We already know it takes more than a hat to make a moose and more than a title change to make managers into Coaches.
It’s easy enough to say quality training and support are what makes or breaks a good manager, but what does that actually mean?
Here’s a handy checklist of key questions every good Coach needs to ask their direct report:
1. Do they WANT to be a manager?
Seems intuitive right? Everyone wants to climb the ranks and earn more money! Many ambitious people make it to Manager Level. With their drive and talents, it seems like the natural progression.
But that isn’t the dream for everyone. There are plenty of workers out there that don’t want the additional responsibilities or are uncomfortable with leadership. They enjoy what they do well and want to keep doing that. “Rewarding” them with a manager title may scare them off entirely or, worse yet, result in detrimental dynamics.
It’s absolutely vital to know what your team member’s ambitions are. That helps match them up to the roles that best suit them and meet the company's needs.
(Side Note: Don’t fret about how to Coach someone that doesn’t want to be a manager. They still have skills that can be improved to better do their job or production goals to meet/exceed.)
2. But do they REALLY WANT to be a manager?
Being a manager is more than being really good at your job or wanting direct reports. They’ll need to prove they’re a reliable leader that can Coach their own team to make successful contributions to the company. Focus areas that ask them to demonstrate and develop these skills in measurable and impactful ways is key.
Focus Area Example:
Cultivate Interdepartmental Communication: You’ve noticed that balls are being dropped because some teams aren’t talking to each other in key moments. Tasking an aspiring manager to use their talents in resolving this develops their skills, strengthens the teams, builds their confidence, and makes the company more productive overall. They could come up with new solutions that include meetings, messaging boards, chat clients, or they could get really creative and surprise you.
Increase Production Floor Flow: Maybe this would-be manager has an eye for quality control and productivity. There is always room to improve the capabilities of the manufacturing floor. Maybe they increase their own training in Six Sigma or Lean techniques, tweak the floor layout, or suggest an incentive program for employees. Their experience and talents could find ways to remove inefficiencies and encourage overall output.
Train the Newbies: They may be really good at what they do, but are they good at helping others be good at what they do? Ask them to put their leadership and Coaching skills to the test by training new hires. If they’re going to move into management, you’ll need someone ready to step into their position anyway. It’s a win-win.
3. Are they Coach material?
A potential manager may have ambition and they may be clever, but can they Coach their team? Can they drill down to have quality conversations, identify strengths to build on, and give guidance through development recommendations?
Development Recommendation Examples:
Have them complete the Coaches Workshop training videos within the Catalytic Coaching Online software, powered by Energage.
Ask the company’s Coach2 to run through some practice Coaching sessions with your potential up-and-comers. This will let them practice the process from the Coaches seat and get the guidance they need from a Coach of Coaches.
If it’s been a while since your company has had training, maybe it’s time for a refresher. Your Coach2 can lead this or you can call in the experts and we’ll come help.
What’s a Coach2?
These Coach of Coaches are highly trained and certified by Catalytic Coaching creator Gary Markle to implement and support the Coaching process as well as be the administrator of the software that houses the forms and resources.
Coach2s are certified through the Catalytic Coaching Mastery Program. There’s a session coming up that starts on July 10th. You can still register someone from your company, but time is running short.
Garold (Gary) Markle is the creator of Catalytic Coaching and author of Catalytic Coaching: The End of the Performance Review. He brings real world experience from 17 years in HR leadership in major corporations coupled with 20 years of teaching small and mid-sized organizations how to cultivate their leadership and ditch their detrimental performance reviews for a proven Coaching process.
Book Gary to speak to your audience about speeding your pace of significant change.
Connect with him on LinkedIn - Check out his videos on YouTube - Sign up for emails or Request information - Follow on Facebook
