Hey Coach!

Coaching staff is one of the primary responsibilities of all managers. Unlike exemplars in the NHL, coaching does not include yelling at people when they are in the heat of a situation.  Quite the contrary.

Coaching in management takes place "off stage" in a personal yet respectful way that enables staff to acquire new skills.  It works best if both the staff member and the manager agree to the coaching relationship, ensuring that criticism is understood to be constructive and not detrimental to career aspirations.  Occasionally a staff member may ask for coaching, but usually the manager approaches someone who has good potential for development as a leader or technical specialist.

1. In a preliminary meeting, present the staff member with the opportunity for regular coaching, beyond the usual development processes.  Discuss the advantages of being coached, particularly potential improvements in their skill set.  Be sure to emphasize that direct critique and frank exchanges conducted with good humour are the best way to benefit from coaching.
2. After sufficient thought has been given to the relationship, set a few goals.  Discuss how the coaching will be done: when, where, how often, etc.  
3. In my experience, a coaching session before an event, presentation or meeting best focusses on how the staff member should handle certain challenges.  After the event, a follow-up coaching session focusses on how the challenges were managed, identifying any issues that required better handling.
4. Continually assess whether real improvement is being achieved by the staff member.  Good-hearted repetition of the same errors probably indicates that the person is not a candidate for further development.
5. After a period of several months to a year, bring the coaching relationship to a close, returning to the normal relationship as manager and staff who support and help each other.  Stay open to answering questions as time goes on, but encourage the staff member to independently exercise their new skills.