Performance Coaching

All too often, performance coaching is used with "low performers" who provide frequent performance or behavior problems. These are the employees who provide organizations challenges and take up the majority of performance coaching time. While these "low performers" do need coaching, guidance, and discipline, we often fail to look at the other end of the spectrum. Through research, development, and working with clients worldwide over the past 28 years we have found that managers often fail to provide performance coaching to the above average or outstanding employee.

THE PERFORMANCE COACHING FEAR
One of our biggest fears in the workplace is that a leader will hesitate to coach strong employees who rarely need performance coaching. We, in fact, have the same dilemma in our own organization. We probably could get along quite nicely by smoothing over the small or infrequent issues with these employees. However, the truth is above-average employees, on occasion, create problems; and they do want developmental and performance coaching. You need to approach these employees a bit differently than other employees. In all likelihood, they are knowledgeable, skillful, and self-motivated; and their own personality style probably fits the organization. These high-achieving employees are trying to tell us indirectly, by the quality of their work, that they want to be helpful and feel responsible for doing the best possible job. Consequently, the biggest disservice in these situations is done to the employee and not to ourselves.

We find that when a concern or issue develops, it results from factors other than those listed above, because the employees want to work effectively, are talented, and aren't into nonconformity. The only remaining causes of performance problems are perceptual blind spots (the employee made an error and didn't realize it), confusion and misunderstanding (the employee didn't understand that the assignment was his/hers), or inadequate resources (the employee didn't have adequate time, money, equipment, or personnel to do the job.) The good news is that these problems are easier to deal with when you have talented, motivated, and compatible employees on your side. The bad news is that you, as the leader, must fulfill your performance coaching obligation and not allow these employees to blindly plod along thinking all is well.

We suggest that leaders seriously consider a less directive performance coaching session with highly talented employees. Since you have so many advantages in your favor, you need merely guide the process using questions and non-aggressive statements, along with a lot of collaboration and support. We can't say this too strongly: the more hard working and sincere the employee, the more you must be prepared to articulate various forms of support during the dialogue so the employee doesn't feel attacked, devalued, and unappreciated. This will prevent the unwanted side effects of a bad performance coaching session; namely, bitterness and resentment for intruding or over directive the employee when he/she is very able and willing to act. The employee deserves some credit, and you need to know what is happening and how things will be improved or changes in a positive way.

Even good employees don't like to be misled. These people are perceptive; they know when you are being too cautious with them and avoiding sticky or unpleasant issues. We simply make the plea to deal with the issues openly, to clarify your intent to work in concert with them.

To learn more about performance coaching process and how we can help all levels of performers in your organizations, please download a copy of our performance coaching brochure or contact a CMOE representative at (877)The-Coach (877-843-2622)

Steven Stowell PhD, is the President and Founder of CMOE (The Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness). Dr. Stowell and the CMOE team have been assisting organizations worldwide over the past 28 years in the areas of Performance Coaching, Leadership Training, and Organizational Development and Change.

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