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Coaching forCoaching for
Optimal PerformanceOptimal Performance

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ContentsContents
1. Characteristics of Good Coach
2. Elements of Good Coaching Session
3. Communication Skills for Effective Coaching
4. Five Steps of Coaching for Optimal Performance
5. Coaching Strategies for Different Behavioral Style
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Characteristics ofCharacteristics of
Good CoachGood Coach

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Benefits of Good CoachingBenefits of Good Coaching
Improve employee performance
Help develop employee’s competence
Help diagnose performance problems
Help correct unsatisfactory performance
Foster productive working relationship

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Characteristics of Good CoachCharacteristics of Good Coach
Positive
Goal
Oriented
Supportive
Focused Observant

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PositivePositive
• Your job is not correcting mistakes,
finding fault, and assessing blame
• Instead, your function is achieving
productivity goals by coaching your
staff to peak performance
Characteristics of Good CoachCharacteristics of Good Coach

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SupportiveSupportive
• Your job as coach is to get workers
what they need to do their job well,
including tools, time, instruction,
answers to questions, and protection
from outside interference
Characteristics of Good CoachCharacteristics of Good Coach

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GoalGoal
OrientedOriented
• Base your assignments on clear,
definable goals
• Tie specific tasks to those goals
• Communicate those goals to the
people who actually have to do the
work
Characteristics of Good CoachCharacteristics of Good Coach

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FocusedFocused
• Effective communication is specific
and focused
• You are far more likely to get action if
that employee leaves your office
focused on resolving the issue at
hand
Characteristics of Good CoachCharacteristics of Good Coach

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ObservantObservant
• Being observant means more than
just keeping your eyes and ears open
• You need to be aware of what isn’t
said as well as what is. If you are
paying attention, you won’t have to
wait for somebody to tell you about a
problem
Characteristics of Good CoachCharacteristics of Good Coach

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Boss vs. CoachBoss vs. Coach
BossBoss
• Talks a lot
• Tells
• Presume
• Seeks control
• Orders
• Works on
• Assign blame
• Keeps distant
• Talks a lot
• Tells
• Presume
• Seeks control
• Orders
• Works on
• Assign blame
• Keeps distant
• Listens a lot
• Asks
• Explores
• Seeks commitment
• Challenges
• Work with
• Takes responsibility
• Makes contact
• Listens a lot
• Asks
• Explores
• Seeks commitment
• Challenges
• Work with
• Takes responsibility
• Makes contact
CoachCoach

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Elements ofElements of
Good Coaching SessionGood Coaching Session

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Elements of Good Coaching SessionElements of Good Coaching Session
EstablishEstablish
a purposea purpose
EstablishEstablish
groundground
rulesrules
KeepKeep
focusedfocused
DevelopDevelop
dialoguedialogue
SpeakSpeak
clearlyclearly
Discuss oneDiscuss one
specificspecific
issueissue

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Elements of Good Coaching SessionElements of Good Coaching Session
EstablishEstablish
a purposea purpose
• Having a clear purpose at the
beginning of coaching session will
enable you to conduct focused
and productive discussion

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Elements of Good Coaching SessionElements of Good Coaching Session
EstablishEstablish
groundground
rulesrules
• As with any meeting, you and the
employee need to have a common
understanding of certain factors
• The most important are time and
roles

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Elements of Good Coaching SessionElements of Good Coaching Session
KeepKeep
focusedfocused
A few guidelines to keep focused :
• Avoid making “noise” – anything
that distracts from the atmosphere
• Don’t look at your desktop or PDA
• Don’t touch your papers
• Don’t answer the telephone

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Elements of Good Coaching SessionElements of Good Coaching Session
DevelopDevelop
dialoguedialogue
• A Don’t launch into a monolog
• If you’re coaching effectively, your
employee should probably do most
of the talking

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Elements of Good Coaching SessionElements of Good Coaching Session
SpeakSpeak
clearlyclearly
• These tips will help you
communicate more effectively:
• Use the simplest, most
common terms
• Avoid the jargon
• Be specific
• Use the known to explain the
unknown

