ System creates a new way of working together—real change. Bring the SynergyStack™ System into your team’s routine and watch how fast things improve—how your team gets things done, communicates, and reaches new heights.

We also offer SnergySprint Team Retreats and SynergyStack™ Facilitator Certification.  We’d love to discuss the best ways to use the dozens of employee development activities and extensive resource center. Contact us here to learn more. 

The post Employee Development Activity: Focus Your Team in the New Year appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

When someone on your team screws up or has one of those “what were they thinking” moments, particularly when the stakes are high. You need to figure out what’s going on– fast. In these moments of stress, it’s tempting to shortcut communication with blunt, intimidating questions to get quick answers.

But here’s the challenge: asking intimidating questions can stifle creativity and problem-solving, leaving your people hesitant to share information, let alone ideas to fix the situation.

Intimidating Questions That Disengage Employees

The most dangerous and intimidating questions are those where the asker already “knows” the answer, and just wants the receiver to “get it right.”  Closed-ended questions can have a similar impact. It can come across as passive-aggressive to pretend you’re curious when your intent is for your direct report to admit a mistake or agree with you.

Here are a few classic intimidating questions.

• What do I have to do to get you to…?
• Why did you do that?
• Did I ask you to do that?
• Is that really working?
• What is your experience in this area?
• Who gave you the authority to make that decision?
• Is that your final decision?
• Are you sure about that?
• What makes you think that will work?

The Impact of Intimidating Questions

Think about it—when was the last time you felt energized and motivated after someone asked you, “Why did you do that?” The same is true for your team. They feel criticized rather than supported, and this defensiveness leads to less creativity and more playing it safe. Which is the last thing you need when dealing with complex challenges.

Instead of defaulting to intimidating questions that unintentionally shut a team member down, pause and reframe your approach with empathy.

A simple shift from, “Why did you do that?” to, “Can you walk me through your thought process?” changes the entire tone of the conversation. It signals that you’re genuinely interested in understanding their reasoning, rather than criticizing their actions.

The Power of Asking Better Questions

So, what do the right questions look like? They’re questions that help your team think critically, encourage them to explore new ideas, and ultimately guide them toward ownership of the solution. When your team feels safe to share their thoughts, they’re more likely to engage deeply with the problem and come up with innovative solutions.

Here are a few empowering alternatives to common intimidating questions:

Instead of, “What makes you think that will work?” try, “What options have you explored, and what led you to this one?”

Or, Instead of, “Who gave you the authority?” try, “How did you decide this was the right approach?”

Why did you do that?” can become “What were the factors that influenced your decision?”

Or you can try our 9 What’s Coaching Method to help a team member think more critically and solve more problems on their own.

These questions foster a spirit of collaboration. They’re designed to help your team reflect on their thinking, giving them the space to explain their reasoning without feeling attacked. This shift from interrogation to exploration builds trust and encourages problem-solving.

Related Articles:

No More Vague Reports: How to Get Your Team to Give You More Useful Information.

Attention to Detail: How to Help Your Team Have Less “Oops” Moments

Psychological Safety: Why People Don’t Speak Up at Work

Other ways to build stronger, teams who ask better questions of one another

Of course, your team will be stronger if everyone knows how to turn the intimidating questions into ones that come from a place of genuine curiosity. You can find a list of curiosity habits to make your team stronger.

We’d love to help you and your team accelerate performance, reduce stress, and work better together. Learn about our SynergyStack™ Team Development System and SynergySprint Team Retreats.

The post Intimidating Questions: How Bad Questions Shut People Down appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Have you ever had (what you thought was) a great performance coaching conversation—your employee commits to behavior change—but fifteen minutes later they’re back to their old habits?

So you give them more performance coaching, this time “louder” literally or through progressive discipline. But even so, nothing changes.

Most employees don’t come to work hoping to screw up. They want to improve. So why does so much performance coaching not work?

5 Reasons Your Employee Isn’t Acting on Your Coaching

When we ask employees in our training programs why it’s hard to hear their manager’s feedback, here’s what they tell us.

