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Since I travel to Japan often, I began learning the language 4 years ago. But between grammar and vocabulary, my Japanese teacher offered a deeper lesson.
“Craig,” she asked me at first, “What are you really doing need from these lessons?” Was my goal to pass a language test, complete a business meeting in Japanese, or understand jokes over Asahi in a noisy izakaya?
There is a takeaway here for any business leader who wants to motivate others. Skilled coaches know that moving people forward starts with understanding where They — not the coach — I need to go.
As a lifelong learner, I have worked with many non-business coaches in areas as diverse as foreign languages, music, sports, and the military. In addition to helping me develop latest skills, top coaches taught me how to lead and how to effectively coach the team around me.
I’m not talking about business or even management insights. These are lessons in the art of coaching itself: how to help people achieve a step change in performance that may have a long-term impact on themselves, on the people they lead and on the entire organization.
Having benefited professionally and personally from incredible coaching, I have strived to pass on my knowledge and put into practice what I have learned. Here are some other key insights into the art of coaching at work from some surprising places.
Tap into people’s passion
I began playing piano late, taking lessons with my children. For recitals where I could be the only adult, our teacher arranges almost any song the student wants, at his or her skill level. One of the kids might have gone with Taylor Swift, but I played the theme song at our last recital Amelia.
Why does this matter? Truly leveling up is all the time difficult, whether it’s learning to play the piano or leading a board meeting. My piano teacher knows that in order to maintain development, you wish to find a deeper supply of energy and motivation, and even joy. He cannot All be a grind.
As a coach, there are advantages to appealing to someone’s passions in this fashion. Indeed, research shows this introducing fun into learning consistently leads to better results.
What does this mean in a business context? Find ways to make worker projects, initiatives and coaching opportunities more enjoyable and meaningful by leveraging your personal interests and skilled development goals. Lululemon has it has long been a pioneer in this field — aimed at supporting employees in all points of their development, even if this implies preparing them for a profession outside the company.
To give better feedback, think like a book editor
When my memories A merciless minute went through the editing process, it opened my eyes.
I submitted a 130,000-word manuscript and eagerly awaited the editing, expecting page after page to be written in red ink. NO. Instead, I received a letter from the editor. The book had too many characters, too much jargon, and lacked dialogue. Aha, but where is the human interest? Tell me more about your loved ones.
At first I used to be amazed. That’s when I noticed something profound was happening. Instead of focusing on superficial reviews, my editor devoted time and energy to identifying the book’s fundamental flaws and suggesting improvements.
Likewise, when training your people, resist the initial impulse to criticize and correct on a superficial level. Step back and as an alternative look at the larger picture and the underlying issues. For example, after a poor presentation at work, it is simple to tell someone to speak up or make more eye contact. However, a much better approach is to get to the root cause, which can be unfamiliarity with the material or lack of self-confidence.
Increase the difficulty like a good drill sergeant
Gunnery Sergeant Oakes, one of my instructors at the U.S. Army Ranger School, was a soft-spoken leader with an edge. Gunny Oakes kept increasing the difficulty level to make our training more realistic. First we practiced an ambush in broad daylight. Then do it blindfolded. Finally, do it at night, in the rain, against an opposing force.
The same concept applies in business. To help people grow, first set reasonable goals and then slowly raise the bar.
For example, if a direct report wants to launch a latest product line – and you think he’s up to the challenge – don’t just throw him to the wolves without support. Taking a cue from the famous The Amazon methodas an alternative, you may start by asking them to draft a sample press release. Once they get the hang of it, ask them to read customer FAQs and then start the software development process.
You cannot neglect the whole person – you only cannot
When I used to be younger, I used to be an avid competitive wrestler. Any old coach could have taught me techniques and tactics, but the best ones knew that while it could be nice to win the championship, that wasn’t what really mattered.
At West Point, I trained every 12 months for the school-wide open wrestling tournament with my sparring partner, friend and coach, cadet two years ahead of me. The training sessions were grueling – running up the stadium stairs on frosty winter mornings, reflex exercises with tennis balls, live matches.
But he made it clear that the goal was the development of character, searching for only the means to achieve this goal. If our training made me a better future platoon leader, it was value it.
Business leaders are all the time focused on the bottom line and the imperatives of profit and growth. However, true worker development requires a broader, holistic view of their values and care for their development.
For example, to create a more inclusive environment for your employees, Heineken took into account Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This meant taking into account their physiology, sense of belonging, self-actualization, self-esteem and safety – aspects contributing to development that are difficult to capture in a spreadsheet.
Ultimately, it is extremely vital to keep an open mind when it comes to coaching and motivating people. Not all the answers are found in the corporate world – there’s just as much to gain from reading business bestseller lists or working with a reputable executive coach. I have found that the most useful coaching strategies can come from almost any discipline.