Manager As Coach: the New Way to Get Results

Being a manager is tough and if directives and control don't work, what are the alternatives? Just telling people to 'be empowered' is not the answer. Sharing responsibility while the boss still holds accountability seems like the most obvious solution to the problem of how to get people to do willingly what they might avoid if left to themselves. Coaching is a highly effective way to do this. 'Employee engagement' is the current conundrum in organisations who want to nurture their staff at the same time as wanting to perform successfully in their markets. It is the magical ingredient which makes staff willingly work flat out, feel genuinely committed and aligned to the company's strategic aims, and produce excellent work as a result. Few organisations actually achieve employee engagement, though all say they want it. Coaching is a way of producing it. Applying coaching principles to line management has multiple benefits. It can: Develop employees so that they grow the skills the organisation needs Create committed employees.