When I first started my career, I didn’t really know how to build coaching culture. My boss would give me feedback and tell me what to do differently, but it never felt like a two-way conversation. It wasn’t until later on in my career that I realized the power of coaching and how it can help people grow both personally and professionally. If you’re looking for how to build coaching culture in your workplace, this blog post will show you how.
How to Build Coaching Culture in Your Workplace
The coffees at both of my nearby Starbs taste the same. Their interiors are exactly the same. The location of each is equidistant from my home.
At one shop, the employees seem more interested in their machines than their customers. This makes it difficult for customers to communicate with them and makes them feel like they aren’t important.
At the other coffee shop, the employees make an effort to smile at me and greet me by name. This makes me feel more welcome and makes me more likely to return.
Guess which one do I check out more often?
I noticed that one store had a “manager” with a “tag” that read “FROWNING, BRUSQUE WOMAN”. I wonder if she was at the other store.
Our managers, especially our bosses, are major influencers of workplace cultures and behaviors.
The benefit of having a strong culture is that your employees will be motivated to go above and beyond the call of duty, which will result in higher customer satisfaction, a stronger brand, and a higher profit margin.
As the head of HR, you have the unique opportunity to coach leaders and help them inspire their teams to perform at their best. By teaching them how to effectively communicate and motivate their employees, you can help create a strong culture that leads to better products, service, customer engagement, and bottom-line results.
Be a Leader.
A good coaching approach requires a lot of perseverance, dedication, and courage. It’s not the same as learning to create a spreadsheet.
Developing the skill of sales coaching takes time, patience, and practice. Once you learn it, however, you will have a power that you can wield throughout the rest of your career.
Coaches can help boost your emotional IQ, which is your ability to recognize and manage your emotions and those of others.
According to Talent Smart, 90% of top salespeople have a high level of emotional quotient, or EQ, which enables them to manage their own emotions as well as those of others, making them better salespeople.
Here are some signs to look out for in coaching meetings to get a sense of how your managers are feeling.
Sometimes, all people want is someone to listen.
You can show that you’re listening by restating what the other person has said.
Don’t judge a situation before you’ve fully considered it. As human beings, we tend to jump to conclusions before considering all the available information.
If you want more engaging conversations, approach the other person with genuine interest. People tend to respond better to this approach, and this will help you to have a more fruitful discussion.
Make a generous assumption that everyone you encounter is doing their best.
Don’t jump to conclusions when problems arise. Instead, ask questions such as “What other possible causes could there be?”.
Ask questions that empower your prospect. Avoid yes-no questions that will only result in a simple response.
Asking “Do you like this job?” will get you one-word responses. Instead, try “What’s your favorite part of working here?” You’ll get more information you can use to not only move your company forward, but you’ll also get insights into what your employees value.
If you want to get serious, consider signing up for a more formal training program. There are hundreds to choose from, and as long as you are investing the money and time, look for those accredited by the international coach federation.
Build an Empowering Environment.
The traditional command-and-control style in businesses is quickly losing relevance and effectiveness in the 21st-century workforce.
Managers are infamous for telling their subordinates what to do, rather than asking them how they can help them achieve their own goals.
Traditional management processes don’t take into account the different ways in which employees achieve the same goal. A more individualized approach, such as that used by a sales manager, involves getting to know your employees and helping them achieve their goals.
“When you have a culture where employees are encouraged to develop their leadership skills, you are investing in them in ways that will benefit them,” [the author] explains.
In coaching training, you can help people do their work in a way that is most natural to them, which will make them more enthusiastic about their projects and, in turn, help them complete them.
“What works for one employee doesn’t always work for the entire company,” he says. “For example, say you have an Outgoing Salesperson who sells 100 Widgets by knocking doors and making phone calls.”.
If you tell a more introverted person to do the same thing, he may not feel comfortable doing it. He won’t feel any intrinsic motivation.
He’ll approach the task with the same fervor as when my kids eat their vegetables.
By giving everyone the freedom to choose their own approach, the uniqueness of each person’s personality is highlighted. This can help the whole company thrive.
This resulting equation is: what + how = increased productivity and revenue growth.
If you train your managers and coaches, they will feel more empowered, confident, and competent. The trainer is demonstrating to your staff how they can make their clients, colleagues, and themselves feel this way. With time, the ripple effect will continue to spread, and your employees will empower, motivate, and inspire others.
Over time, the ripple effect of employee referrals will continue to expand. Employees will refer more clients and customers to their colleagues, who in turn will return the favor.
And just like that, a culture of continuous learning is created.
Conclusion
Building a coaching culture in your workplace can have many benefits, both for employees and the organization as a whole. If you’re looking to get started on how to build coaching culture, begin by defining what coaching means to you and your organization, and setting some goals. From there, create opportunities for employees to receive coaching through formal or informal channels. And finally, provide peer feedback and support to ensure that everyone is on board with the new culture.
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