Ask, Don't Tell - Coaching through Facilitation

2 Minute Read

How many times has somebody come to you with a problem at work, and you just tell them the answer? Win-Win! Right? ... Until they come back tomorrow. And the next day. Again and again until all you do is solve their problems.

History has taught us that one of the main responsibilities of a manager is to answer employees' questions. Of course, this seems like a noble gesture. And it could be necessary when employees don’t have the needed information. But in reality, true empowerment comes from helping employees learn where to find or figure out what they need. And that comes from facilitation. When you provide a quick answer, you solve one problem. When you facilitate a discovery process, you create problem solvers!

You coach. But they don't listen.

3 Minute Read

Being a manager has its ups and downs. Sometimes, your team is on a roll; they’re rock stars. Things are going great. They’re following your direction and they’re hitting goals. Then you get to celebrate! Other times, nothing seems to be going right. You know you’ve got good people, but you can’t get them to follow your lead. You coach and train them several times, and while most of them catch on, there’s that one person who will continually do things his own way, despite all the time you spent training and coaching.

Leadership, TrainingFebruary 4, 2016coach, coaching, listen, listening, listening skills, trainingComment

The Reality of "The Supervisor Sandwich"

3 Minute Read

Confrontation is certainly not the easiest part of being a manager. In fact, it’s probably your least favorite. It’s human nature to avoid interpersonal discord. Many people hope a problem just corrects itself without our intervention. But, is that manner of thinking really reality? How can you provide coaching for an employee, co-worker, or even your own supervisor and have it be a positive experience? We’ve all heard of “The Supervisor Sandwich.”