The Coaching Manager: Part One - Focus
The Coaching Manager: Part One – The Focus
The coaching discipline is exploding. The last survey done by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) received over 12,000 responses from 117 countries. The types of coaches available are remarkable. There are Life Coaches (probably the most common), there are success coaches (how do you define success? If only by income you are shorting yourself). There are relationship coaches, and my niches, career and business coaches. There are even Christian, and Spiritual coaches. A business partner of mine has a practice in addiction coaching. But can a business manager, or supervisor also be a coach? If we navigate the waters carefully, my opinion is YES. Absolutely.
To consider how a manager, and/or supervisor can also be a coach, I want to start the discussion with the focus of coaching. Like other nurturing disciplines the focus of coaching is the person in the relationship with the coach; the client. Focus on the client is best practices of coaching, and can be, and should be the focus of the coaching manager. It is obvious that for the professional coach that the person being coached, the client is the number one focus. But what reasons does the manager have to make their direct report, their client, the primary focus of their managing/coaching?
In my thirty years of corporate business experience, it is clear that projects come and go. In fact, about half of the projects proposed never move forward to fruition. To add to the complexity of managing based on projects, projects can be re-prioritized. If managers make the mistake of managing their direct reports with projects as the focus, they find themselves micro-managing the projects, while neglecting the development of their direct reports. In the world of business, and other organizations, there are mangers who focus on managing projects. This is the realm of project management, or sometimes product management.
A second reason to make the direct report the focus of managing/coaching is to develop skills of the direct report – the “client”. By developing both hard, and soft skills, the subordinate will be more productive, and ultimately happier. In being more productive, the direct report will be able to take on more work, therefore reducing organization costs, and increasing profits. Sound good?
Another reason to make the focus of “subordinate as client” is the direct report will be a happier, more motivated individual. Following best coaching practices, the coach/manager will set goals for the client to drive to, and work on reducing or removing blocks to success. The client/direct report will achieve more, and just as importantly be aware they are achieving more. The will be more successful, and feel more successful. Feeling they have more success, and have worth will reflect in the subordinate’s attitude, and demeanor. In short, they will be better people, and better people to work with.
Probably the most appealing reason from the manager’s perspective to focus on the subordinate in the supervisor => subordinate relationship is in the long run the manager’s work will be reduced. I like to call this aspect of coaching, empowering. By empowering the subordinate, the manager frees his, or herself, from decision making that the subordinate is now vetted to do on their own. When the direct report feels, and knows they are empowered to make good business decisions, the manager is now freed from the burden of micro-managing. The manager now has bandwidth to focus on the bigger picture – strategy, building relationships, and creating vision. If the direct report’s confidence is not built by the coach/manager – if the direct report does not feel they will be supported by their manager – they will run for guidance to management on every trite decision. Processes will stagnate, and the manager, ad subordinate relationship will suffer. Costs, and friction will continue to build unless something changes in the equation.
The process of describing the Manager as a Coach begins with a shared focus. The focus of both the coach, and the manager coach is the client. And if you strive to be a coaching manager, the client is your direct report, and more generally your team. By focusing on developing, and coaching your subordinates, you as manager are creating greater assets for your company, or organization. You are also freeing yourself from the burden of micro-managing so you have more bandwidth to develop business relationships, and develop business strategy. In the process you are creating an empowered team member. One that is more successful, and knows they are more successful. The momentum of success will be reflected in a more motivated, and confident direct report.
The coaching discipline is exploding. The last survey done by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) received over 12,000 responses from 117 countries. The types of coaches available are remarkable. There are Life Coaches (probably the most common), there are success coaches (how do you define success? If only by income you are shorting yourself). There are relationship coaches, and my niches, career and business coaches. There are even Christian, and Spiritual coaches. A business partner of mine has a practice in addiction coaching. But can a business manager, or supervisor also be a coach? If we navigate the waters carefully, my opinion is YES. Absolutely.
To consider how a manager, and/or supervisor can also be a coach, I want to start the discussion with the focus of coaching. Like other nurturing disciplines the focus of coaching is the person in the relationship with the coach; the client. Focus on the client is best practices of coaching, and can be, and should be the focus of the coaching manager. It is obvious that for the professional coach that the person being coached, the client is the number one focus. But what reasons does the manager have to make their direct report, their client, the primary focus of their managing/coaching?
In my thirty years of corporate business experience, it is clear that projects come and go. In fact, about half of the projects proposed never move forward to fruition. To add to the complexity of managing based on projects, projects can be re-prioritized. If managers make the mistake of managing their direct reports with projects as the focus, they find themselves micro-managing the projects, while neglecting the development of their direct reports. In the world of business, and other organizations, there are mangers who focus on managing projects. This is the realm of project management, or sometimes product management.
A second reason to make the direct report the focus of managing/coaching is to develop skills of the direct report – the “client”. By developing both hard, and soft skills, the subordinate will be more productive, and ultimately happier. In being more productive, the direct report will be able to take on more work, therefore reducing organization costs, and increasing profits. Sound good?
Another reason to make the focus of “subordinate as client” is the direct report will be a happier, more motivated individual. Following best coaching practices, the coach/manager will set goals for the client to drive to, and work on reducing or removing blocks to success. The client/direct report will achieve more, and just as importantly be aware they are achieving more. The will be more successful, and feel more successful. Feeling they have more success, and have worth will reflect in the subordinate’s attitude, and demeanor. In short, they will be better people, and better people to work with.
Probably the most appealing reason from the manager’s perspective to focus on the subordinate in the supervisor => subordinate relationship is in the long run the manager’s work will be reduced. I like to call this aspect of coaching, empowering. By empowering the subordinate, the manager frees his, or herself, from decision making that the subordinate is now vetted to do on their own. When the direct report feels, and knows they are empowered to make good business decisions, the manager is now freed from the burden of micro-managing. The manager now has bandwidth to focus on the bigger picture – strategy, building relationships, and creating vision. If the direct report’s confidence is not built by the coach/manager – if the direct report does not feel they will be supported by their manager – they will run for guidance to management on every trite decision. Processes will stagnate, and the manager, ad subordinate relationship will suffer. Costs, and friction will continue to build unless something changes in the equation.
The process of describing the Manager as a Coach begins with a shared focus. The focus of both the coach, and the manager coach is the client. And if you strive to be a coaching manager, the client is your direct report, and more generally your team. By focusing on developing, and coaching your subordinates, you as manager are creating greater assets for your company, or organization. You are also freeing yourself from the burden of micro-managing so you have more bandwidth to develop business relationships, and develop business strategy. In the process you are creating an empowered team member. One that is more successful, and knows they are more successful. The momentum of success will be reflected in a more motivated, and confident direct report.
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