Coaching, Mentoring and Managing: A Coach Guidebook

process between the coach and individual or team; it requires good

chemistry, a lot of listening and observing — and caring. Barbara

Jordan exudes that caring, whether she is in front of an audience,

beside a group of citizens or among her staff.

As a StaffCoach™, you will use all three approaches —

coaching, mentoring and counseling — as your people need them.

For the people who do average work, meet all their goals and

handle their accountabilities, you will get the best results from

coaching them. Help them directly improve their performance and

go beyond “just enough.”

Coaching is at the heart of the StaffCoach™ Model. Its actions

are the foundation for mentoring and counseling. The guidelines,

steps and techniques apply to all. Whenever you want to move

your people, get buy-in, inspire or motivate, coaching is the

answer.

The Coaching Role ..............................................................................................

Coaching is a before, during and after set of activities. It goes

beyond the game and throughout your people’s employment. It’s

not a single action. You won’t be able to review an employee’s

past performance, note that he has been doing just enough to get

by — no more, no less — and decide this guy needs some

coaching. Since you have five minutes you call him in, give him a

“one more for the old gipper” speech and shove him out the door

with a friendly pat on the shoulder and an “I know you can do it”

farewell. This may be abdicating or copping out, but it sure

isn’t coaching.

Your role as a coach involves basic, continuous facilitation.

1. Involvement and trust
   Your overall relationship, just like a preseason, is devoted
   to communicating your willingness and ability to support
   the team. Immersing yourself in their activities and
   interests and involving them in discussions is a trust-
   builder, for both sides. As tasks occur, just as a regular
   season of play arrives, team members should be convinced
   that you are the right coach for them ... even if your
   decisions aren’t always popular. You and the team are

Coaching, Mentoring and Managing

3

“If you don’t

overcome the

obstacles, you’ll

never become

the success.”

— John Mackovic