Impact Achievement Group Article Advises New Managers on Coaching Flexibility

Leadership development firm's article series on new manager training emphasizes key strategies to grow into management


SEATTLE – November 22, 2010 – The fact that supervisors and managers will face a wide variety of performance situations and employee issues necessitates flexibility in coaching styles. Success in a supervisor or management position is dependent upon adaptability. A new article by Impact Achievement Group provides details on how to coach any employee at any level.


"Performance Coaching Flexibility: Every Great Manager Has It," the eleventh in a 12-part article series, gives new supervisors practical tools to coach employee performance. The articles are derived from Supervisory Basics™, 12 individual yet linked two-hour training modules, delivered in leader-led or eLearning formats that help managers understand the management behaviors and tactics required to ensure their and their company's success.


The article discusses how effective coaching requires pinpointing specific tasks—not general performance issues. Once specific tasks are identified, the foundation of effective coaching is the supervisor or manager's ability to accurately diagnose performance before choosing a coaching style. Lee Klepinger, president of Impact Achievement Group, says "Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice!" The critical elements of effective diagnosis are:


  • Results: What is the present level of performance results relative to what is considered acceptable—ranging from "well below standard" to "consistently well above standard"?
  • Ability: Does the employee have the knowledge, experience, and skill needed to accomplish specific tasks at the acceptable standard? Supervisors often confuse enthusiasm, potential or capability with ability.
  • Attitude: Does the employee possess the combination of confidence to learn and stand on their own two feet, and the necessary commitment (desire) to accomplish specific tasks at an acceptable level?

Once the new manager determines which of these elements needs to be addressed, the next step is to choose the appropriate coaching style. The article defines four levels of employee performance and their corresponding coaching styles. A manager should not, for instance, give a high degree of autonomy to a person who is not performing at an acceptable level. Each performance level requires its own combination of structure, direction, involvement, and autonomy."


Over the past several years, the prevailing notion has been to avoid management or supervisor behavior that is directive in nature," said Rick Tate, Senior Managing Partner of IAG. "But using directive types of behavior at the appropriate times helps give employees structure and direction, which can then help improve performance and deal with difficult issues."


"Performance Coaching Flexibility: Every Great Manager Has It" is available for download.

 

Article 12 in the series will address initiative and delegation – specifically the skills used for creating initiative, preventing upward delegation and effectively delegating appropriate tasks. Download Article 12 in the series.



About Impact Achievement Group

Impact Achievement Group provides assessment, coaching, customer loyalty and leadership development training that focuses on employee selection, retention, employee engagement and customer engagement. By integrating and blending the world's best assessment and recruiting processes, workshops and eLearning training, coaching and measurement programs, Impact Achievement Group helps organizations improve human performance to achieve bottom line results.



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