1. They’re overwhelmed.

“I’m trying to do better. But it’s all just too much. Every time we meet, my boss gives me something else to work on. No matter what I do, I can’t get it right. So, I ignore his long list of recommendations and do the best I can.”

What to do instead:

If you want real change, focus on one behavior at a time. Isolate a specific habit to work on and give them the training and support they need. Be sure they master that before moving on to the next development priority.

2. You’re not modeling the way.

“My boss keeps telling me my customer courtesy credits are too high—that I’m costing the business too much money. So I stopped giving credits. But when my customers get mad, they escalate to my supervisor.  And guess, what? She ALWAYS gives them the credit! She’s the hero, and the credit goes against my numbers and I still end up on progressive action. I can’t win. So now I’m back to giving them the credit.”

What to do instead:

If you want your employees to hear your coaching, follow your standards. Your team will pay closer attention to what you do than what you say.

3. They’re not sure exactly what to do.

“My manager says I need to be more strategic. That sounds awesome. I’m all for that. But what does that mean? How do I do that?”

What to do instead:

Be sure your coaching is specific and actionable. Explain what success looks like in terms of behaviors and habits.

See Also: Beyond Magical Thinking: How to Ensure Your Team Gets It

4. They disagree.

“My supervisor keeps asking me to enforce a particular policy, but I just don’t think it’s right. It will harm MY customers and I’m sure it’s going to cause them to leave. I’ve tried to explain my concerns, but she tells me to stop thinking so much and just do what I’m told.”

What to do instead:

Explain the “why” behind what you’re asking them to do. Listen to their concerns. If possible look for alternative approaches. If you’ve done what you can to explain why and listened to their concerns, and they still won’t follow the policy, explain the consequences and ask for a commitment. 

5. They’re confused.

“I’m not sure what’s important, because everything seems to be. I feel like I’m being pulled in a million directions.”

What to do instead:

Help your employees sort through the noise and competing priorities.

Be sure they know what matters most and why. 

Most importantly, stay curious.

If your performance coaching is not yielding results, get curious and involve them in finding solutions.  An I.N.S.P.I.R.E. conversation works well here.

Connect to your intention for the conversation and to the employee at a human level. Notice the behavior that’s not changing. Then show up curious about what’s going on and their ideas for solving your concern.

“I’ve noticed, that even though we’ve talked about this before, you’re continuing to ______ (insert behavior here.) I care about you and want you to be successful. I’m curious how this looks from your perspective. Why do you think this is still happening?” Be curious, and invite them to come up with solutions. Then move the conversation to commitment by scheduling time to talk about how their solution is working.

See Also: How to Provide More Meaningful Performance Feedback.

The post Be a Better Coach: 5 Reasons Your Performance Coaching Is Being Ignored appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Mastering Leadership: The Power of Coaching

(00:00) Uncovering Hidden Conflicts:  In this episode, dive into the world of leadership skills as you explore the often-hidden conflicts leaders face. Even the best leaders can feel inner turmoil, creating discomfort and stress.

(00:34) Your Leadership Journey: Kim Ades, founder of Frame of Mind Coaching, joins us to discuss your leadership journey, dealing with adversity, overcoming challenges, and the importance of journaling. She shares her unique coaching philosophy to help you identify blind spots and direct your thinking for extraordinary results.

(01:45) Early Leadership Memories: Reflect on your earliest leadership memories. Kim shares a powerful story from her youth, illustrating the foundations of her coaching career and how early experiences shape your leadership skills.

(06:52) The Coaching Approach:  Learn about the distinct approach of Frame of Mind Coaching. Understand how coaching focuses on uncovering and challenging beliefs that hinder your goals and how this can revolutionize your leadership skills.

(10:24) Practical Examples:  Explore practical examples of limiting leadership beliefs. Kim shares a case where an entrepreneur had to shift his perspective on managing people to grow his company, highlighting the impact of aligning beliefs with goals.

(20:00) Common Leadership Challenges:  Discover the common challenges leaders face, including isolation, human conflicts, chronic dissatisfaction, and neglect of self-care. Recognize how these issues might resonate with your own leadership experience.

