Manager Coaching And Teaching

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WHAT IS COACHING

• It involves developing a person's sklls and knowledge so that their job performance improves, hopefully leading to the achievement of organisational objectives.
• It targets high performance and improvement at work, although it may have an impact on an individual's private life.
• It usually lasts for a short period of time and focus on specific skills and goals.
• It is not the same as mentoring.
• It is a skilled activity.
• A good Coach never 'tells' as a Mentor often does - the Coach enables by allowing the 'Coachee' to develop self-awareness through questioning technique. This process helps the 'Coachee' to learn to take responsibility for their own development.
• It provides people with feedback on both their strengths and their weaknesses.
• It is essentially a non-directive form of development.
• Coaching activities have both organizational and individual goals.
• It assumes that the individual is psychologically well and does not require clinical intervention.
• Its merits should be seen alongside other methods of learning and development and employee preferences.

THE BENEFIT OF MANAGERS AND LEADERS DEVELOPING COACHING SKILLS

Reflections on the CIPD's 2007 Learning and Development Survey suggests there has been a shift in the last two years and people management activities are no longer the province of HR or training specialists. The findings suggests significant relationships exist between the effective provision of coaching and guidance by the Line Manager and levels of employee satisfaction. They also show that support from supervisors affects employees' willingness to engage in development activities and their attitudes to their careers.

How developing your coaching skills can help you at work -

• Develops your people skills and therefore helps build your working relationships.
• Helps bring the best out of others by developing an individual's potential and providing career support.
• Helping competent experts develop better interpersonal or managerial skills.
• Developing a more strategic perspective after a promotion to a more senior role.
• Handling conflict situations so that they are resolved effectively.

The Value of informal learning and learning from others -

• As an example of good practice, Marks & Spencer (2007) show recent business success is down to a move from learning 'off the shop floor' to a new model of 'on the job coachee'.
• People learn best with and through others.
• There is evidence to suggest equipping line managers to coach their staff has payoffs (CIPD, 2007).
• Woolworths (2007) are making coaching CPD a formal requirement to embed coaching skills among middle managers and controllers (heads of department).
• Some people have instinct to coach others on the job - the difference is the awareness of the value of their input.