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Elements of Good Coaching SessionElements of Good Coaching Session
Discuss oneDiscuss one
specific issuespecific issue
• Define the issue and limit the
discussion to something
manageable
• You’ll get other chances to discuss
other concerns – but only if you
resolve this specific concern right
now

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Communication Skills forCommunication Skills for
Effective CoachingEffective Coaching

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Seven Communication Principles for CoachingSeven Communication Principles for Coaching
1. Soften the ‘you’s or change the into “I” to avoidavoid
sounding pushysounding pushy
• Instead of : ‘You’ll have to….’, say ‘Could you….’
Or ‘Would you be able to….’
2.2. Focus on the solutionFocus on the solution, not the problem
• Instead of ‘We’re out of mild….’, say ‘We will pop
down the shop for some milk’.

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3. Turn can’ts into canscan’ts into cans
• Instead of ‘We can’t do that until next week’, say
‘We’ll be able to do that next week’.
4.4. Take responsibilityTake responsibility – don’t lay blame
• Instead if ‘It’s not my fault’, say ‘Here’s what I can
do to fox that’.
Seven Communication Principles for CoachingSeven Communication Principles for Coaching

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5.5. Say what do you wantSay what do you want, not what you don’t want
• Instead of ‘Don’t drive too fast’, say ‘Drive carefully’
5.5. Focus on the futureFocus on the future, not the past
• Instead of “I’ve told you before not to……, say
‘From now on…….”
5.5. Share informationShare information rather than argue or accuse
• Instead of ‘No, you’re wrong’, say ‘I see it like
this….’
Seven Communication Principles for CoachingSeven Communication Principles for Coaching

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Gather Good Information with your EARsGather Good Information with your EARs
EE – explore by asking questions
AA – affirm to show you’re listening
RR – reflect your understanding
SS – silence, listen some more

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To listen more effectively…..To listen more effectively…..
Attend physicallyAttend physically – the right body language helps us to
focus on the speaker and encourages the speaker to give
us more information.
Attend mentallyAttend mentally – follow the speaker’s flow of thought,
listen to understand, not evaluate; listen first, then assess
Check it verballyCheck it verbally – paraphrase, clarify, probe further,
summarize your understanding

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Good Habits of Effective ListenersGood Habits of Effective Listeners
• Looking at the speaker in order to observe body language
and pick up subtle nuances of speech
• Asking questions
• Giving speakers time to articulate their thoughts
• Letting people finish what they are saying before giving
their opinion
• Remaining poised, calm, and emotionally controlled
• Looking alert and interested
• Responding with nods and ‘uh-uhms’

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Asking Questions in Coaching SessionAsking Questions in Coaching Session
An effective question is brief
An effective question is focused
An effective question is relevant
An effective question is constructive

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Asking Questions in Coaching SessionAsking Questions in Coaching Session
An effective
question is
BRIEF
• The longer the question, the
more likely you are to louse it up
• Short sentences aren’t just easier
to understand, they are also
easier to say.
• To keep you question brief, think
about two things : 1) what do you
want to learn from then answer?
2) what words will best elicit this
information?

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Asking Questions in Coaching SessionAsking Questions in Coaching Session
An effective
question is
FOCUSED
• Target a single and a particular
aspect of that subject per
question
• If you don’t, you may render any
answer meaningless

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Asking Questions in Coaching SessionAsking Questions in Coaching Session
An effective
question is
RELEVANT
• Keep you questions on subject
and on target
• If an answer strays off the point,
tactfully refocus

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Asking Questions in Coaching SessionAsking Questions in Coaching Session
An effective
question is
CONSTRUCTIVE
• You need to accentuate the
positive in you approach to
questioning, not because it make
you seem nicer, but because
your questions will be more
effective

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Exploring QuestionsExploring Questions
Open
Questions
Open
Questions
Open questions yield lots of information
because they allow a person to explain what is
most important or interesting and encourage
elaboration.
Probing
Questions
Probing
Questions
Probing questions are those that relate to the
topic we want to explore further. They
encourage the speaker to flesh out the details.

