With over 2.4 million full-time managers working in the UK, almost 30% did nothing to develop their management and leadership skills in the last three years. And a massive part of this has been the lack of adequate coaching skills.
The CMI report linked above projects that the UK will require 120,000 extra managers by 2030. So, developing or sharpening your skills, especially those related to coaching as a manager, can improve your chances of landing your dream job.
The following are nine coaching skills to make you a desired manager for your company and your employees.
TL;DR – 9 Key Coaching Skills for Managers
A manager leads their team and supports them to achieve their goals. A big part of this is coaching the employees to become better team players.
If you want to become a coach or manager, you need to have the following nine skills:
- Forward Focus
- Active Listening
- Effective Communication
- Emotional Intelligence
- Problem-Solving
- Organisational Skills
- Ability to Receive and Give Feedback
- Motivating the Team
- Leadership Skills
Take the first step towards being a skilled coach with TSW Training’s highly accredited Coaching Skills course that we’ve created for aspiring managers ― enrol today.
Why Managers as Coaches?
According to the British Council, 60% of workers feel detached at work, and millions even opt for “quiet quitting.”
A manager acts as a link between his team and the company. Hence, they can reduce this detached feeling and encourage employees to continue working for the company.
The Gartner research shows that about 60% of hybrid workers feel that their manager is the most influential individual in the company. So, if a manager takes the role of a coach, there is a higher chance of the employees retaining and implementing the knowledge.
Employees who report to managers with an effective coaching streak are 40% more engaged and 20% less likely to leave.
These are some more precise reasons to have managers as coaches:
- It supports skill development and learning
- It increases the team’s psychological safety
- The team’s career growth is supported
- It empowers the entire team
Advanced Techniques and Models in Coaching
Over the years, coaches worldwide have developed numerous coaching methods.
That said, here are the most effective and advanced ones to know before you start coaching as a manager:
1. GROW Model
The GROW model of coaching is among the most widely used coaching models worldwide.
GROW stands for:
- Goal: Set clear, specific goals for the coachee.
- Reality: Assess the coachee’s current situation and understand their perspective.
- Obstacles (or Options): Identify challenges and explore potential solutions.
- Way Forward (or Will): Create an action plan to achieve the goals and a commitment to action.
The coach or manager should ask specific questions at each stage to help employees find solutions independently. This will also help the coachee to take ownership of their learning.
2. The 5 C’s Model
There are multiple variations of the 5 Cs model. However, the most widely used one is the 21st-century Skills model. This model covers the skills a coachee needs to succeed in the modern world.
Here, the 5 C’s are:
- Critical Thinking: The ability to analyse information, solve problems, and form sound judgments.
- Creativity: Thinking outside the box and coming up with novel ideas.
- Communication: Effectively conveying ideas and information to others.
- Collaboration: Working effectively with others to achieve a common goal.
- Character: These are the ethical qualities of a good person, such as honesty, integrity, and responsibility.
The coach needs to identify which of these the coachee lacks or could improve. Then, based on this information, he or she devises coaching plans.
3. CLEAR Model
According to the aforementioned CMI study, about 94% of employees said they’d stay with their current organisation if the employer invested in their skill development.
The CLEAR model embodies that with its process-oriented coaching method. It helps build rapport between employees and employers.
Here, CLEAR stands for:
- Contract: First, the coach and coachee list the goals, expectations, and limitations of the coaching process.
- Listening: Here, the coach asks open-ended questions to understand the coachee’s aspirations, perspectives, challenges, and concerns.
- Exploring: The coach guides the coachee to explore beliefs and patterns impacting their behaviour.
- Action: Both coach and coachee co-create an action plan with SMART goals, clear steps, and necessary resources.
- Review: The coach and coachee regularly assess the progress and adjust the plan accordingly. The coach also offers feedback back and celebrates the coachee’s achievements.
The CLEAR process is ideal for first-time coachees who are new to this and do not have enough confidence in them.
4. Laissez-faire Coaching
While the previous two models require the coach to play a more active coaching role, Laissez-faire coaching is a more indirect approach. Here, the coach creates space for the coachee to explore self-discovery and devise solutions to the problems at hand.
This coaching technique is effective for managers coaching their employees to become future managers.
The hands-off approach with minimal guidance and intervention allows the coachee to lead their development.
5. FUEL Model
With the FUEL model, a coach aims to improve performance or change the coachee’s behaviour. The coaching plan is created after understanding the coachee’s challenges, motivation, and opportunities.
In addition, it consists of actionable steps to achieve the desired goals more effectively.
The FUEL stands for:
- Frame the Conversation: Set the context and goals for the discussion.
- Understand the Current State: Explore the person’s current situation and challenges.
- Explore the Desired State: Help them define their vision of success.
- Lay Out a Success Plan: Develop a plan to achieve their desired state.
This model, once again, pushes coachees to find their own solutions and feel confident in their decisions.
These are five of the most advanced and commonly used coaching models. However, you can explore additional coaching techniques to determine which would best suit your needs.
