Do You Ever Give Up Coaching Employees?

In principle, we don't want to give up coaching employees. We want to believe that we can eventually make a difference. Sometimes it's our own ego that drives our persistence and determination.

In reality, if we have followed the coaching process, we have honored our stewardship as a coach. This is especially true if we have followed the process for a significant period of time. However, coaches often make the mistake of staking their pride and confidence as a coach on one or two challenging situations. This can be dangerous! It would be nice to believe that we have that much control over another human being. However, everyone has the right to choose their own destiny. We can't force change; we can't even motivate someone else. But, we can clarify, explain, explore, highlight, recommend, and encourage. When coaching employees, we have to decide when to "back off," and let the situation either improve or deteriorate.

For years, CMOE has advised coaches to follow-up and be persistent a little longer than expected. Coaching employees takes patience ? a lot of patience! But, don't be unreasonable. If the topic permits, allow some time for the right decisions and actions to kick in. When dealing with policy, ethics, values, safety, or legal issues, explain the timeline to the coachee. We are not suggesting an ultimatum. Just explain the time sensitivity and create a time boundary.

Check in frequently with the coachee to see how they are doing, and remind them of the timeframe. If there is insufficient responsiveness or progress, this may indicate a lack of judgment, character, integrity, or indifference. When these signals arise, do a quick reality check:

  • Have you diagnosed the situation?
  • Have you tried all of the coaching skills?
  • Have you involved others in an appropriate way?

If you answer "yes" to these questions, then you need to look at your next best option to a coaching solution.

Alternatives to Coaching Employees:

  • Discuss the dilemma with the coachee. Ask for a recommendation or solution.
  • Redefine roles and responsibilities.
  • Consult with your own manager.
  • Seek good counsel from HR professionals.
  • Actively administer and institute the appropriate consequences, both positive and negative.
  • Explore a completely different assignment for the coachee with a different boss. Inform the new boss of the situation from your perspective.
  • Explore, with the coachee, whether or not he/she is a good fit for the organization. Know when enough is enough. Coaching employees takes time, energy, and patience. The bottom line is that you can't let your big coaching challenges pull you down. Remember that it takes two to tango, and "influence" has its limits.

    To find out more about how to maximize you influence when coaching employees, visit CMOE or contact one of our Regional Managers who can help you to determine you exact coaching need. You can reach them at (801) 569-3444 or email tsmith@cmoe.com

    In The News:

    • pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    Attention! Thought Crossing! ? Or, The Secret of What?s Between Your Ears

    What are you thinking - right now? 'I'm reading your... Read More

    Invest Your Inner Wealth

    It started out like any other Wednesday - reports to... Read More

    The $10,000,000.00 Question

    When I asked my client, Amanda, what she would do... Read More

    How to Control Your Anger: Retreat and Think Things Over

    How to Control Your Anger: Retreat and Think Things OverJim... Read More

    Coaching: YOU Can Improve Your Organizations Performance

    GOOD BUSINESS COACHING: Clearly, the right kind of coaching can... Read More

    Business Coaching Legacy: Reflections on What You Want to Leave Behind?

    Updating my will has been on my mind for quite... Read More

    The Adventure Attitude

    Of the 60,000 people who lived to be over 100... Read More

    Four Common Rapport Building Mistakes and How to Fix Them

    1. Pretending You Are Interested When You Are NotDo yourself... Read More

    Friends?

    I met my friend when we were in graduate school,... Read More

    12 Reasons to Develop Exceptional People Skills

    Why should you bother to spend your valuable time learning... Read More

    If I Only Had a Heart

    I know you probably have heard of the movie, "The... Read More

    Business Career, Executive, Life Coaching Article Mechanisms of the Mind (Achieving Success)

    Suppose that the human mind is nothing more than a... Read More

    The Best Things in Life Are Rarely Things

    Have you ever noticed this to be true?The best things... Read More

    Can You Say No?

    As a manager you are constantly being asked to do... Read More

    Strategic Checklists

    I've been through a couple of checklists in the past... Read More

    Mid Life Crisis, Life Transitions, & Ontological Coaching

    Recently I have been watching a TV show called Blowout.... Read More

    Its Not What You Think

    My work in organizations involves dropping habitual ways of perceiving... Read More

    More Money & Less Stress?

    At 2pm last Wednesday, I got a call from one... Read More

    Some Business Coaches are in Error

    Many business coaches deny the power of suggestion while using... Read More

    New Developments Make Christian Life Coaching ?The? Career Choice for Work-At-Home Professionals

    I have watched for a couple years now, as my... Read More

    Key Questions for a Coaching Conversation

    There are 2 key skills that coaches need to be... Read More

    Do You Want to Impress Others? Then Don?t Talk ?Listen

    Recently my friend Michelle was concerned about a professional conference... Read More

    5 Keys to Powerful Communication

    As a coach that specializes in marriage, couples and family... Read More

    Run to Win

    I was never much of an athlete growing up. Notoriously... Read More

    Grow Through It

    It's past bedtime for most working men. It's not unbearably... Read More

    Secrets of Creating Interpersonal Power

    If you work with people, as a company owner, manager... Read More

    Cause and Effect! Choose a Path

    Three steps to your Personal Transformation:Awareness and PerceptionLaw of Cause... Read More

    Growing On G.R.O.W ? A More Specific Coaching Model For Busy Managers

    The effective coaching of employees by their line managers is... Read More

    How to Deal Effectively with Anxiety

    Every human feels anxiety on occasion; it is a part... Read More

    A Murder Mystery Puzzle for You to Solve

    Anybody who has visited my website at Motivation & Self... Read More

    Tripping On Mindfulness

    One of the ironies of mindfulness is that it's still... Read More

    Drop and Gimme Ten!

    Every one of us have dreams, desires and goals that... Read More

    Embracing Excellence

    Joey rises before dawn to pack his lunch, eager for... Read More