Why should managers coach their team? The answer lies in the main reason employees leave their jobs: because of the direct relationship with their manager. By focusing on this key retention strategy, businesses could save tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in rehiring people and retraining them to the same level of competence.

If managers are able to coach employees in their remit, rather than always being in the directive role, they will feel more engaged and empowered, and will be ultimately more likely to stay.

Coaching enables managers to help their workers identify strengths and weaknesses while also working on improving their skills and performance. Through regular feedback and guidance, people can make progress and meet their goals. When managers provide team members with opportunities for learning and growth, it helps them acquire new skills and knowledge.

Coaching involves regular, positive and constructive feedback. Effective communication between managers and their people is essential for understanding expectations of the work that is required and making adjustments.

Coaching benefits

Managers can use coaching to help people achieve their goals. Coaching can enhance and develop a range of skills in managers and their people, such as:

• Motivation and focus: Effective coaching by a manager can boost an employee’s motivation and focus, and help them understand how their work contributes to the business’ wider goals, so they see the shared vision.

• Conflict resolution: Managers rely on their coaching skills when resolving conflicts and improving relationships within the team. Managers who can mediate and facilitate communication can prevent conflict and address issues effectively.

• Leadership development: Coaching skills allow managers to identify people with high potential and prepare them for leadership roles.

When I read the 2019 book, Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg and Alan Eagle, I was moved. This inspiring book illustrates the power of coaching.

Campbell’s unique coaching style extended to a wide range of influential tech leaders and executives, including Steve Jobs (Apple), Schmidt (Google) and Jeff Bezos (Amazon).

He genuinely cared about the wellbeing and success of the leaders he coached. This personal touch was a hallmark of his coaching style.
He focused on trust as a pillar of his coaching. He was results-oriented. He was known for his direct communication.

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There are three key ways to empower your managers to coach.

1. Provide coaching training for managers

Implement coaching training programs designed to teach your managers coaching skills and techniques. These programs may include workshops, courses, or online resources. Ensure the training is interactive and includes role playing (as much as people hate it) and practice sessions.

Managers need to be aware of the different types of coaching conversations they need to have with their people, which require different intentions or focus for the person they are coaching.

2. Recognize that managers wear different ‘hats’ (but they always come back to coaching)

A manager has many different hats to wear. They need to be able to adapt, depending on the situation and the needs of their people. There are four primary roles that a manager must play. Each time they want to return to coaching and spend most of their time coaching.

• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Training
• Facilitating

3. Develop a model that is used consistently in the business by everyone

As each manager will coach differently, it is important to use one coaching model that everyone in the business can use. This has many benefits including that coaching practices are consistent throughout the business. It also creates a unified approach to coaching.

I suggest using the GROW model.  It stands for Goals, Reality, Options and Will. The process begins with establishing clear, achievable goals (Goals), understanding the current situation and identifying challenges (Reality), exploring a range of possible strategies and solutions (Options), and finally, committing to specific actions and steps to achieve the goals (Will).

This structured approach helps individuals and teams to clarify their objectives, assess their current state, brainstorm potential solutions, and develop a concrete plan of action, ultimately fostering growth and progress.

Empowering your managers to better coach your people is essential to keeping the best talent in a tight market.