(23:47) Addressing Loneliness in Leadership: If you feel isolated as a leader, start by questioning your assumptions. Are you truly alone, or are there untapped resources and relationships you can lean on? This reflection can help you address loneliness and improve your leadership skills.

(28:57) The Power of Journaling: Kim emphasizes the value of journaling in leadership. By writing down your thoughts, you can see your thinking patterns and assess if they align with your goals. This practice, especially with coaching, can significantly enhance your leadership skills.

(35:05) Building Emotional Resilience: Emotional resilience is a critical leadership skill. Learn how to bounce back from adversity by finding the gift in challenging situations. This mindset shift can transform how you handle difficulties and lead to greater success.

Enhancing Your Leadership Skills with Coaching and Journaling

(16:43) Coaching vs. Therapy: Understand the differences between coaching and therapy. Coaching focuses on moving forward quickly and effectively, helping you craft a fulfilling life and career by addressing your current thinking and beliefs.

(35:05) Embracing Emotional Resilience Kim shares insights on emotional resilience, a vital leadership skill. Learn how to turn adversities into advantages, fostering a mindset that supports growth and success even in tough times.

Engaging with these key moments and reflections can enhance your leadership skills, address common challenges, and foster emotional resilience. Take the time to journal and reflect on your beliefs to align them with your goals and achieve extraordinary results.

Thank You to Our Guest

Kim Ades is the Founder of Frame of Mind CoachingTM and Co-Founder of The Journal That Talks BackTM. Recognized as a pioneer in leadership coaching and thought mastery, Kim uses her unique philosophy and direct coaching style to help leaders identify their blind spots and learn to direct their thinking to achieve extraordinary results. Author, speaker, entrepreneur, coach, and mom of five, Kim is dedicated to teaching her powerful coaching process to leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs worldwide.

The post How Coaching Can Elevate Your Leadership Skills appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

If you’re a manager, you likely hear a lot about not only leading and organizing but also being a coach for your team. And, it can be hard to know exactly how to make that happen in the midst of everything else you have going on.

Today on Asking for a Friend I talk with Sara Canaday about tips from her new book “Coaching Essentials for Managers.” She shares her expertise around how to coach your team to do their best work and help them achieve their highest potential.

Sara reminds us that employees “want to learn, want to grow, and want to progress.” Employees want to make sure they are getting the skills and knowledge they need to get grow in their careers.

Sara explains the importance of being both a developmental coach and providing performance coaching.

As a manager, you supervise and organize the workload for those you are managing. You set the expectations and give performance feedback.

As a coach, the goal becomes empowering your employee to be the best they can be by helping them identify and achieve their own professional goals. Just like with any human-centered leadership development, learning how to be a good coach takes effort and being willing to be coachable ourselves.

Developmental coaching is a vital approach to developing potential in your employees

Performance coaching is when you help someone improve in a specific area. With developmental coaching, you can help employees identify their professional goals and empower them to engage in the process of learning and growing. Instead of evaluating their performance, you become a partner for their success as you coach your team.

You’re the person who’s going to ask great questions to help them discover their potential.

Practical Ways to Coach Your Team

Here’s a practical list of Sara’s Dos and Don’ts from Coaching Essentials (pages 206-207)

Do:

• Build trust and nurture strong relationships with your coachees
• Position yourself as a partner in their success
• Be fully present
• Set the intention up front
• Confirm confidentiality- and keep that promise
• Maintain clarity about your role and your purpose as a coach
• Use a framework as your guide
• Ask open-ended questions
• Suspend judgment
• Finish with an action plan
• Hold them accountable for their commitments

Don’t:

• Confuse the role of coaching with training, counseling, or discipline related to poor performance
• Rely only on your coachees to identify their needs
• Fail to set ambitious goals that align with your coachees’ strengths motivations and interests
• Talk in code (e.g. “you need to be more strategic) rather than translating your recommendations into actionable steps with examples
• Neglect to enhance your own self-awareness and emotional intelligence
• Assume you wouldn’t benefit from insights and feedback provided by your own coach or mentor
• Underestimate the potential of your direct reports
• Underestimate your own potential as a successful coach.