9 Key Coaching Skills for Managers
Did you know that 54% of employees are more likely to stay with a company if they feel their employer is actively invested in helping them learn and grow in their careers?
However, to achieve that, you should have the following skills as a manager:
1. Forward Focus
A forward-focused manager would help employees discern between trivial issues and actual problems. Asking questions that help employees resolve problems by themselves is a big part of the process.
2. Active Listening
You would not know what solution to offer your employees if you did not first listen to their issues. Active listening also means understanding the underlying meaning of your team’s words.
Active listening also helps managers better understand their team and create a more welcoming environment.
3. Effective Communication
Another aspect of creating a welcoming environment is the manager’s clear communication. Your team should not feel that they cannot share their problems with you.
Moreover, you can guide and monitor your team with effective verbal and non-verbal communication.
4. Emotional Intelligence
A manager needs sound emotional intelligence to empathise with their team’s needs. You should be able to read the nonverbal queues and assess how your team is feeling.
There may be situations affecting your team that you need to address without appearing insensitive.
Richard Branson once said,
“Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.”
If you show respect and empathy to your team, they will reciprocate.
5. Problem-Solving
While coaching a team, you will face many issues unique to the employees under you. As a manager, you should maintain a problem-solving mindset and help your team resolve issues.
This skill will also help you develop effective coaching plans to ensure your team achieves both individual and collective goals.
6. Organisational Skills
The manager’s role requires you to concentrate on company goals, team growth, and personal growth. If you are organised, you can effectively focus on all the individual facets of your job.
Project management tools, calendars, and planners can help your team achieve its goals with minimal disruption.
7. Ability to Receive and Give Feedback
A crucial part of coaching is providing feedback to your team on their performance. In addition, you will have to receive criticism for your performance as a coach, mentor, and manager.
Your feedback should point out a team member’s shortcomings without demotivating them. However, you cannot take the feedback you receive to heart and only learn from it. Many managers use the feedback metric tool to provide constructive criticism to their team.
8. Motivating the Team
As a leader, your responsibility is to maintain high employee morale and keep your team motivated to achieve your team’s goals.
Your team will require your support to achieve their goals, and you should have all the necessary means to ensure that. Some ways to motivate your team include celebrating milestones, delivering motivational speeches, and using Adams’ Equity Theory.
9. Leadership Skills
The managers of today are building the managers of tomorrow. Hence, you need leadership skills that make you an exemplary mentor your team aspires to emulate.
Efforts such as team-building exercises and one-on-one coaching sessions will set you apart as a leader.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to be born with these qualities or skills. All of these are achievable skills that you can master under proper guidance.
Sign up for TSW Training’s Coaching Skills Course and become the manager companies seek.
How to Implement a Coaching Culture within Your Organisation
After learning the skills, you need to implement a coaching culture in your company if it does not already have one.
Here is how you can achieve that:
1. Leadership Buy-In
Align with your organisation’s leadership team and highlight the benefits of a coaching culture.
For example, a Harvard study says coaching can increase a company’s productivity by 44%.
2. Coach the Coaches
If your current organisation lacks a coaching culture, there is a high likelihood that leaders are not sufficiently skilled to coach.
Before coaching your employees, you must develop programs to prepare your leaders to become adept coaches.
3. Make Coaching a Core Value
You also need to integrate coaching values across the entire team.
Create coaching programs for potential team members. Develop a culture that values continuous learning.
4. Create Communication Channels
Establish a safe and supportive environment where employees feel comfortable sharing challenges, asking questions, and providing constructive feedback to colleagues.
5. Recognise and Celebrate Excellence
Almost 75% of UK employees feel they deserve more recognition for their work.
Hence, you should recognise and reward employees and leaders who actively participate in coaching conversations and demonstrate coaching behaviours. Share success stories to showcase the positive impact of coaching.
Through these, you can adequately establish a coaching culture in your company that your employers and employees adhere to.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are answers to some of your frequently asked questions regarding coaching skills for managers.
What Makes an Effective Managerial Coach?
An effective managerial coach has proper problem-solving skills that they use to support their team through critical situations.
They also demonstrate empathy for their team’s challenges and a strong commitment to growth, which helps ensure their team’s success. They are motivational and celebrate employees’ achievements while criticising their shortcomings.
Can Every Manager Become a Successful Coach?
Yes, any manager can become a successful coach with the correct guidance. At TSW Training, we have a comprehensive course for managers aspiring to become coaches.
Book a seat for our Coaching Skills Course and find what you are capable of.
How Can Managers Balance Coaching with Other Responsibilities?
To balance coaching with other responsibilities, a manager needs to have an organised schedule.
They can allocate time for coaching sessions and other responsibilities to maintain a healthy balance.
Conclusion
As employee discontent grows in the UK, every manager must possess some coaching skills. With increased demand for managers, more individuals are aspiring to fill those roles.
If you want to secure your place in the industry, you must learn how to become a coach to your employees.
All you have to do is sign up for our Coaching Skills course at TSW Training. It’s a comprehensive course that covers the skills needed to become a coach and manager.
