CONTENTS
Coaching Supervision: Overview Supervisors help employees achieve objectives on a daily basis. Coaching is a behavioral control technique used by the supervisor to give on-going guidance and instruction, to follow day-to-day progress, and to give feedback. Coaching is the informal, day-to-day ongoing instructing of employees.
Sports and Work
There are many similarities in sports and work. The sports team wants to win games. The work team wants to satisfy customers. The coach sets challenging expectations for his or her athletes. A coach stresses the fundamentals; believes in players taking responsibility for their own behavior; is supportive and helpful, yet follows the rules consistently. The supervisor plays the role of a coach when he or she brings out the best in employees. The employees are like great athletes when they work together well.
The parallel between sports and work is clear. When teams in an organization are effectively coached, members are able to achieve their individual goals and those that benefit the team as a whole. Effective supervisors are coaches who help guide, support, and motivate employees. They provide necessary training when needed and recognition when earned. In the coaching process, the supervisor clarifies expectations and does whatever is necessary to assist employees in performing their best.
Many people are more highly motivated to participate in sports than they are in their jobs. There are many reasons why sports are preferred over work. Goals are more clearly defined. The rules of the game don't change. Performance is measured and clearly attached to a reward. Everyone knows the score. Feedback is more frequent, personal, and accurate.
Coaching is the ability to improve the job performance of employees. It involves teaching, the passing on of knowledge. Coaching is active, instead of passive, and is involved with guiding performance. Supervisors, who emphasize formal training and day-to-day coaching, reap the benefits of competence, high performance, commitment, and cooperative behavior.
The functions of management - planning, organizing, directing, and controlling - are used to supervise high performance teams. In planning, effective teams have clear, accepted goals. Supervisors ensure that employees understand what it is they are to achieve. In organizing, supervisors clarify the amount of authority possess by the team. Self-managed teams are empowered to make decisions. Other forms of teams may have different authority boundaries. Structurally, objectives are set; roles identified, and work processes created. In directing, supervisors accept leadership roles. In controlling, supervisors and team members determine how the team's performance will be evaluated and how will they be rewarded.
The Coaching Process
Step 1. Prepare the learner. Offer an explanation of what to do. Barriers to effective coaching include the learner's fear of change or of appearing incompetent. The learner might be defensive. The supervisor can help the learner to relax by empathizing with him or her. Find out what the learner already knows. Proceed from the familiar to the unfamiliar.
Step 2. Demonstrate the operation. Demonstrate how to do it. Explain to the learner exactly what is being done during a demonstration, moving from the simple to the complex. Allow the learner the opportunity to ask questions. Explain the relationship between what the learner is doing and the overall operation.
Step 3. Create a positive atmosphere. Give positive reinforcement to the learner. Be patient with the learner.
Step 4. Have the learner perform the operation. Let the learner participate. Active participation is essential for instilling long-term learning. Step 5. Follow up. Evaluate learning. Check up on the learner's progress to demonstrate your availability to answer questions and to discover any new problems.
Review
Today's Manager Managerial Functions Management Levels Managerial Roles Management Skills Management History Business Environment Supervision: Planning Planning Process Operating Guidelines Objective Setting Action Plans Problem Solving Supervision: Organizing Organizing Process Power and Authority Delegating Communicating Managing Time Supervision: Directing Teambuilding Consensus-Building Selecting Training Leading Motivating Supervision: Controlling Controlling Process Coaching Counseling Disciplining Evaluating Terminating