What would you add? What is one of your best practices or approaches to be an effective coach for your team?

More articles related to how to coach your team:

Empower Your Team to Make Better Decisions

How to Coach Employees to High Performance When Time is Limited

Your turn. What is your best practice for being a coach for your team?

The post Coach Your Team and be Even More Effective and Helpful appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

How Do I Coach and Develop Leadership Humility in a Team Member?

(See also: How to Manage Strong, Arrogant, Slightly Obnoxoius High Performer)

1:00 The challenge of helping high-performers that lack the humility skill set.

How do we help them merge ambition and leadership humility?
Give them a coach (the gift of coaching.)
If you can’t, then YOU start acting as a coach by asking open-ended questions.

4:24 Listening – the value of coming to a coaching session with a plateful of feedback (via Julie Winkle Giulioni)

We all have blind spots, so 360 listening is valuable.
The way others see you tends to be more accurate than how you see yourself- develop leadership humility by sharing more opportunities for feedback

5:30 What other insights does Amer want to leave with us?

What about people who have been successful even though they aren’t humble?

That is more the exception to the rule. They also tend to succeed in the short term. Imagine their success IF they ALSO had humility. If you want to leave a legacy, focus on an intentional merge of humility and ambition.

8:39 How to find more from Amer

Your turn: Have you worked with a successful person who lacked leadership humility? How would you coach them?

Previous Posts/Episodes in this series on with Karin Hurt and Amer Kaissi

Part 1: Can I Be Both Humble AND Ambitious?

Part 2: Leadership Humility: Can I Be Driven and Humble

More on Confident Humility

If you’re interested in this topic, you won’t want to miss our 6 Concepts You Can’t Lead Without

The post Leadership Humility: How Can I Coach Humility in my Team? (Video) appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

It’s no exaggeration to say that if you’re done learning, you’re done leading. The world changes. People grow. And your influence will grow too if you invest in your leadership growth. But that growth is a choice – and one that not every leader will make.

I recently spoke with a senior executive who surprised me with her vehemence. “At my level, you’ve either got the skills or you don’t. I don’t believe I can learn anything by asking my team esoteric questions about where I can improve.”

Wow. I left the conversation saddened for her–and for her team. Sad for her because she lived in a self-limited world where she couldn’t grow her influence. And sad for her team because she wasn’t open to the feedback they could offer. Everyone would suffer.

Another time, we were working with an organization’s managers and having them rate the leadership behavior where they felt the most need to improve. As the managers moved around the room and sorted themselves into groups based on their perceived needs, we asked the senior executive which behavior he would choose.

“Oh, I’m good at all of these,” he replied.

We looked up and 90% of the managers had clustered around “prioritizing what matters most.” We suggested that if 90% of his managers felt that was an issue for them, it might be an issue for him.

Both leaders shared a lack of humility and resistance to feedback. These characteristics will stunt their leadership if they don’t change. In contrast, many leaders we work with who achieve spectacular results and occupy top-tier positions have an insatiable appetite to learn, grow, and constantly ask for input that will help them improve.

Unsolicited Feedback Saved My Life

I’m a big fan of coaching, feedback, and getting all the wisdom I can–from wherever I can find it. It’s no exaggeration to say that feedback saved my life – and I hadn’t asked for it.

During the summer before I started college, I worked at a gas station in a rougher part of town. Bullet-proof glass completely enclosed the cashier’s booth.

One week in July, it was my turn to work the graveyard shift. During the overnight shifts we were only supposed to exit the bullet-proof glass enclosure once all the customers left the store, and we had flipped a switch that locked the front door.

On my first overnight shift, I followed the procedures. But by the second night, I got sloppy. I waited until all the customers left the store (or so I thought) and left the enclosure to prepare hotdog buns.

Midway through my third bun, a scraggly man in stained coveralls surprised me, shoved his finger in my chest, and yelled at me. “Don’t you ever leave that glass without locking the door. My brother was shot and killed in a gas station just like this one! Don’t ever leave that glass.”

