Traditional managers
expect compliance. Coaching-managers expect engagement, creativity,
responsibility, and ownership.
People who have been
controlled often prefer compliance over participation.
“Just tell me what to do,” is a cop
out.
Some prefer being
controlled to the responsibility of controlling themselves.
It’s easier and safer
to be told what to do than to figure it out yourself.
Controlling managers:
- Place themselves in the center.
- Create helplessness in others. The more
compliance you expect the more helplessness you create.
- Enjoy giving permission.
- Stifle creativity.
- Punish mistakes.
- Complain about disengaged employees.
- Feel stress that comes from trying to control
things that can’t be controlled.
Bonus: Controlling
managers create bottlenecks.
Coaching managers:
- Place others in the center.
- Give power.
- Expect initiative.
- Tap creativity.
- Use mistakes as growth opportunities.
- Celebrate engagement, effort, and progress.
- Believe others must control themselves.
Compliance isn’t engagement.
Bonus: Coaching-managers
enhance the results of others.
Overcoming
resistance:
Transitioning from
controlling management to coaching feels awkward to employees.
What if an employee
says, “You have more experience. Just tell me what to do.”
How to
coach through resistance to being coached:
- What feels good about having me tell you what
to do?
- How might developing your own
solutions be useful?
- What would you suggest we try? Be sure several
options are on the table before they choose a path forward.
- Which option energizes you?
- How can you take the next steps?
- Your development is more important than taking
the quick way.
- We’re different people, what works for me may
not work for you.
Not always:
Coaching isn’t a cure
all. The choice to tell or advise is still on the table.
The ultimate goal of
coaching is developing and leveraging the potential of others. But, sometimes
the need for quick results takes precedence over development.
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