A633.8.3.RB - How do Coaches Help

Coaches in the workplace are focused on helping other find solutions to problems, development of their talents, and improvement in particular areas. The most effective way of doing this is by understanding the client and what their strengths and opportunities are, followed by asking open ended questions to allow the client to think critically about their development and how they can help themselves. These open ended questions, along with the approach of the coach, are what separate a coach from an ordinary leader or manager as they are focused more on helping the client through self-reflection and revelation. Coaches have a unique way of helping others understand what is lacking, what is needed, and the steps necessary to accomplish the goal.

Coaching is important in leadership because it helps both the coach and the person being coached in any situation. It allows the leader to hone skills needed to develop others, while the person being coached is benefiting from these conversations. In my experience, coaching is a much more effective tool for development and organizational growth than traditional disciplinary methods. If an employee is coached through an issue rather than just being told what they are doing wrong or being given the answer by a superior, it helps the employee improve in this area and equips them with additional knowledge that they did not have before, along with developing critical thinking skills through the coaching process. In addition, coaching helps to develop relationships between employees and their leaders as they feel more valued when they are invested in.

Throughout the Target network, coaching takes places on a daily basis and is engrained into the culture of the 350,000 team member strong organization. Leadership is taught the basics of coaching when they first start and are given the opportunity to improve on these skills throughout their career. Coaching dynamics are very interesting within Target, simply because not every employee is the same. For example, the way to coach a lower performing team member could be different than the approach taken with a high performing team member. The skill and will of an employee also affects the approach taken for a coaching conversation. It is all of these factors combined that make coaching a very fluid and trainable leadership skill. Having worked in an environment like this for nearly three years, I still have much to learn as the workforce is becoming more dynamic every day. Employee needs, wants, and motivational factors differ greatly in today’s workplace, which ultimately affect the coaching process. As organizations develop and the changing workforce becomes much more noticeable, I think coaching will become standard for large organizations.