Then he turned around and walked out, got in his truck, and drove away.

He’d scared me, and I was angry. “I’m sorry about his brother, but who does he think he is?” I vented to the empty store. But he had scared me…and so the rest of the night, I locked the front door when I left the enclosure.

But then…

Two hours later I was wiping down counters when I heard someone rattling the front door, wanting to get inside. Assuming it was a customer, I went back into the enclosure, locked the door behind me, then flipped the switch to let the customer into the store. But when I looked up, there was no one at the door. I supposed they got impatient and left.

Just then, three police cars pulled into the lot and turned their spotlights on the dumpster beside the station.

They’d been chasing a man who’d committed armed robbery half a mile down the road. A man who, as he fled the police, had come upon a 24-hour gas station with a kid in the lobby whose back was turned to the doors.

Doors that, until 2 hours earlier, had been unlocked.

The next morning as I pedaled my bike home, I trembled. I’d realized what my arrogance could have cost me. At the very least, that scraggly man had kept me from being held hostage by an armed robber. It’s very possible he saved my life.

And that’s just one moment of feedback. There are countless more times where feedback has made me a better leader, a better father, and a better husband.

So yeah, I’m a fan of feedback.

Invest in Your Leadership Growth

The great thing about feedback is that you don’t have to wait for someone to surprise you with it in the middle of the night. Effective leaders stay coachable and invest in their leadership growth by asking for insights that will help their growth.

Invite Feedback

One of the easiest ways to get meaningful feedback is with a Do-It-Yourself 360 Listening Tour. Choose a focused topic like running a more productive meeting, efficient communication, or helping your team be productive.

Now, write two questions. One that focuses on strength and one that looks at your opportunities. For example:
1) What’s the one most effective part of our team meetings?
2) If you had one recommendation for me to run a more effective meeting, what would that be?

Next, choose a diverse group of people to ask these questions. Choose people who you know to have different perspectives from one another (not just your fans, favorites, or foes).

REAP the Benefit of Feedback

Feedback is a gift and to reap the full benefit of its value, follow these steps. Click here to download a PDF of this leadership growth tool.

R—Reflect to Connect.

As you listen, acknowledge the emotions you’re picking up from the other person. Reflect to connect and ensure that you’ve seen them. For example: “Sounds like you’re frustrated by the…” or “I’m hearing that you really appreciate it when we…”

E—Engage in Dialogue.

When you ask for feedback, listen to understand what you’re hearing (not to respond immediately). Check for understanding and ask clarifying questions to verify that you’re clear about their suggestions. At this stage, more conversation might be appropriate, but avoid the temptation to become defensive or try to change their mind. If you do, you’re sending the message that you weren’t really interested in their feedback.

A—Acknowledge Their Gift.

As you conclude the conversation, thank the other person for taking the time and thinking about how you can be more effective. You’re not saying you agree with everything they offered. You’re affirming that they gave you something to work with.

P—Prepare Your Response

As you ask for feedback, let people know your next steps and how you’ll use their feedback. For example, “I’m asking several people these questions. I’m going to summarize everything I learn and choose one habit to cultivate over the next month. I’ll get back with you and everyone else about what I learned at our meeting on the 30th.”

Your Turn

Asking for feedback and responding to what you learn helps you grow. It will help you address blind spots and opportunities you might have missed as the world changes. Moreover, you’re building a culture of growth. When you ask and people can see you actively invest in your development, it makes it safe for them to do the same.

I’d love to hear from you: what is one of the best ways you’ve seen a leader invest in their leadership growth?

You Might Be Interested In:
• Staying Coachable with Sean Glaze (podcast)
• 7 Reasons Your Feedback is Being Ignored
• How to Show You’re a High-Potential Leader (Before You’ve Led a Team)

The post Leadership Growth – Are You Coachable? appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Staying Coachable

0:00 – Welcome to season 9

4:00 – The value of people who can speak truth to you and help you grow

8:00 – What “coachable” means and why it’s important for leaders to model and cultivate

12:20 – How great leaders influence their team-members’ desire to change

14:46 – Why you don’t have to be bad to get better

16:38 – Giving yourself and your team permission to improve

20:10 – The four ceilings that self-limit our growth

21:47 – The challenge of comfort and the opportunity of mountain tops

23:02 – Why you need to include rest and restoration in your drive to improve and grow

27:55 – A defining question: Who are you trying to impress?

