Coaching
your direct reports:The
Art of the One-to-One
Think
about those executives who you have known in your career.
Those individuals who you have admired, respected and considered
successful. You would likely notice that they have embraced
the roles of coach, teacher and mentor. How effective are
you at coaching your direct reports? Are you getting the results
you expect from them? Do you have a systematic approach to
coaching your staff into higher performance? How effective
are your direct reports at coaching their staff?
One
of the most effective tools you have at your disposal to coach
is having a consistent, structured one-to-one coaching sessions
with your direct reports. These are high-level conversations
where you and your direct reports set aside dedicated time
to address the long-term strategic issues facing the company
and the developmental issues facing your direct report.
In
my executive performance practice the subject of the one-to-ones
comes up as a key improvement area that would lead to better
business results. The questions are: What should the purpose
be of the one-to-one? What skills contribute to effective
one-to-one coaching? How often should the one-to-ones be held?
What are some Do’s and Don’ts of effective one-to-ones?
What are your answers to these?...[Read
on for our thoughts]
Carlos's
Book Pick
Fierce
Conversations - Achieving Success at Work &
in Life, One conversation at a Time by Susan Scott. Over
ten thousand hours of one-to-one conversations with industry
leaders, as well as workshops with men and women from all
walks of life confronting issues of relationship and life
direction, have convinced Susan Scott that our work, our relationships
and in fact our very lives succeed or fail gradually, then
suddenly, one conversation at a time.
The
Premise: "A fierce conversation is not me telling you
what you think. A fierce conversation is one that is is passionate,
effective, direct, thought provoking, intense, powerful, robust,
untamed, unbridled." A fierce conversation is a memorable
one that challenges ideas and builds relationships.
The
3 BIG Ideas: (1) Our lives succeed, or fail, one conversation
at a time. (2) The conversation is the relationship and (3)
All conversations are with myself, and sometimes they involve
other people.
The
7 Principles: (1) Master the courage to interrogate reality.
(2) Come out from behind yourself into the conversation and
make it real. (3) Be here, prepared to be nowhere else. (4)
Tackle your toughest challenge today. (5) Obey your instincts.
(6) Take responsibility of your emotional wake. (7) Let silence
do the heavy lifting. [Read
on, explore the 3 BIG Ideas and the 7 Principles...].
Performance
Insight
Increase
your EXECUTIVE PERFORMANCE, fuel your one-to-ones with these
thought provoking questions from Fierce Conversations:
•
What
has become clear since we last met?
•
What
is currently impossible to do that, if it were possible, would
change everything?
•
What
are you trying to make happen in the next 3 months?
•
What’s
the most important decision you are facing? What’s keeping
you from
making it?
•
What
topics are you hoping I won’t bring up?
•
What
area under your responsibility are you most satisfied with?
least
satisfied
with?
•
Who are
your weakest employees? What is your plan for them?
•
What
conversations are you avoiding right now?
[Read
on for the full list]
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