A Coach In The Workplace

My very first post written after my welcome to my blog was about Sports teams and workplace teams (leading them). That was March 2009!  Today, I want to focus on this concept a bit more. I have long been a supporter of the best bosses were the best coaches that I have had. I coached sports for almost as long as I was a boss. I would draw lots from each sports and workplace teams and share back and forth.  It worked for me! It worked when I had boss’ that were coaches, rather than finger pointers. I feel it worked for my teams!

So what does it look to be a coach minded boss?

• Motivate rather than direct only…  I really believe that motivating your team is going to be the best way to get the desired results. There will always come a time when you will have to direct as well. Sometimes the task or direction is new and there will be a need to direct. Direct does not go away, it just is used sparingly.
• Offer support to all employees…  Come on this one should be always done. Just think back during a time when you were on a team and the leader was not supporting all employees? Remember it? I do! There is always a time when offering support to all employees can be difficult, but that does not mean you just not do it.
• Make sure to emphasis the FUN in work and why it is important…  I have been told that there should not be fun at work by the leadership team (and I use the leadership team very loosely). Look at teams that are winning – they are having fun! They enjoy each other and helping each other be successful. It keeps the success going. If you are not having fun at work, then how successful is your team?

I don’t see that this requires a lot of change for many of the boss’ that are in the workplace today. They just need to look at their focus and make sure that they are using everything in their toolbox. Sports teams are not different than work teams. They both require many of the same things.. Expectations, discipline, feedback and fun! Balance your approach and act more like a coach and I bet your team will perform better.

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