31:43 – The four critical questions for staying coachable, coaching yourself, and others

32:00 – What do you want?

33:00 – Where are you now?

36:00 – What needs to change? Weaknesses to address?

37:56 – What will you do differently?

39:04 – Dealing with the gift of unhelpful feedback

48:10 – Get started with a look in the mirror.

Connect with Sean

• WEBSITE
• LINKEDIN
• TWITTER
• FACEBOOK
• YOUTUBE

Sean’s Book: Staying Coachable

The post Staying Coachable with Sean Glaze appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Hi Karin, I’ve read Winning Well: A Manager’s Guide to Getting Results Without Losing Your Soul. And, I love the I.N.S.P.I.R.E. method for difficult conversations. The coaching method works great much of the time. But, what do I do if one accountability conversation is not enough? #AskingForAFriend

How to Escalate an Accountability Conversation

You’ve set clear performance expectations. You’ve checked for understanding. And, you’ve done a great job addressing issues as they arise.

So what do you do, if your employee is still not picking up what you’re putting down?

Sometimes one conversation isn’t enough. If this is happening, escalate the conversation using the A.R.T. Method of Advanced Accountability.

Each step of the A.R.T. Method continues to use the INSPIRE Method.

Then, as you move through the three stages of the method, your N – Notice step changes.

You will Notice different behaviors at each stage. Here’s how it works:

Summary of the Let’s Grow Leaders A.R.T. Method For Advanced Accountability

1. Action conversation – focus on the specific behavior.
2. Repetition conversation – focus on the repeated pattern of behavior.
3. Trust conversation – focus on the broken commitment and relationship.

See also: How to Start Team Accountability If You Never Have Before

(See more in How to Provide More Meaningful Performance Feedback).

The post The A.R.T. of Advanced Accountability (Video) appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

You want to coach employees to improve performance, but there’s just so little time. Make every coaching conversation count, by focusing on what each team member needs most.

Effective Coaching Techniques

Coaching employees to high performance can take many forms. One person may need corrective performance coaching while another needs encouragement. One person needs training while another is ready to teach others.

Our Let’s Grow Leaders confidence/competence model is a great way to quickly identify what your employees need most from you.

Employee Coaching Template: The Confidence-Competence Model

We use our Let’s Grow Leaders Confidence-Competence model as a cornerstone to the “Be a Builder” module of our six-session Virtual Leadership Development Program. 

Our clients tell us it’s exactly these types of super practical leadership tools that bring the LASTING VALUE to their trainings. At Let’s Grow Leaders we are all about easy to implement, 100% relevant leadership tools.

click on image to download the confidence competence model

WHEN to use it:

You can use the Let’s Grow Leaders Confidence-Competence Model every few months to keep your development efforts on track. It can serve as an important part of your overall development strategy both at an individual and team level.

Or you can use the Let’s Grow Leaders Confidence-Competence model to ground your approach in real-time as you prepare to coach employees to higher performance in a specific situation.

Coaching Employees Examples

John is headed into a sales call with a new client. You know he’s nailed similar situations before but he’s recovering from a bad “last time” scenario and his confidence is shot.

You quickly assess that he’s in the high-competence / low confidence quadrant on the model, so instead of telling him what to do (training) or pointing out areas of vulnerability (coaching), you remind him of one or two of his past success stories in similar scenes.

Up next is Jennifer, who has been knocking her sales out of the park for years, but you get a sense that she’s phoning it in these days. You know she’s confident and competent, but it’s time for a challenge.

You use your coaching conversation with her to focus on building deeper, more strategic relationships in one of her key accounts.

Coaching Employees with a Deeper Plan

Or, you can use the Let’s Grow Leader’s Confidence-Competence model to map each member of your team and identify and calibrate priorities and development needs.

