Quick and Easy Coaching Skills for Managers

Up your coaching game with these practical tips.

As a manager in today's workplace, you are no longer just a supervisor or decision-maker. You are expected to be a mentor, motivator, active listener, problem solver and, crucially, a coach.

Coaching skills have become essential for managers looking to foster growth, enhance performance, and build a strong, cohesive team. Like any skill, it takes time and practice to develop your coaching abilities and confidence, however there are some quick and simple ways you can start coaching with impact today. 

When to Use Coaching Skills

Coaching is one of the six situational leadership skills outlined by Daniel Goleman in his seminal work, Primal Leadership (other styles are Commanding, Visionary, Democratic, Affiliative and Pacesetting). A Coaching Approach is the way to go when you want to:

1. Develop Employee Potential: Coaching helps employees build on their strengths, learn new skills, and expand their capacities. It’s ideal for career development conversations or when an employee shows potential for taking on more responsibility.

2. Encourage Problem-Solving: Instead of providing all the answers, coaching encourages employees to think critically and develop their solutions. This approach fosters a culture of innovation and ownership.

3. Support Behavioral Change: When employees need to develop new habits or behaviors, coaching provides a structured approach to help them understand the need for change and commit to it.

4. Enhance Engagement and Motivation: Regular coaching conversations show employees that their development is a priority, boosting morale and engagement.

5. Support People through Change: Coaching can guide employees through organizational changes, helping them understand their role in the new landscape and feel more comfortable adapting to new expectations.

   
   

Coaching Building Blocks

1. Establish Trust and Build Rapport: A foundation of trust is crucial for effective coaching. Be open, listen actively, and show genuine interest in your employees' development.

2. Create a Safe Environment: Encourage open dialogue and assure employees that 1:1’s (and team meetings in certain settings) are a confidential space for honest conversation without judgment.

3. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of giving direct advice, use questions to guide employees to their insights. This approach empowers them and fosters independent thinking. For example, if a team member asks you what they should do in a certain situation, you could say:  “I’m happy to share my thoughts but I’m curious to hear what options you see first”. 

4. Listen Actively: Pay close attention to what your employees are saying, including non-verbal cues. Reflect back what you’ve heard to confirm understanding and help them get more clear on their objectives. Use encouraging language such as “Tell me more…”, “I’m curious to understand more about…”, “Go on…” .

5. Provide Constructive Feedback: Offer feedback that is specific, actionable, and focused on behaviors, not personal traits. Ensure it’s balanced with positive reinforcement to encourage growth. Use coaching questions to help them set goals and take action related to the feedback. 

6. Set Goals and Follow Up: Help employees set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Time-bound) and follow up regularly to track progress and provide additional support.

A Simple Coaching Framework: The GROW Model

One of the most popular coaching frameworks is the GROW model, popularized by John Whitmore, which stands for Goal, Reality, Options, and Will (What will you do and by When).

Here's how to use it:

1. G - GOAL: Start by helping the employee define and clarify what they want to achieve. Goals should be clear and specific, aligning with both the employee’s aspirations and the organization’s objectives.

Sample Questions:

• What would you like to walk out of our meeting with today?

• What outcome do you want in this situation?

• What’s working well right now? What has been challenging?

• What skills would you like to develop in the next 6 months? What would that give you?

• How would you like to move the needle on your career growth this year?

2. R - REALITY: Explore the current situation to understand the context and any challenges or obstacles the employee faces. This step helps identify the gap between the current state and the desired outcome.

   
   

Sample Questions:

• What is the current state?

• What is happening now that makes this goal important?

• What have you tried so far, and what were the outcomes?

• What do you see as the main challenges or obstacles to achieving your goal?

• On a scale of 1-10 how close do you feel to achieving this goal?

3. O - OPTIONS: Brainstorm potential strategies and solutions. Encourage the employee to think creatively about different ways to reach their goal. This step is about exploring and expanding the range of possibilities, not settling on a single course of action yet.

   
   

Sample Questions:

• What are your options?

• What could you do differently?

• What would be the quickest / easiest way to get to this outcome?

• What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

• What’s one small step you could take to move the needle?

• What resources or support do you need?

• What might [Elon Musk / Spiderman / Scooby Doo, etc] do in this situation?*

  
  

* Okay wait, Scooby Doo? This may sound strange - but inviting people to try on a completely different “persona” is a great way to break them out of limited ways of thinking about a problem or goal, and expand their ideas of what’s possible.

For example, you might ask, “What would Scooby and Shaggy do in this situation”? 

They might respond: “Well, Scooby and Shaggy would treat it as a mystery to be solved…”. 

Then you could ask: “If you treated this as a mystery to be solved, what would be your first step?” 

4. W - WILL (What will you do and by when): Once options are on the table, encourage them to commit to a specific step or actions and establish a timeline for achieving the goal.

   
   

Sample Questions:

• Ok, so now we’ve reviewed some possible actions, which option would you like to try?

• What action will you take to move the needle forward, and by when?

• What’s one small step you could take towards your goal this week?

• How can I support you?

Pro tip:

Support them to break larger goals or series of actions into small, achievable, quick wins. People tend to lose motivation if the goal is too big, or too far off.  I like to ask - what’s one small action you could take this week to move the needle?  

Remember, an action could be something like:

• Get feedback from a trusted friend or colleague

• Draft a “quick and dirty” roadmap with key milestones on the road to your goal

• Schedule a meeting with a cross-functional partner to request support

• Block out an hour each week on your calendar for strategic thinking etc

5. S - SUPPORT: And finally… Set them up for success by co-creating an accountability and support structure to keep them moving toward their goal. I recommend building a standing agenda item into your 1:1’s to check in on progress on their goal.

Sample questions include:

• How’s it going on your goal of [x]?

• What can you celebrate or acknowledge yourself for? [Remember, progress is progress, no matter how small]

• What actions have you taken on your goal since we last spoke? 

• [If no progress] What has gotten in the way? [No judgment, just pure curiosity!]

• What are you learning? 

• What challenges or obstacles have cropped up? How did you deal with them?

• How can I support you? Who else could be a support or resource?

A note about SMART goals. It could take a few conversations to get through all of the above steps. Sometimes the most helpful part is helping someone clarify and create a goal that is specific, meaningful and actionable.

Apply the following acronym to make sure it’s SMART. 

• Specific: After you’ve used open ended questions, curiosity and active listening to help them clarify their goal, ask them to reiterate it in their own words: So, let’s clarify - what is your goal? 

• Measurable: How will they know they’ve achieved it? 

• Actionable:  Is the goal something they can influence? Is it something they can take action to accomplish? (vs something that is completely up to others)

• Realistic: Is it achievable? If not, can it be broken down into smaller chunks or steps? Note - it can, and should be, a STRETCH, but not completely out of the ball park.

• Timebound: By when will you achieve this? What milestones or subgoals can you set along the way?  

Now, your turn...

If you've read along this far, you may well be thinking "Oh wow, I'm already doing a lot of this... I'm a better coach than I thought!".

That's great news!

Wherever you are right now, I encourage you to pick one skill to practice this week... maybe you write down a few key coaching questions on a post-it note and practice them in your next 1:1.

As you practice, stay grounded in Curiosity, Care, Connection, and a growth mindset, and you’ll be surprised at the growth and empowerment that can occur.