Coaching is a major weapon in the pursuit of better organizations and bottom lines, but managers are often hesitant to coach. Why? Are they afraid? Where do they start?

Coaching is very simply at its most basic terms about asking questions, listening, Really listening, and working WITH employees to insure better performance. Management have been led to believe leadership is about being firm and leading with an iron hand. Really? Let me use a basic foundational example. Think of the over-bearing parents who yell at their child during youth sports. They scream because for heaven sakes the damn child missed a goal or shot.

Have you ever seen the kid yell back "Thanks dad for the feedback, I 'll do better next time, don t you worry"

Are you laughing? I am. People do not react with better performance because we have been yelled at or humiliated or reprimanded. People want to be inspired and challenged!

Recently the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA championship and their coach Rick Carlisle rarely was shown yelling at his players. he constantly spoke of the team and how they need to pull fort each other. Needless to say they were not the most talented team but this coach inspired veterans to perform better than they veer thought possible. This from a team with an aging 37 year old point guard (Jason Kidd) leading the way.