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Closed vs. Open QuestionsClosed vs. Open Questions
When did that happen? What led up to that?
Was your trip successful? What did you manage to
accomplish on your trip?
Did you like the candidate? In what ways do you think that
candidate meets our need?
Did you have a good meeting? What happened at the meeting?

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Some Probing QuestionsSome Probing Questions
• Can you be more specifics?
• Can you give me an example of that?
• What happened then?
• For instance?
• How does this affect you?
• What might cause that, do you think?
• Can you fill me in on the details?

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Five Steps forFive Steps for
Effective CoachingEffective Coaching

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Five Steps of CoachingFive Steps of Coaching
Describe
performance
issue a
professional
manner
Discuss the
causes of
the problem
Identify
and write
down
possible
solutions
Develop
specific
action
plan
Conduct
follow up
session

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Describe Performance IssueDescribe Performance Issue
Describe
performance
issue a
professional
manner
• As you describe the problem, be
specific. Point out the acceptable levels
(quantity or quality) of performance and
show the employee exactly where
his/her output doesn't meet those levels
• Refer to any available data that will help
you indicate to the employee that there
is a problem
• It's important to open this discussion in
a positive, non-threatening way

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Discuss the
causes of the
problem
• Remain relaxed and friendly
• Gather all the information you can
about the problem by asking open-
ended questions (general questions
beginning with words like "How,"
"What," "Who," and "When")
• These questions will bring you closer to
the source of the problem
Discuss the Causes of the ProblemDiscuss the Causes of the Problem

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Discuss the
causes of the
problem
• You may find it appropriate to ask some
specific questions designed to clarify
and pinpoint causes
• This is a good time to listen and respond
with empathy, since the employee may
express concern or frustration over
factors which he/she feels cannot be
controlled
Discuss the Causes of the ProblemDiscuss the Causes of the Problem

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Diagnosing Performance ProblemDiagnosing Performance Problem
Role ExpectationsRole ExpectationsRole ExpectationsRole Expectations
Ability (skills and knowledge)Ability (skills and knowledge)Ability (skills and knowledge)Ability (skills and knowledge)
Job DesignJob DesignJob DesignJob Design
Work EnvironmentWork EnvironmentWork EnvironmentWork Environment
Personal/Motivational ProblemPersonal/Motivational ProblemPersonal/Motivational ProblemPersonal/Motivational Problem
MostMost
performanceperformance
problems areproblems are
due to onedue to one
(or more) of(or more) of
five factors :five factors :

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Diagnosing Performance ProblemDiagnosing Performance Problem
RoleRole
ExpectationsExpectations
RoleRole
ExpectationsExpectations
AbilityAbility
(skills and(skills and
knowledge)knowledge)
AbilityAbility
(skills and(skills and
knowledge)knowledge)
• Does the employee know what is
expected? Does s/he even know there
is a problem?
• Does the employee have the requisite
skills, abilities and aptitudes to perform
the job? Has s/he received training to
do the job?

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Diagnosing Performance ProblemDiagnosing Performance Problem
Job DesignJob DesignJob DesignJob Design
WorkWork
EnvironmentEnvironment
WorkWork
EnvironmentEnvironment
• Does the employee have the necessary
tools and resources to perform the job?
Does the system support good
performance?
• Is good performance rewarded ... or
punished? Is poor performance
rewarded? Is the employee being
treated fairly? Do working conditions
support good performance?

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Diagnosing Performance ProblemDiagnosing Performance Problem
Personal/Personal/
MotivationalMotivational
ProblemProblem
Personal/Personal/
MotivationalMotivational
ProblemProblem
• Does an issue or a problem exist in the
employee's personal life that may
contribute to poor performance? Is the
employee's attitude or morale
preventing the employee from
successfully applying his/her skills and
abilities?

