Coaching to Behaviours Not Numbers

Welcome to this week’s Leadership Launch. The weekly newsletter designed for mid-level leaders in tech.

Last week’s edition: Difference in roles: Supervisor, Manager, Senior Manager, Director + VP.

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Numbers are just the indicator, if you want to get the most out of your team and unlock their potential, focus on the behaviours.

Let’s look at one example. Customer experience.

Your team member is falling short on their customer satisfaction score.

Your goal is 95% and they’re behind at 85%.

This is how you DON’T address this problem.

“Philip your customer satisfaction score is at 85%, you know the goal is 95%. I need you to correct this. When will you get to 95% by?”

Ooof

I bet Philip feels very inspired to do his best work now.

With that type of conversation, he’ll be at 95% before you know it.

But probably for another team with better support and leadership…

You’ve not observed his work.

You’ve not identified where the gap is.

You’ve not supported him to understand if something is going on in his home life.

You’ve not had a meaningful conversation and encouraged him to reflect.

You’ve told him to fix the number.

Photo by Susan Holt Simpson on Unsplash

A better way…..

5 key steps to get Philip back to satisfying his customers!

• Identify the gap

• Do some analysis and observations

• Coaching

• Build out a plan with a cause, goal and steps to address

• Accountability to plan

Step 1/ Identifying the gap

• What’s the challenge or problem you’re trying to solve?

• How is the person falling short of your expectations?

• Do you have a success measurement to know for sure?

• Success measurement should be quantitative.

Step 2/ Data and observation

• Don’t assume you know what the problem is.

• Validate the problem with data and observations.

• I identify a behaviour that Philip is adopting which is resulting in him being behind on his outcome.

• Measurable behaviours (actions) are the drivers behind the outcomes.

• Behaviour is important because it’s visible, you can see it.

Photo by Caleb George on Unsplash

Step 3/ Coaching conversation

• They should know what their success measurements are.

• Explain the problem and what you have seen.

• Bring up data so they understand it.

• Coach them

  • What do you think might be slowing you down?

  • How could you approach this differently?

  • What action could you take to address the challenge here?

  • What can I do to support you?

• Ask them good questions to challenge their blockers and limiting beliefs.

• Be tough on the specific behaviour and kind to the person.

• Identify the root cause, what behaviour is it they are displaying and why.

Example of getting to the root cause behaviour without using the 5 Whys

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Pro Tip:

Why, can be a little too direct and trigger defensiveness leaving the employee feeling uncomfortable, when the goal of the conversation is to evoke self-awareness.

Instead of why, try: How, What, Who, When

It gets you to the same place, just a better path.

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Customers are not satisfied with Philip’s handling

Why? (What do you think might be the reason?)