Human Resources 101

Good coaching is training your employees to do the job right every time. Here’s how to maximize your coaching skills:

1. Coach all the time. Coaching is an ongoing process. You should be coaching employees all the time—even when their performance is good.
2. Don’t micro-manage. You don’t have to jump in at the first sign of every or any problem. Give employees time to try and find a solution, but be ready to jump in when they get stuck. 
3. Get employee input on the methods you recommend. Always give them specific and immediate feedback on performance.
4. Get a more experienced employees to teach or mentor your less experienced employees.
5. When problems occur, ask employees to analyze their own performance and results before you offer suggestions. Ask them what they like best and least.
6. Don’t ignore problems. They won’t go away or improve by themselves. Often, they will get worse.
7. In every coaching session, find something positive to say.
8. Coach all the people in your work group: top performers, those in the middle, and those at the bottom. Everybody can develop and grow.
9. Don’t assume employees understand your goals and expectations. Make sure you’re clear in your communication. Have employees repeat back to your their understanding of your expectation. Ensure your employees commit to your expectations.
10. Be realistic. Set objectives employees can meet by stretching their abilities. When you meet one objective, go on to another. Achieving each objective creates momentum.
11. Challenge your employees with an increasing number of tasks and decisions and give them time and space to grow. The more they do, the sooner they’ll be able to absorb some of your less challenging tasks, giving you more time to tackle those that best use your skills and your time.
12. Let people practice in a safe and non-threatening environment, and providing helpful feedback.
13. Mistakes happen. No one can improve without making mistakes. Mistakes are not failures. See them stepping stones toward success. Get your people involved in finding out what went wrong and to avoid the mistake in the future.
14. Don’t let unacceptable performance go unchecked. By not addressing it, you reward unacceptable performance.
15. Recognize good performance immediately to establish a clear link between performance and reward.
16. Encourage employees to measure their own productivity so that they take responsibility for their own performance.
17. Credibility is your most important asset as a supervisor and as a coach.
18. Good coaches do what they expect from others. They always model acceptable standards.
19. Never be afraid to make mistakes—all good leaders do. As you overcome your mistakes you’ll become a better supervisor, and a better coach too.
20. Accept the fact that you don’t know everything. Be open to learning from others, including those your are coaching.

What other tips would you offer to someone looking to improve their coaching skills?