The Role of Coaching in Performance Management
There are many coaching styles and many coaching applications in organisations.
Coaching Styles
There are many forms of coaching. The appropriate style will depend on the particular needs of the person to be coached (the coachee).
Directive vs. Non-Directive Coaching Styles
Directive coaching focuses on instructing, giving feedback, demonstrating skills, dealing with key performance issues, advising or recommending solutions to the coachee.
Non-directive coaching focuses on supporting the coachee to examine and self-discover solutions, opportunities and pathways to success.
Specific vs. Holistic Coaching Styles
Specific coaching interactions focus on particular requirements, be they the achievement of clearly defined performance goals or the acquisition of particular skills. They tend to relate purely to the coachee’s work life. Specific coaching programs tend to be of short tot medium-term duration.
Holistic coaching relationships tend to be longer-term and focus on whole-of –life issues. The process here looks at the whole person and their overall growth and development in life.
Formal vs. Circumstantial Coaching Styles
Formal coaching uses a set process/program.
Circumstantial coaching is flexible and adapted to the needs of the coachee at any point of time.
Performance Coaching
A key part of individual goal setting and achievement requires the support of a performance coach to maximise the chances of success. Wherever possible, this coach should be the subordinate’s manager. Performance Coaching focuses on supporting the coachee to achieve specific goals. This favors a directive approach and tends to focus on short-term performance improvements.
Development Coaching
Performance Coaching focuses primarily on goal setting and achievement, whereas Development Coaching focuses on growing the competencies of subordinates to stretch and challenge them and successfully develop their careers. This is done in a way that reinforces and builds upon their talents whilst being congruent with opportunities within the organization.
Various coaching styles are used and the time horizon tends to be medium to long-term. In addition, it requires considerable knowledge about career development techniques and strategies. However, performance coaching does include elements that encompass employee development.
Specifically, the development coach’s role is to:
- Articulate the specific competency requirements of the coachee’s current position
- Identify the specific competency areas that are strong and need to be reinforced; or are less strong and need development
- Identify strategies for performance improvement and formulate a development plan
- Identify possible career paths and the competencies required to progress
- Hold structured and positive conversations with their coachee
Development Coaching (and Mentoring) enables an organization to develop both its talented people (top 10% of performers) as well as its “solid citizens” (the remaining 90%). This will facilitate the key components of individual learning and development that need to occur.