We all know that leaders are most successful if they are able to coach and develop their teams.
For geographically distributed businesses, such as retailers and professional services, coaching is even more vital because it directly drives business results. In these business models, a dispersed network of leaders ensures an extraordinary customer experience and consistent execution of strategy. The challenge, however, is that opportunities to see a leader in action are very infrequent: Te work happens in local stores or at client sites. Developing new leaders requires coaching them to solve the problems they face, not fixing the problems directly.
Coaching Message and Approach
In a recent business simulation, we challenged retail leaders to practice coaching in typically difficult situations they see in their stores. They had to identify the "content" of their coaching conversation (what problem they chose to coach for) and then conduct the dialogue in a role play. Their peers graded their approach and process (how they coached). Not surprisingly, the majority of participants scored well in choosing the right key message and not as well on the process and approach:
See the Business Impact of Coaching
The business simulation took this feedback one step further. We modelled the impact of their focus and their process on the store’s employee performance, customer experience, and sales. Leaders were able to see the impact of their coaching on business results.
To help retail leaders build their coaching skills, we believe they need a process, practice, and feedback. We teach a model for coaching that helps them move away from direct problem-solving. Our simulation experiences create an engaging, realistic environment for practice and feedback.
By shifting the balance of their leadership time from fixing to coaching, retail leaders will create stable and sustainable results. Even after they’ve left the building.
Download our checklist for executing a succesful coaching conversation.
