FEEDBACK AND COACHING ARE THE LEADER’S RESPONSIBILITY
As a leader, you have a responsibility to motivate and develop your employees to perform. We know today that there is a clear correlation between results and coaching of employees.
For example, if we increase coaching of an employee from 2 to 3 hours per month, their average goal achievement increases by 17%. So, there is a lot of value to be gained.
Get started with feedback and coaching
We know that feedback, personal and professional development, and the feeling of success are important working conditions for employees if they are to be loyal and engaged. A skilled leader has a great influence on their employees and can be a crucial personal resource for their development and career. So, you have a big responsibility in making ongoing coaching an important part of your leadership work and your daily routines.
Frequency creates relevance and value
The annual performance review can advantageously be broken down into a natural part of yours and your employee’s collaboration throughout the year. Companies that have a formal and regular rhythm for coaching and developing their customer-facing functions have, according to new analyses, a 12.9% higher win-rate on sales than those who conduct random or no coaching.
Increased frequency ensures a present dialogue between employee and leader on important topics such as good performance and leadership. Our experience is that it is important to keep it simple and focus on the development perspective to ensure relevance for both leader and employee.
Coaching or mentoring
There are many approaches to coaching and mentoring, but the essence for most is; to unlock people’s potential so they can maximise their own performance.
Coaching in this context is defined as the ongoing dialogue you have with your employees. This is where you provide feedback on results and observations, and help the employee set new goals and carry out the necessary activities.
It’s about both what you do together and how you do it. What is about the activity and agenda. How is about the way you work with your employee during your dialogue. It can in principle be both coaching in nature, where you ask questions and let the employee find the answers, but also mentoring, where you share knowledge and experience and provide concrete suggestions to the employee. It depends on the situation and the level of your employee.
A good structure
There are three steps you can use to structure the conversation with the employee:
- Look at the future situation. Focus on the goals and get the employees’ input on how they can be achieved before making your suggestions.
- Evaluate the current situation. Create a common understanding of the situation and identify development needs. Provide feedback constructively once you understand the employee’s situation.
- Define the specific activities. Which activities need to be initiated to achieve the goal and the future situation, and how should they be carried out? Help the employee focus.
Before the dialogue, it is of course necessary that you have prepared for the conversation and that you start the conversation well.
Preparation and follow-up create results
In preparation, you should look at the employee’s results and performance in relation to the objectives. Evaluate the employee on KPIs and success criteria and consider where you think the focus should be for the next period. Define what you want to achieve with the employee when you meet and what result you would like to see by the next conversation.
When you start the conversation with the employee, it is important that you set the stage and ensure that the employee feels comfortable in the situation, and that there is clarity about the purpose.
There are, of course, differences between people and what they need from you as a leader. As a starting point, it is always a good idea to have a positive and open approach by actively listening and creating a good atmosphere.
After your conversation, you need to follow up. You need to ensure momentum, so make sure to motivate the employee to stretch and do what it takes to succeed.