We will often work with a group of managers to map and calibrate each of their employees so they can work together to support one another in developing their team members.

For example, we recently worked with an energy company to map each of their customer service agents on the Let’s Grow Leaders competence-confidence model.

Then we facilitated a conversation about what the agents in each of these quadrants needed most. For example, they asked some of their “challenge me” seasoned agents to sit side-by-side with some of the “teach me” agents to support their training efforts.

They had a long list of “encourage me” agents who were newer to their roles and just needed affirmation and recognition that what they were doing was right. So they made a plan to notice and recognize a specific set of behaviors.

They worked together for six months on this collaborative development plan and, of course, worked to ensure every agent had a specific development plan.

Then we came back together six months later and did the mapping exercise again. It was remarkable to see the improvement in most. There were also a few agents that were still in the “teach me” bucket after much additional training and effort. Some of those folks, they admitted, had been having these same challenges for years.

That led to our “Can they really get there from here?” conversation. And for a few, the answer was no. And, HR agreed to work with each of their supervisors on their final performance improvement discussions.

Coaching Employees in the Workplace

As you look at people’s performance, keep in mind their levels of confidence and competence. Your approach will depend on how much competence they display and how much confidence they have in themselves and their skills.

The next time you’re dealing with a performance management problem, try starting with the lens of confidence and competence.

High-Competence/Low-Confidence: Encourage Me

When an employee has low confidence but shows that they know what they’re doing (high competence), encourage them. The good news is you’ve got a great foundation of skills to work with. Sadly, sometimes low confidence can come across as disengagement so it’s important to understand what’s going on so that you can help.  One of our favorite ways to encourage employees is to get them to solve problems on their own, by asking a series of 9 strategic questions. 

A few articles that can help:

How to Build your Team’s Confidence: Leadership Without Losing Your Soul podcast

The Best Way to Help Employees Have More Confidence

High-Competence/High-Confidence: Challenge Me

When an employee is both confident and competent in what they’re doing, you can challenge them with higher levels of achievement, new tasks, or new opportunities. This could be an employee in the perfect sweet spot of positive energy and flow, or maybe they’re becoming a bit bored and longing for more.

Ideally, they’re your A-players, although the high confidence/competence combination can sometimes manifest itself in feelings of superiority, particularly if the rest of the team is weak.

A few articles that can help:

7 Things Your High Performing Employees Want to Hear you Say

How to Manage An Arrogant Slightly Obnoxious High Performer

Low-Competence/High Confidence: Coach Me

For an employee who is confident, but lacks performance, coaching can help them tap into and develop the skills they need to succeed. They may need help to see that in certain areas, they’re not as good as they think they are.

This employee needs help to see his strengths and developmental opportunities more clearly. Offering feedback through assessments, specific examples, and coaching will help bring his skills in line with their self-perceptions.

Try this approach to help employees learn to solve problems on their own.

A few articles that can help:

Managing the Art of Tough Conversations TD Magazine

How to Give More Meaningful Performance Feedback

How To Make Your Leadership Expectations Remarkably Clear

Low-Competence/Low Confidence: Teach Me

Employees with both low confidence and low competence most likely need you to teach them, give them training, and show them how to do what they need to do. Train and teach the skills she needs for success in the role. There may also be a skills mismatch; have a deeper development conversation to determine if there is a better fit for her within your organization.

A few articles that can help:

How to Build a Better live-online Leadership Development Program

Confidence Bursts: Interval Training to Drive Results

How Often Should You Coach Your Employees?

Ideally, you meet with your team members at least every other week. The Confidence-Competence model gives you the ability to have frequent small engagements with team members – the exact conversation they need at that moment.

Looking for more ways to coach employees to high-performance? We can help.

This is no cookie-cutter, stale-off-the-shelf program. Every Virtual Leadership Training we provide is customized…designed specifically to meet your team where they are.

Or download our brochure or contact us at info@letsgrowleaders.com 443-750-1249.

 

 

The post How to Coach Employees to High Performance When Time is Limited appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.