Here is a quick list of guidelines to follow when coaching your employees.

1. Have your team warm up: athletes do why shouldn't they? Do one quick role-play with a fellow team member or have them call their own voice mail and do a practice run of their sales pitch.

2. 30 second rule: when coaching your employees you should never be talking for more than 30 seconds at a time. Longer than that and you are not listening enough.

3. Employees should NEVER just read a book or article. Have employees summarize important facts they learned and have them email you how they will incorporate what they learned into their day to day routine. Check back a month later and see if they stuck to it, if they did congratulate them, if they didn't, get them back on track.

4. Turn off distractions. Our minds are over loaded everyday. Turn off your computer screen and cellphone for the duration of the coaching session, this will ensure you really hear everything that you need to.

5. Have a daily coaching check. Each day at noon you should have done at least one thing to improve your staff, from a simple good job Sue to a full blown coaching session. If by noon you haven't completed this task make sure you build it in to your day. Text messages, emails, and voicemails can count, so no more excuses.

6. Get more out of them: ask "How so" "Can you tell me a little bit more about that," or "can you give me an example?"

7. LISTEN! A great quote by Stephen Covey: Most people do not listen with an intent to understand. Most people listen with an intent to reply." Make sure this isn't you.

8. Have your employees help each other. In a group coaching session have them throw difficult objections or dismissal comments at each other. Reward the team member that comes up with the best rebuttals.

9. Have fun, coaching should create fun for your employees, not be a dismal task.

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