Brett May 28, 2018

Sorry this is a week late! We had some technical issues. All good now. Enjoy!  

The Gallup Group, using more than 20 years of data, identified 12 key needs employees have that are statistically linked to engagement. By engagement, I mean, the level of discretionary effort they bring to work each day and their commitment to stay with the company for the long haul.

The 12 needs are (adapted from First Break All the Rules – Buckingham & Coffman):

  • I know what is expected of me at work.
  • I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work properly.
  • At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
  • In the last seven days, I have received recognition for doing good work.
  • My supervisor seems to care about me as a person.
  • There is someone at work that encourages my personal development.
  • At work, my opinion seems to count.
  • The mission of my company makes me feel my job is important.
  • My co-workers are committed to doing quality work.
  • I have a best friend at work.
  • In the last 6 months, someone at work talked to me about my progress.
  • This last year, I have had opportunities to learn and grow.

It’s important to note that compensation is not one of the 12 key needs. Also important to note is that the relationship between the manager and employee has the greatest impact on engagement.

While the word “coaching” isn’t used in the study, it’s clear that almost every key need relates to coaching. The following are directly related: knowing what is expected of me at work, receiving recognition for doing good work, having the opportunity to do my best, knowing that someone cares about my personal development, discussing my progress, having the opportunity to learn and grow.

Here are five coaching habits that will help you inspire engagement in your staff.

Bring an attitude of helpfulness – Managers that coach want to help others as opposed to wanting to fix or change them. The difference between managing and coaching is measured in how your staff feel in your presence. Coaches inspire feelings of support and encouragement within their staff.

The difference between managing and coaching is measured in how your staff feel in your presence. Coaches inspire feelings of support and encouragement within their staff. Click To Tweet

Don’t adopt a sink or swim theory – Non-coaching managers typically give challenging assignments and wait for results. If the staff succeeds, they are promoted. If they fail, their career stalls. Coaching managers are experienced as a support not a threat. They don’t just mark papers, they help their staff get an “A”!  … thank you Garry Ridge and Ken Blanchard.

Coaching managers are experienced as a support not a threat. They don't just mark papers, they help their staff get an A! Click To Tweet

Focus on future potential –  When it comes to believing in themselves, most people are agnostic. The underlying intent of every coaching interaction is to build the self-belief of your staff. Managers focus on current performance, coaches focus on future potential. The privilege of a coach is to communicate the dignity, worth and potential of their staff so clearly that they begin to see it in themselves and act on it.

When it comes to believing in themselves, most people are agnostic. The underlying intent of every coaching interaction is to build the self-belief of your staff. Click To Tweet

Show less need for control – The best coaches fight against the inner compulsion of advocating their position or giving too much direction. Rather, through a process of authentic inquiry, they focus on raising the level of awareness and sense of personal responsibility within their staff.

Show empathy – Coaching managers enter conversations with a sincere desire to understand the other person. They listen carefully to the words that are spoken and even more carefully to the message communicated through body language. Emotions, the deep part of conversations, are often expressed through non-verbal cues. Coaches hear and feel what their staff are communicating.

Final Thoughts

Coaching yields results primarily through the relationship between the coach and their staff and that relationship is deepened by a series of coaching conversations.

In each coaching dialogue, the staff member acquires new insights, information and facts, not from the coach but from within himself, stimulated by the coach through a coaching dialogue.

In each coaching dialogue, the staff member acquires new insights, information and facts, not from the coach but from within himself, stimulated by the coach through a coaching dialogue. Click To Tweet

With this new awareness comes an increased confidence and deepened sense of personal responsibility to act. Because the action is rooted in profound insight and executed with passion from a deep sense of personal responsibility, the action yields results. This is what makes coaching so infinitely superior to mere management.

If you are interested in more, you may want to check out these past blog posts:

Stop Managing, Start Coaching here

Becoming a People Person here