How to Coach Your Employees - 5 Simple Steps Anyone Can Do!

Coaching has become the buzzword of the 21st century and for many managers and small business owners, it seems like a weird and mysterious thing. Yet it's not complicated or hard. Best of all, you're probably doing much of it already. Here are 5 simple steps to fine tune your coaching skills.

You want to get more from your people, but you don't know how? Are you up for a small challenge and prepared to do things a little differently?

If so, we have five changes to your style that you will find easy to incorporate into the way you work and your people will love you for it; you will have more time and your business will flourish.

Think about it - is that not worth just the little effort required?

1. Stop Fixing Things
   Next time someone comes to you with a problem in your business, STOP, before you give the solution and try the next step.
   
2. Ask them
   For more information - ask it as an open question, start with words like:-
   
   
   • What?
     
   • How?
     
   • When?
     
   • Who?
     
   • Where?
   
   You can even ask Why?, if you don't make it too intimidating.
   
   Three particular favourites of mine are:-
   
   "Tell me more about that...", "What have you tried already?" and "What do you think?"
   
   
3. Listen
   Their answers will tell you a lot - you've gone to the trouble of asking, so listen to the answers. Here's a big tip - once they stop talking, leave a space for them to say more - they usually will and in that second burst, often comes the revealing solution for them!
4. Ask More
   When they finally run out of steam, ask them another open question. This time about something they have just told you. Listen hard and the right question will come to you (note - there are no 'wrong' questions to ask!).
   
5. And Finally
   During the discussion they will have processed their own ideas and solutions. You can then give them licence to give their ideas a try, with a "Do you want to try that and let me know how it goes?"
   

Simple ideas? Of course! In the workplace, start using these tactics and you will become much more of a coach!

Your people will develop new skills to help your business progress. And you will not only be able to let them develop their confidence and make some of 'your' decisions for themselves, but you will create time for you - and that will be a big help for future growth!

True, coaches who make their living from it have more tools in their chest. For day to day success, these five steps will more than suffice.

Everyone's a coach!