Managers Must Develop Coaching Skills to Improve Effectiveness

Managers Must Develop Coaching Skills to

Improve Effectiveness

I believe that converting bosses to coaches is now a requirement for sustained organizational success. You may be familiar with the saying, “people don’t leave companies, they leave managers”.

 Let’s look at some data that supports my contention – 

• Recent Gartner research of 75 HR leaders indicated that 68% of their managers reported being overwhelmed. Only 14% of those companies took steps to help their managers cope.
• McKinsey research found that having a good relationship with their managers is a top factor in employee satisfaction and engagement. It is also the second-most important determinant of wellbeing.
• McKinsey also found that 75% of participants in a recent study indicated that the most stressful part of their job was their immediate boss.
• Gallup research has revealed that 70% of the variance in team engagement is determined solely by the manager.
• Gallup research reveals that only 22% of workers strongly agree that the leadership of their organization has a clear direction for their organization.
• According to Gallup, 75% of people quit their job to get away from their manager at some point in their career.
• The consulting firm O.C. Tanner found that weekly one-on-ones with managers during uncertain times leads to a 54% increase in engagement, a 31% increase in productivity, a 15% decrease in burnout, and a 16% decrease in depression among employees. 

It is now crystal clear that the old “command and control” approach to management at the expense of employee wellbeing is now a prescription for failure. It is useful to understand some of the drivers behind this dramatic shift in the role of the manager. In the HBR article, “Managers Can’t Do It All” (Gehrson, Gratton) reported that four waves of innovation (process reengineering, digitization, the agile movement, and the concept of flexible work) significant changed to role of the manager along three dimensions – power, skills, and structure. In the power shift, managers are now responsible for making teams successful, not being served by them. The skills shift now requires managers to coach performance, not oversee and manage tasks. The structural shift requires managers to lead in fluid environments, i.e. remote workforces. In summary, the authors state, “when managers coach they’re making a power shift by moving instruction to support and guidance; a skills shift by moving from the oversight of work to the continual giving of feedback; and a structural shift by engaging with their people in a way that’s dynamic and constant rather than static and episodic.”

A common misconception of “coaching” is that it involves a combination of soft skills that minimize, if not eliminate, accountability and risks bottom line performance. The reality is that effective coaching has the opposite impact. As previously reported, effective coaching drives increases in employee engagement and productivity. Effective coaching reduces stress, employee burnout and expensive employee turnover. 

But be aware that a successful transition from the old concepts and practices of traditional    management requires significant commitment and skill. Success is significantly enhanced by a well-developed plan and facilitation by a professionally trained executive coach with actual senior leadership experience. 

Working with your leadership I can lead the process of plan development and execution. I have both the training and experience to make your transition a success. 

Let me know how I can help you.