Chapter 10:

Coaching and Providing

Feedback for Improved
Performance
 What is Coaching?
• Coaching is a means for managers to
provide guidance, insight, and
encouragement to their employees for
improved work performance through
frequent interactions.
• Coaching conveys a set of beliefs, values,
and vision and enables goal setting and
action steps for the realization of
extraordinary results.
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 The Importance and Benefits of
Coaching
• Coaching reduces employees’ fears related
to their (and others’) status in the
organization.
• Coaching enables workers to feel they are
part of the organization rather than used by
it.
• Effective coaching endorses rather than
diminishes people’s skills and abilities.
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 The Importance and Benefits of
Coaching
• Coaching helps people overcome personal
obstacles hindering their success.
• When used in team settings, coaching
improves team communications and
provides a structure for managing conflict.
• Coaching behaviors encourage others to
coach.

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 Skills and Characteristics of
Effective Coaches
• A desire to bring out the best in others’
performance
• Ability to give constructive and positive
feedback
• Honesty and trustworthiness
• Willingness to NOT assign blame

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 Skills and Characteristics of
Effective Coaches
• Good communication skills
• A parallel style of thinking and acting
• Responsibility and accountability
• Constructive conflict management
• A personal level of caring

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 Effective Coaching Behaviors
• Coaching sessions require managers to
use face-to-face discussions of
performance problems.
• Effective coaches don’t legislate quality;
they model it.
• Effective coaches and their sessions
contain high levels of supportive behaviors
and moderate levels of initiating or problem-
solving behaviors.
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 Effective Coaching Behaviors
• Successful coaches use supportive
behaviors far more frequently than
unsuccessful coaches. Supportive behavior
categories:
– Verbal
– Tangible
– Active

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 Effective Coaching Behaviors
• The best coaches ask questions that
enable the employee to discover how to
improve.
• Successful coaches challenge employees
and stimulate resolutions.
• The best sessions are those in which the
coach plans, prepares, and rehearses prior
to the counseling session.
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 Supportive Coaching Behaviors
• Collaboration regarding solutions to
problems.
• Help and assistance through training and
resources.
• Concern over the employee’s needs and
objectives.
• Empathy for the employee and attention to
obstacles and problems.
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 Supportive Coaching Behaviors
• Expressions of the value of the employee
and his or her contribution to work.
• Acceptance of responsibility in situations.
• Interaction that provides time for the
employee to air his or her feelings.

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 Initiating Coaching Behaviors
• Feedback and analysis of issues and
concerns.
• Clarification of leader expectations and
requirements.
• Exploration of impact and effects of
employee’s actions.

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 Initiating Coaching Behaviors
• Action planning around solutions and
desired changes.
• Seeking commitment to the action plan.
• Clarification of positive and negative
consequences connected to future action
and plans.

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 Counseling
• Counseling is used to address personal or
attitudinal problems rather than those related to an
individual’s ability (or lack thereof).
– Directive counseling methods include:
• Probing
• Questioning
• Discussing specific problems and possible solutions
– The nondirective approach involves being a good
listener and sounding board.
• Seldom should a manager get involved in
counseling an employee.
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 Helping Others Set Goals
• Incorporate goal setting into the coaching
activity to motivate employees to set a new
course or direction.
• The organization’s environment must be
conducive to individual growth and
development in the context of
organizational goals.

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 Helping Others Set Goals
• Goals set for yourself are more likely to be
achieved when they are SMART.
• Goals should be challenging, yet realistic.
• Employees should establish and update
goals periodically.
• Commitment to goals will vary directly with
the amount of participation and input from
the employee in setting the goals.
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 Five Steps for Helping Others
Set Goals
• Prepare
• Clarify
• Decide
• Commit
• Participate

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 What is Feedback?
• Information that enables individuals or groups to
compare actual performance with a given standard
or expectation.
• Involves offering your perceptions and describing
your feelings in a nonjudgmental manner and
supplying data that others can use to examine and
change behaviors.
• Assists in goal setting and performance
improvement.
• Provides direct information about how you are
performing and how to direct your future efforts in
terms of corrective action.
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 Importance of Job Feedback in
Organizations
• Seasoned employees give feedback to new employees or
team members, ensuring that employees experience many
aspects of the business and become successful at teaching,
coaching, and mentoring others.
• Knowledge of effective feedback mechanisms can reduce the
strain caused by having to continually train new people.
• Feedback mechanisms allow employees to:
– Share progress toward goals
– Relay current problems
– Inform management about how they feel about their jobs, co-
workers, and the organization in general

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 Importance of Feedback for
Individuals
• Greatly benefits those with whom you work.
• Shows us how others perceive us.
• Provides us with information needed to change our
behaviors and attitudes, to be more efficient and
effective.
• By asking for feedback we:
– Demonstrate our commitment to improve and our
dedication to do things right
– Signal a desire to remain involved with an organization
in a longer and more meaningful capacity
– Build and enhance our esteem
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 Characteristics of Effective
Feedback
1. Specific 7. Timely

2. Nonpersonal 8. Frequent

3. Work related 9. Purposeful

4. Documentable 10. Constructive and balanced

5. Descriptive 11. In the appropriate setting

6. Nonprescriptive 12. Interactive

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 Benefits of Giving Feedback
• Ensures that individuals focus on meeting
organizational goals and objectives
• Reinforces positive and effective actions
and behaviors
• Provides corrective action of ineffective or
problematic behaviors

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 Benefits of Getting Feedback
• Builds our confidence by reinforcing our
strengths
• Directs us toward areas needing
improvement
• Helps us understand our blind spots –
weaknesses of which we’re unaware

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 Benefits of Asking for
Feedback
• Demonstrates our commitment to improve
• Demonstrates our dedication to doing
things right
• Shows our commitment to continued
service in an organization

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 Challenges in Providing
Feedback
 Managers are uncomfortable giving negative feedback and
discussing performance weaknesses.
 Employees tend to have an inflated view of their own
performance.
 Managers are afraid of the reaction they might get when
delivering negative feedback to some employees.
 As organizations have downsized and increased spans of
control, managers have less time available to provide
effective feedback to greater numbers of employees.

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 Tips for Preparing and Leading a
Feedback Session
• Prepare a script
• Examine your motives
• Ask for input
• Offer help, support, and suggestions
• Clarify expectations and specify next steps

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 Tips for Receiving Feedback
• Keep an ongoing performance folder
• Evaluate your own progress on a regular
basis
• Let someone know if a change in your
personal circumstances is affecting your
work

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 Asking for Feedback
• Demonstrate you’re open to continual
change and learning
• Learn why you’re not getting the feedback
• Assess why you want feedback before you
request it
• Ask for suggestions on how you can
improve

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