Coaching to Achieve Goals
Companies are built around goals and values. The successful companies have leaders who have communicated clearly defined goals and values to their employees. It is important that each employee knows what the goals are for the company as well as their individual goals and what they need to do to achieve them. Employees who understand or have helped to create their own goals and how they work with the company’s goals will be more motivated, thus increasing productivity. Will this happen without any guidance from their managers or leaders? Not likely. If you want employees who are engaged and motivated, you need effective coaching.
Coaching helps to keep employees on track and accountable for the goals and values they have set for themselves. It is easy to hold employees accountable when goals are clear, easy and measurable. It also makes it easier to correct behavior or actions that are hindering progress toward the goal because it is easy to pinpoint exactly where something is going wrong. When setting goals for the employee, make sure they are very clear, easy to track and measure, as well as attainable. Your coaching efforts should be consistent with the company’s core values to help achieve the company’s goals. Here are a few steps to take to make your coaching efforts more effective:
- Set the goals together with your employees. Be clear about your expectations and what should be accomplished.
- Set up a timeline with your employee for reaching the goal. Schedule “review” meetings to discuss how things are going and to make sure they are working toward their goal and still on track for the deadline that was agreed upon.
- Provide feedback either at the review meetings or any time that seems appropriate. This is the time to either acknowledge their progress or provide additional support if needed as they move closer to their goals.
Managers and leaders who coach and guide their employees toward their individual goals will help contribute to the overall success of the company.
