Do you lead your team as a coach or as a boss?
A coach asks team members about their roles within the practice and allows them to define their professional objectives, says Joanne Ferguson, president of Advisor Pathways Inc. in Toronto. A boss simply tells people what to do.
Using coaching principles can motivate your staff and ultimately boost your bottom line. Team members will feel empowered to make decisions and pursue goals, Ferguson says. People who feel like part of a team will put more effort into their work and be more productive as a result.
Here are the three steps toward motivating your team by using coaching principles:
1. Ask the right questions Ferguson recommends using a series of questions derived from a popular coaching concept called GROW (goal; reality; obstacles; way forward) model. This technique was developed by Sir John Whitmore, a British author and coach.
The first question will ask your team member to define a goal. You will next look at the present situation. Are there any obstacles that will hinder this person in attaining the goal? Any factors that will help them?
The next step is to lead your team member to think of various options that can be used to successfully navigate toward that goal and, ultimately, accomplish it.
You’re not supplying the answers. Instead, you’re allowing your team member to come up with his or her own ideas.
“If you’re a true leader,” Ferguson says, “what you’re trying to do is empower the people around you to help themselves, and get them [to take] ownership of their roles.”
2. Acknowledge your involvement in team members’ success
Just as your staff members are integral to running your practice, you play a large part in their professional triumphs, and in their setbacks.
Ask if there is anything you can do to improve your tem members’ performance, or if you are inadvertently hindering their ability to do their job.
For example, you have been concerned that your marketing assistant is missing deadlines. When you ask him if there is any way you can help improve the situation, he might say he is overwhelmed by his workload. You can directly improve this situation by either assigning other team members to assist him or scaling back on ambitious projects. Doing so will likely help the quality of your assistant’s work improve, which will directly benefit your business.
3. Find ways to build trust
Your coaching won’t be very effective if your team members are not comfortable expressing to you their thoughts regarding their goals. You can build your colleagues’ trust by showing that you trust them.
Share your personal and business ambitions with them. If you’re training to run a marathon or studying for a new designation, tell your staff. They will be encouraged to return the favour by being upfront with you about their objectives.