Case Study ...........................................................................................................
Jennifer and Paul recently assumed StaffCoaching™ roles in
the same division of a large greeting-card firm. Both were
supervisors before their promotions. Both wrote down their plans
as new StaffCoaches™ for their respective departments.
Jennifer said she looked forward to defining the auditing
department challenges her team faced and then providing the team
with well-defined goals and standards. Because of her job
knowledge, she also planned to prepare a detailed performance
model for each employee. She felt this approach would assure
consistency in goals and performance standards and measure job
and performance progress.
Paul said he had enrolled in a management-skills seminar to
make sure he understood the coaching process. In the meantime,
he planned to involve his accounts receivable group in day-to-day
planning, organizing and problem solving. He felt his job
experience was a strong plus but wanted every member of his
team to contribute to the group’s effectiveness. Paul also said team
members need the growth that comes from being involved in a
project.
Which of these StaffCoaches™ would you like to work
for? Why?Analysis ...............................................................................................................
Jennifer and Paul both recognize the importance of goals and
plans. Employees who have limited knowledge or experience may
appreciate Jennifer’s approach because they have more to learn.
Her standards and models will provide needed guidance. As they
learn under her coaching style, however, they may soon feel
reluctant to share their own job ideas. New work methods plus
simpler and better ways to achieve objectives might be rare under
Jennifer’s leadership. Experienced employees may feel an
immediate sense of confinement.
Experienced employees will appreciate Paul’s approach
because it provides a needed outlet for involvement. They will feel
free to help the team effectiveness while working on their own.1 Coaching, Mentoring and Managing
C A S E S T U D Y