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Identify
possible
solutions
• After you have identified the likely
causes of the performance problem, you
will want to decide how to correct it
• The employee is closest to the problem -
so ask for his/her ideas and write them
down
• This not only enhances the employee's
self-esteem, but it provides a written
record of possible solutions
• The employee will be more committed to
solving the problem if he/she has had a
say in the solution
Identify Possible SolutionsIdentify Possible Solutions

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Conduct
follow up
session
• Setting a date to meet again sends a
message to the employee that solving
the performance problem is important to
you
• It also tells the employee that you want
to know how well he/she is handling the
actions agreed upon
• A follow-up meeting enables you and the
employee to get together to discuss any
progress or problems and plan further
action
Conduct Follow Up SessionConduct Follow Up Session

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Coaching Strategies forCoaching Strategies for
Different Behavioral StyleDifferent Behavioral Style

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Four Styles of BehaviorFour Styles of Behavior
Dominance
Influencing
Steadiness
Compliance

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Dominance
• They like to control their environment by overcoming
opposition to accomplish their desired results
• They are direct, forceful, impatient, and can be extremely
demanding
• They enjoy being in charge and getting things done
• When they are negatively motivated, they can be defiant
• They don’t like being told what to do
• They are reluctant with tasks that involve dealing with lots of
detail
• They would quickly become bored with a routine task

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Influencing
• They like to shape the environment by influencing or
persuading others to see things their way
• They dislike for handling complex details or working as lone
rangers
• They prefer to deal with people rather than things
• They enjoy making a favorable impression, a good motivational
environment, and viewing people and environment optimistically
• They will chat with you about anything on their minds
• They motivate their people and love to generate enthusiasm
• When negatively motivated, they can be indiscriminately
impulsive

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Steadiness
• They like to cooperate with others to carry out a task
• They are team player and prefer dealing with things, one thing
at a time
• They are patient, reliable, loyal and resistant to sudden
changes in their environment
• They appreciate an orderly step-by-step approach
• They tend to perform in a consistent, predictable manner and
prefer a stable, harmonious work environment
• When they get demotivated they can become stubborn or
stern, moods usually expressed in the form of passive
resistance

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Compliance
• They are cautious and demands quality and accuracy
• They appreciate opportunities for thorough, careful planning
• They are critical thinkers who are sticklers for detail
• They prefer to spend time analyzing a situation and like the
steadiness, are slow to accept sudden changes
• They like following procedures and standards – preferably their
own
• They respond favorably to logical, well-thought-out, planned
options
• When they are negatively motivated, they become cynical or
overly critical

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Coaching Strategies for DominanceCoaching Strategies for Dominance
Dominance
• Be clear, direct, and to the point when you
interact and communicate with them
• Avoid being too personal or talking too
much about non work items
• Let them know what you expect from
them. If you must direct them, provide
choices that give them the opportunity to
make decisions
• Accept their need for variety and change.
When possible, provide new challenges,
as well as opportunities to direct the
efforts of others

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Coaching Strategies for InfluencingCoaching Strategies for Influencing
Influencing
• Ask about things going on in their lives
outside of work
• Let them share with you their goals at
work and elsewhere
• Tie your objectives to their dreams and
goals
• Create democratic atmosphere and
interaction with them

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Coaching Strategies for SteadinessCoaching Strategies for Steadiness
Steadiness
• Provide specific direction and offer
assurances when necessary
• When implementing change, be sure to lay
out a systematic, step-by-step procedure
and draw out their concerns and worries
about the situation. They need to feel
secure
• Assure them that you’ve thought things
through before initiating changes. Give
them a plan to deal with problem when
they occur

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Coaching Strategies for ComplianceCoaching Strategies for Compliance
Compliance
• Opportunities to demonstrate their
expertise
• Plenty of details
• Enough time to prepare for meetings
properly – especially if they have an item
on the agenda to present
• Situations where their systematic
approach will contribute to long term
success

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Recommended Further ReadingsRecommended Further Readings
1. Marshal J. Cook, Effective CoachingEffective Coaching, McGraw Hill
2. Jack Cullen and Len D’Innocenzo, Coaching to MaximizeCoaching to Maximize
PerformancePerformance, Velocity Business Publishing

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