Key Components for Effective Coaching and Feedback from Managers at Work

Effective Coaching and Feedback from Managers at Work Matters
Effective coaching and feedback from managers at work nurtures talent, enhances performance, boosts engagement, and fosters continuous growth. Ineffective coaching and feedback at work creates ambiguity, drives disengagement, and increases risk.  Based upon people manager assessment and organizational culture assessment data a few pivotal elements need to be in place for coaching and feedback to have influence.

Key Components for Effective Coaching and Feedback from Managers at Work

1. Clear Goals and Expectations
   Our organizational alignment research found that strategic clarity accounts for 31% of the difference between high and low performance.  While there will always be some uncertainty, clear team goals and accountabilities serve as guiding lights amidst the complexity of organizational dynamics. Coachees and feedback recipients must have a solid understanding of and commitment to what is expected of them in terms of desired outcomes, behavioral norms, and success metrics.

   Clarity enables coaches and coaches to have something to strive for, make progress in a purposeful way, and celebrate achievements.  Without clarity, it is difficult to anchor expectations, to prevent distractions from getting in the way, or to create a meaningful action plan.  You will know you are on the right path when people understand how their job helps the organization achieve success.

   Are individual and team goals, roles, interdependencies, rewards, consequences, and success metrics clear enough to set the stage for effective coaching and feedback?

2. Earned Trust
   Covey defines trust at work as having confidence in someone’s character and competence. Trust forms the foundation of any fruitful coaching and feedback process.  For coaching and feedback from managers to yield meaningful results, individuals must feel psychologically safe enough to honestly explore their strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, and challenges without fear of judgment or repercussion.

   While trust is a two-way process, leaders must create an environment of trust if they want to be able to provide constructive feedback.  Establishing trust requires genuine empathy, active listening, and a commitment to confidentiality, thereby creating an environment conducive to authentic self-reflection and growth.  Without trust, coaching is superficial and severely limits the potential for making meaningful progress.

   Do your leaders and managers know how to build enough trust to truly help others to perform at their peak?

3. Growth Mindset
   Top coaches develop and maintain a growth mindset that is open, curious, and adaptable. They believe that new skills and approaches can be learned through targeted effort, determination, and experiences.  They help coachees to try, reflect, learn, and grow.  They purposefully empower their team to leverage their potential and overcome obstacles on their learning journey to continuous improvement.

   Are you managers able to help their teams to see setbacks as powerful learning opportunities?

4. Accountability and Follow-Through
   Both coaches and coachees must take ownership of their developmental journey. Coachees must demonstrate a steadfast commitment to action and follow-through, and coaches must hold individuals accountable for doing the work.  A culture of accountability that is rooted in transparency, mutual respect, and trust helps coachees to reach their full potential.

   Is their enough accountability built into your coaching and feedback processes?

The Bottom Line
The success of coaching and feedback from managers at work hinges upon the convergence of several critical components including clarity, trust, growth mindsets, and accountability. By nurturing these foundational elements, organizations can cultivate a culture of continuous learning, empowerment, and excellence, thereby unlocking the potential of their people.

To learn more about effective coaching and feedback from managers at work, download The Top Coaching Mistakes – Is What You Learned All Wrong?