Miriam,
This is a great point you make here. Coaching really is a collaborative effort, whereas managing is often top down.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Shelly,
yes, this is it. And being willing to help them work through challenges in order to be successful.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Coaching is a more cooperative approach where you propose solutions and work together with the employee to set a plan and move forward later checking in to make sure progress has been made.
With managing you set the rules and expect them to be followed or met with not as much input from the employee(s).
Managing making sure their job is done correctly. Coaching is teaching an employee to move forward with their career, not just a job for the employee any longer.
Dan ,
excellent point made here. Our roles as "supervisors/managers" really call for a balance between the different skills & aspects of what's going on here.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
This course has helped me understand how vital both roles are when overseeing others. I am a relatively new supervisor of a student clinic on a college campus. I have seen how managing students' performance without including good coaching has failed miserably with students who lack confidence. While I thought I was providing adequate coaching for them, after scoring 60% on the course's initial self-evaluation, I realized I needed to be coached about coaching! This course has been extremely helpful. Thank you.
I think as a manager you must wear both hats your main goal is to maximize results so setting performance goals for your staff and coaching them to achieve it is in your best interest.
Marie,
yes, modeling the desired behavior is a key factors in being a good coach.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Coaching is the comittment the manager makes with the employee to assist, guide, and support them in mastering a new skill set or process. To be there when needed, but not to do the work for them. This allows the employee to work through the process or procedure by themselves but also builds their confidance by completing this task.
Whereas, managing is the process of ensuring that the employee's productivity meets or exceeds their responsibilities or duties by completing their tasks correctly in a timely manner.
I think that being a capable coach means that you have to be willing to accept coaching and feedback as well as being able to give give it. Good coaches are always learning from their employees, co-workers and supervisors. They are able to take the information that they learn and turn it into something that helps them enhance their coaching skills.
Eugene,
this is a great statement & we need to be prepared to invest the time needed.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Managing is more about directing and supervising while coaching is a bit more involved
Agreed. Ideally you want to have a good balance between the two.
Paul,
this is a good delineation of skills & really both are important to effectively lead a group or team.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Coaching is about helping your team improve. Working with people to build skills, build confidence and address weaknesses. Coaching is focused on specific areas or needs. Managing is broader, relating to the entire organization. Making sure that your team is completing their tasks and the organization is running smoothly.
I feel that the difference in coaching and employee and managing an employee can be a fine line. Coaching is used for both helping an employee to reach the next career goal, but can also be used if they are not meeting expectations in the current job roll. Good managment of an employee incorporates coaching into the intereactions between the supervisor and the employee. And is helping that employee to maximize the skill set they possess and build on areas that are not a strong.
Coaching is an important tool to improve employee performance, reinforcing their strength and resolving their weakness; in the other hand, managing is a broader process, where evaluating and implementing solutions take place, coaching is a managerial tool.
Richard: I definitely agree that an effective supervisor needs to be both a coach and a manager. Managing is more about directing and telling the employee what to do. For instance when the manager instructs how to perform a certain task the expectations are set by the manager. Coaching is more about being a facilitator helping the employee to develop to their full potential. If an employee has an opportunity for improvement the coach will help the employee set expectations and goals.
Carol,
great point & this is why we need to make sure we are connecting the praise to specific behaviors & true accomplishments.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Carol,
great point & this is why we need to make sure we are connecting the praise to specific behaviors & true accomplishments.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
