Managing Vs. Coaching
It is not uncommon to hear the term “managing” and “coaching” used interchangeably. Those who understand the difference (that will include you after you read this article) cringe a little inside when this occurs because it is likely they have worked for, or with, a manager who certainly was not a coach, and therefore ineffective. In a nutshell, employees coaching is a function of managing that every good leader of others must be able to do well.
The term “managing” refers to the job of overseeing the work of others. The responsibilities of a manager typical include, but are not limited to, the following:
- On-boarding and orienting new employees
- Conducting meetings
- Delegating tasks and assignments
- Giving feedback
- Monitoring progress and performance
- Making decisions
- Dealing with conflicts
The term “coaching” refers to a two-way communication process between members of the organization (leaders to team members, peers to peers, team members to leaders) aimed at influencing and developing the employees’ skills, motivation, attitude, judgment, or ability to perform, and the willingness to contribute to an organization’s goals.
Unfortunately, too many managers fall short of success because they focus on the task and bottom line results, overlooking the fact that results are best achieved through developing and inspiring others to achieve those results. While achieving results through others is a challenging task, organizations cannot grow and compete if their managers don’t talk to people about their performance and contribution to the organization. With regular and skillful coaching, managers can fulfill their responsibility to deliver.