Coaching employees is a powerful way to support their growth and your team’s success. Everyone can benefit from coaching, from experienced promo pros to more junior staff members. Coaching isn’t just providing feedback but guiding your team members to become better at what they do. Without this regular guidance, employees may feel unmotivated, which can lead to lower productivity and increased turnover.
Insperity’s Michelle Kankousky, MBA says the better you coach, the more prepared your team will be. Coaching also fosters an environment of trust. When employees know you’re genuinely invested in their success — and not just their performance — they’re often willing to go the extra mile and contribute at higher levels.
What goes into successful coaching? We share Kankousky’s thoughts in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
1. Base your coaching on your company’s core values. According to Kankousky, coaching is the key to achieving your company’s goals. This is why you should base your coaching on your organization’s core values. She says they become the “why” behind your advice and encouragement.
2. Know what motivates your staff members. Whether you flat-out ask them in a meeting or you send a questionnaire to your entire team, you should know what makes them tick. Learn who they are as people outside of work. What are their hobbies and how do they spend their free time? This allows you to incorporate a human side to your coaching.
3. Make it collaborative. No matter the situation, Kankousky says coaching conversations should flow both ways with ample opportunity for mutual feedback and discussion. This way, you’re not removing your employees’ responsibility in the matter or doing the work for them. Effective coaching can build more trust on both sides and keep the door to improvement open.
4. Understand team dynamics. If you know certain people don’t work well together, try to help them find common ground. Don’t just stick them on a project together and let them hash it out. Good coaching requires trying to achieve the best possible result for all involved.
5. Stay open to working with your employees. Instead of just doling out advice, work alongside your staff members. Understand that different people respond to different styles. Kankousky says some employees need more visual coaching while others respond well to spoken words. Still others are hands-on. You can build stronger relationships by knowing your team members and communicating in a way that works best for them.
Think about how you can incorporate more regular coaching sessions for your team members. It’s a great way to develop deeper connections with your staff while helping them refine their skills and continue growing in their roles.
PromoPro Daily would like to wish you a happy New Year! See you back in your inbox on Thursday, January 2, 2025.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Michelle Kankousky, MBA is an employee experience designer at Insperity. She has nearly two decades of experience in the HR field.
