Coaching
This unit helps managers strengthen their ability to manage performance through effective feedback and supportive coaching conversations. Participants will learn how to give clear, specific, timely feedback that clarifies expectations and addresses performance issues without avoiding difficult conversations. The session also introduces coaching as a practical management tool—helping employees reflect on their work, take ownership of their performance, and identify next steps for improvement and growth.
Through discussion and practice, managers will build confidence in using an approach that emphasizes clarity, accountability, and support. By combining feedback with coaching, managers will leave better equipped to guide performance, reinforce strengths, and support employees in making meaningful progress.
Learning Outcomes
-
Provide clear, specific, and timely feedback that focuses on both areas of strength and areas for improvement.
-
Navigate performance management conversations with greater confidence and clarity.
-
Use coaching techniques to help employees reflect on their performance and identify next steps.
-
Ask effective coaching questions that promote accountability, learning, and growth.
Practical Application
This program emphasizes practical application of your learning. Here are some suggestions for how to put these skills into action:
- Build regular feedback into your routine by setting aside time in 1:1 meetings to share specific, timely feedback tied to expectations and outcomes—rather than waiting for annual reviews.
- Ask your team for feedback on your management approach (e.g., communication, clarity of expectations, or support) and explicitly share what you heard and what you plan to do in response.
- Prepare for difficult performance conversations by identifying one concrete behavior or outcome to address, why it matters, and what “success” looks like going forward.
- Use coaching questions in performance discussions (e.g., “What’s working well?” “What’s getting in the way?” “What support would be most helpful right now?”) to help employees reflect and identify their own next steps.
- Shift from solving to supporting by resisting the urge to immediately fix problems and instead guiding employees to propose solutions and actions.
- Clarify expectations together by asking employees to articulate their understanding of priorities, deadlines, and standards—and adjusting as needed.
- Connect feedback to development by discussing skill gaps or growth areas and identifying relevant courses, stretch assignments, or learning opportunities available to them.
- Follow up on feedback and coaching conversations by revisiting agreed-upon actions in future check-ins to reinforce accountability and progress.
- Acknowledge and reinforce strengths by using feedback to name what employees are doing well and encouraging them to build on those strengths.
- Model a growth mindset by sharing how you are applying feedback you’ve received and what you are working to improve as a manager.