Chapter 12
Perfect Phrases to Coach Employees
,
Do you mentor your team? Coaching is an important aspect of management. Coaching isn’t just for a disciplinary role. Coaching our best employees to develop their potential is a good use of our time. Gallup research confirms that employees are happiest when their managers take a personal interest in them and their skills are put to good use. Perfect Phrases help.
Perfect Phrases for Informal Interaction
Don’t limit feedback to the performance review. If you use MBWA (management by walking around), you’ll create a presence in the workplace, and it will give you the chance for casual feedback.
Hey, I like the way you (observation).
By the way, great job on (item).
I don’t know how you do that, but I’m sure glad you do!
Are you getting the help you need?
Is there anything you need from me?
How comfortable is your workload?
Is there anything you want me to know?
How was your weekend?
What’s your priority today?
Perfect Phrases to Uncover Employee Strengths
Gallup polls show that the best managers build on the areas where their employees are already strong. I find my team gets far more done when I align their projects with their interests. The following two sets of phrases uncover and build strengths.
What part of your job is most exciting to you?
Do you have freedom to perform this part of your job your own way?
Does the amount of freedom you have contribute to your motivation and satisfaction with this part of your job?
What would your perfect job look like?
What could we do to make your job more like that?
Are there some skills you would like to be able to use more and interests you’d like to be able to pursue?
Can you think of something we should be doing that would draw on your skills?
Perfect Phrases to Build Employee Strengths
I notice you have a knack for (skill). Are there some aspects of that skill you would like to develop?
What would it take to develop that?
How can I support you in getting even stronger in that skill?
What do you like to do the most?
What would you like to learn most?
I’d like to give you further training in . . .
I’ve got a job that has your name on it; I want to build your skills in the area of . . .
Perfect Phrases for Positive Reinforcement
Most employees never hear about it when they do something well. It’s worth our time to tell our team what we appreciate about their work. Every phrase here calls for specific details about what is being acknowledged.
(Project) was a very helpful initiative because . . .
What made that a great job is . . .
You just took us one step closer to our mission and vision.
Way to go on that project.
What makes this exceptional work is . . .
I am particularly impressed by (action) because . . .
What makes you great to work with is . . .
I can tell you have an excellent sense of (quality) by . . .
I appreciate how you consistently go out of your way to . . .
Your professionalism shines in the way you . . .
It’s clear you put a lot of time and thought into . . .
I know it was tough to (achievement), but you did it!
Your results show your hard work.
I noticed that you made significant changes in this report. It is more succinct and easier to understand, and the conclusions are clear.
I can see that you worked hard to streamline this process. Your efforts have cut turnaround time in half. Thank you.
When you did (action), it made my job easier because . . .
Perfect Phrases to Uncover and Address Issues and Obstacles
If performance is not up to standards, we need to avoid jumping to judgments about our employees’ failures. Sometimes employees are not succeeding because they lack the skills. Sometimes employees are not succeeding because they don’t know there’s a problem. Sometimes employees are not succeeding because the system has built-in obstacles. Use these Perfect Phrases to address issues and uncover obstacles.
I am generally pleased with your performance, especially (strong area). There is one thing I see a need to work on.
Your job calls for you to (job standard), but what is happening instead is . . .
Are there obstacles in the workplace that make it difficult for you to do your (job, project) well?
Are there resources you need that you aren’t getting?
Do you have the resources to do this task?
Do you understand the job standards?
Are there skills you need to learn to do these tasks?
Do you have enough authority to do these tasks?
Are you getting the cooperation you need?
Tell me what you think is happening.
What would you say if I said I think you are an exceptional employee in the wrong position?
I notice your performance hasn’t been up to standards and I wonder if you’re planning to leave the company. Are you?
Perfect Phrases to Brainstorm Solutions
When there is a performance problem, instead of dictating solutions, we’re better off brainstorming them. These phrases get us started.
This isn’t working. I could just decide what to do about it, but I prefer we work together to solve the problem.
Let’s start by identifying the source of the problem. What do you think it is?
Let’s start by listing obstacles and see which ones we can change and which ones we’ll need to work around.
Let’s brainstorm twenty possible ways to resolve this to get our creative juices flowing around the issue. The ideas don’t have to be good—we’ll evaluate them when we’re done. I’ll start.
We need to fix this. I’d like to view it as an opportunity for us to move forward and move you to the next level.
What would you do if you were me managing you in this situation?
How committed are you to getting this right?
Perfect Phrases to Address Personal Issues and Counsel Grieving Employees
Personal issues and loss can affect performance. It’s not our place to act like a therapist, but it is appropriate to empathize and direct the employee to services that can help. It is also our responsibility to address the workload, even in troubled times.
You don’t seem like your usual chipper self lately. Is something up?
I understand wanting to keep your personal feelings private. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.
If you ever need to talk, I’m here.
We do need to discuss your work performance. I don’t know why your performance has dropped, and the job does need to get done.
Your personal life isn’t my business, and I’m not going to pry. It is affecting your work, and that is my business. So please know that I care, even though we do need to talk about your work.
I encourage you to contact our EAP program for whatever support you can use. In the meantime, I need to know what I can count on with your job requirements.
(Name), I am so sorry about your loss.
It has to be hard dealing with loss.
I am aware that you are under a lot of pressure. Let me know what I can do to support you.
We don’t expect you to be “up” all the time. Please feel safe to be real.
I know I can’t fix it, but I can listen.
If we need to adjust your goals for a while, let me know.
Obviously we need the job to get done, but let’s see how we can adapt your requirements to accommodate your needs for a while.
I find support groups to be incredibly helpful. I found one for your situation. Can I tell you about it?