ADVISORY: WATCH THE PLAY: THE KEY TO IMPACTFUL TEAM COACHING

Gina Galway, CPHR, B.A.

VANCOUVER ISLAND – Effective coaching is key to a winning business team. Coaching is more than tracking performance metrics. To be a great coach you must understand your team’s strengths and challenges.

Imagine you’re watching a hockey game. The coach is staring at the scoreboard. * When their team scores, the coach cheers! When the opponent scores, the coach throws up their hands. When the team gathers around for guidance, the coach points to the scoreboard.

How helpful can a coach be if they only watch the scoreboard? The quick answer is not very.

Unfortunately, all teams—in sports and at work—can fall victim to this tempting pitfall. The score is concrete and definite but understanding how to change the score requires a different strategy: you need to ‘watch the game.’

Leaders who watch the game can observe the team’s strengths and challenges. They can assess what is working and what isn’t. By focusing on the game, effective leaders understand the why behind the score. This insight empowers them to provide support that can impact the outcome.

An effective leader also understands that there are more questions than answers when it comes to supporting their team. Your team has information that you don’t, and you can partner with them to see the whole picture. Asking great questions will add meaning to your observations. Ask your team where they’re struggling. Ask what’s working and what isn’t. Collaborate with the experts—your team—to identify easy wins and hidden needs that you may not be able to see from the bench. Consider:

• What questions could you ask your team to identify quick wins?
• What don’t you know about your team’s challenges?

By asking the right questions, you’re better prepared to help your team succeed. Bonus? A team that has been made part of designing the play is more likely to execute it. Winning takes a team, so make sure you are watching the game.

*Analogy inspired by Moody’s – partner in Coaching training at Coastal Community.

Gina Galway, CPHR, B.A., is HR Advisor, Learning and Development, for Coastal Community Credit Union.