Coaching, Mentoring and Managing: A Coach Guidebook

Sit down and think through your decisions. If necessary,

involve another manager you admire in order to make sure

that you are thinking logically and that you can follow

through on future policies related to the decision.

Inconsistencies can be sidestepped with a little up-front

patience and planning — but, once committed, they are

extremely difficult to overcome.

And, check out all those rules. Many rules were

established for the convenience of the boss or

organization. Today’s workforce wants fair and realistic

standards and will question anything that appears illogical.

The Coach’s Role in Clarifying Expectations and

Verifying Understanding

You can’t expect to have an impact on people without

involvement and trust. The first thing you must do to achieve

results, however, is clarify goals. Tom Gilbert, the father of

performance management, teaches that you always describe what

good performance looks like and let employees know how you

will measure successes.

The finest game plan for the best team won’t guarantee

success unless that plan is communicated and understood. That’s

why coaches of professional athletes spend so much time

reviewing and discussing game films, designing play books,

conducting “chalk talks,” diagramming sideline plays, etc. Many

coaches believe that the game is won or lost before the actual

competition, depending on how well the game plan has been

presented and understood by team members.

The same holds true for the military, business and industry,

and any project management. There is no question that victories in

the organizational environment cannot happen without clear,

purposeful direction from the StaffCoach™ and consistent team

member comprehension. You can still fail despite having those

key elements, through factors beyond your control (e.g., policy

changes, equipment or material alterations, inadequate or incorrect

information). But probability says that the clearer the goal, the

surer the achievement.

Coaching, Mentoring and Managing

3

Many coaches

believe that the

game is won or

lost before the

actual competition.

Your

inconsistencies

can make your

people paranoid.