Understanding the difference between coaching and counseling can be a game-changer for managers. These essential tools, when paired with effective communication and follow-through, become invaluable in guiding your team towards success. Let’s explore the nuances of coaching and counseling and uncover how mastering these techniques can enhance your managerial capabilities.
Exploring Coaching
If you’ve ever been involved in sports or music, chances are you’ve encountered coaching in some form. However, you’re probably aware that “coaching” can mean different things depending on your experiences. Each coach has their own style, ranging from firm to lenient. At our organization, we define coaching as a supportive and guiding action aimed at helping employees navigate their tasks with clarity on how, when, and why to do them.
For instance, let’s consider Cashier Chris. He efficiently completes his tasks, but his friendliness could use some improvement. In this scenario, your coaching approach would involve checking in with Chris to ensure he’s comfortable with his duties. Once that’s established, you can discuss his demeanor, emphasizing the positive impact of a warm attitude on customer interactions. Encourage questions and feedback, letting Chris know you’re there to support him.
Ultimately, a coaching experience should be simple, brief, and geared towards supporting the employee’s success. It could involve acknowledging someone’s excellent phone etiquette or offering suggestions for improvement.
Counseling, Up Close and Personal
Counseling differs from coaching in that it serves as a course-correction mechanism. It comes into play when an employee is veering off track or not executing tasks in the required manner. It’s important to acknowledge that not everyone will approach tasks in the same way, especially in roles that don’t demand absolute precision. However, for counseling to be warranted, the employee’s actions should be significantly deviating from the desired outcomes, hindering their effectiveness in achieving success.
For instance, let’s consider Cashier Chris, who attempted to close his cash drawer without completing the necessary forms. As a manager, it’s crucial to ensure that tasks like this are completed correctly for auditing purposes. When such errors occur, it’s essential to address them promptly. Counseling in this context involves providing Chris with the necessary training to rectify his mistake. Your role is to identify what Chris already knows about the correct procedures and then guide him to the correct method. Essentially, you’ll demonstrate to Chris what he did wrong and then instruct him on the correct procedure. It’s crucial to communicate in an informative and supportive manner, emphasizing the goal of achieving correct execution rather than criticizing him.
Remember, the purpose of counseling is to facilitate learning and improvement, not to belittle or chastise the employee.
Coaching on the Fly
Coaching is something that can be done spontaneously as you notice areas for improvement, signs of progress, or exemplary performance. It can occur in front of other employees, especially when addressing minor issues that others may also benefit from improving. If there’s a simpler or quicker method that maintains accuracy, share it with your team. Additionally, if you can provide insights into the reasons behind certain tasks to enhance your employees’ knowledge or prompt proactive behavior, take the opportunity to do so.
However, it’s important to recognize that not all work environments are conducive to spontaneous coaching. Employees who have had negative experiences with past employers may react with anger, embarrassment, or defensiveness. These responses are ingrained and it’s your role as a manager to help them develop new, positive reactions to support. If you aim for highly responsive employees, you must familiarize them with informative and supportive coaching and counseling from you. They need to trust that your intentions are genuinely aimed at their success, devoid of any malice or intent to undermine them. Building this trust requires consistent encouragement, clear communication, and unwavering consistency.
More Serious Counseling Situations
Occasionally, certain actions may necessitate immediate termination or disciplinary action against an employee. However, even during these challenging situations, there’s an opportunity to impart valuable lessons about workplace behavior.
Counseling should ideally occur in private. However, if your organization has a mentoring program in place, it could be beneficial to have the employee’s mentor present. This ensures continuity in mentorship, guiding the employee towards correct behavior.
It’s crucial to be transparent with the employee about your expectations for future success and how their current behavior may impact their career trajectory. Clearly outline the specific actions that were inappropriate, provide guidance on how to make necessary adjustments for success, and inform them of the follow-up process to ensure corrective action is taken. Throughout this communication, maintain an encouraging tone, clarity, and consistency to foster a constructive dialogue.
If you need more support on coaching and counseling for difficult situation check out our difficult conversation guide (LINK)
Insights from our Founder, Cheryl
Early in my career, I learned the hard way that neglecting follow-through until problems arose led to strained relationships with employees. They felt I was only focused on pointing out mistakes, rather than recognizing their positive efforts. Realizing this, I took a step back and implemented widespread corrective measures through group training sessions, emphasizing the importance of re-teaching correct procedures and providing positive reinforcement for minor mistakes.
To streamline communication and follow-up, I developed a communication tracker, ensuring I could effectively monitor coaching and counseling sessions and provide necessary support to employees. This tool not only helped me stay organized but also emphasized the importance of documenting formal communications according to organizational protocols. As a manager, conveying genuine care for your team’s success is paramount and learning that I needed to also catch my employees doing things right went a long way to repairing those minor relationship offenses.
Conclusion
Effective coaching and counseling are indispensable tools for nurturing employee growth and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. If you’re seeking comprehensive guidance on honing these skills, consider enrolling in our Coaching & Counseling Digital Course. Remember, as a manager, your foremost priority is the success and well-being of your team members. Through consistent support and clear communication, you can empower them to achieve their full potential.
