Who really needs a One-on-One coaching?

As a leader of various teams, from entry level to professionals, I am often asked if all team members need a one-on-one meeting, and my answer is always a resounding... YES! So, what is a one-on-one and how can you make sure you are having effective ones?

What is it?

A One-on-one session is a time designated to review team member performance, celebrate successes and address areas of opportunity. One-on-ones should be utilized not only to discuss performance, but to build camaraderie with the team member.

Getting Started

• Welcome the team member and level set the expectations of a coaching process.

• Coaching by nature, isn’t negative.

• It should focus on the development of personal competencies, some of which may already be good.

• Win or lose, the highest paid athletes in the world are coached every day!

• Be sincere.

• Listen: Find out how ready they are to receive feedback. In fact, ask if you may give them feedback.

• Communication is 55% visual, 38% tone, and 7% words so…

• Be aware of signals that they are not ready to be coached: arms crossed, nervous fidgeting, sharp tone.

• Address these signs first!

• Coach listens 70% and talks 30% so…

• Be curious and ask questions

• Avoid “telling” and keep asking about the answers they give you.

• With practice, you can lead an associate through questioning to arrive at solutions or actions that THEY come up with.

• Tie the coaching process to our guiding principles. For instance, investing the time in coaching is “doing the right things right”.

• Explain the objective of having ongoing dialogue.

Agree on a coaching plan

• Involves harnessing strengths and improving weaknesses.

• What are they finding difficult about their job?

• What do they like to do and wish they could do more of? (Not granting wishes, but this could uncover a strength or underutilized talent.)

• Agree on frequency of coaching sessions and what medium will be used: listening to calls, reviewing audit results, etc.

Set appropriate goals

• What we will focus on first is…

• When can you improve to a …?

• Goals may be behavioral changes as well.

Agree on the next steps for the coach and the team member

• Let the team member define what they will do to address any concerns

• Guide them with open ended questions

• This is one of the most important points. Ask questions that begin with the words when, where, why, how. i.e. “why do you think that keeps happening?” or “what would you do differently in that situation next time?”

• Avoid questions that start with “did, does, do you”. They will only provide a yes or no answer and not facilitate open dialogue.

• Be clear about what you will do to support them, but let them own their own performance!

• Ask them to summarize what they have decided to do to affect the goals or behaviors you’ve discussed. Of course, ask when they can achieve the enhanced performance or new responsibilities you’ve agreed on.

• A good rule of thumb is that the ownership of the coaching process is a 49%/51% split. 49% Leader, 51% team member.

• Thank them for their efforts and restate how it impacts the company's mission of being the premier outsourcing solution for cost effective distribution and administration.