How Can Managers be Better Coaches? 5 Tips for Coaching Direct Reports

Coaching is an essential part of management. It's how leaders help their employees develop the skills they need to do their best work. But what if you're not a natural coach? What if you feel like you have no idea how to coach your direct reports? That doesn't mean that coaching isn't in your future—or even today! With the right tools, anyone can be a great coach.

Here are five tips for how you can be a better coach:

Learn the art of listening.

Listening is the first step to coaching. It’s not just waiting for your turn to speak, but really listening to what someone has to say and taking it in.

Listening is a skill that can be learned. You don't have to be born with it—and it can improve over time if you practice!

You probably think of listening as a passive activity: you hear words and absorb them without thinking about what you're doing or how you're doing it. For example, when someone says something interesting (like "I'm going on vacation next week!"), your brain might automatically start planning where you want to go on vacation this year instead of actively processing what they just said. But being a good listener means paying attention while someone else talks; asking questions like "tell me more" or "what do I need to know?" when appropriate; noting whether there are any emotions involved (e.g., a sad tone) so you can empathize with their situation; etcetera!

Define your expectations.

Before you start coaching your direct report, make sure that you have a clear understanding of what they need to do and what kind of results they should expect. If you don't know where someone is going, how can you possibly coach them?

If their goals aren't defined yet, then give them some time to figure out what their big-picture goals are and how their current projects fit into those plans. A good manager will help guide this process by asking questions like, "Are there any opportunities outside of your current role that would be valuable for us to explore?" or "What are some things we could do differently in our department or organization that would make it easier for you or us?"

When defining expectations (or setting goals), make sure to set ambitious but realistic expectations so people can feel confident about hitting them while also being challenged by them. Don't worry too much about other people's expectations; if they're not helping move the needle on your team's success metrics, then they're not worth worrying about anyway!

Hold them accountable.

While it's important to set clear goals, you also need to hold your direct reports accountable for meeting those goals. If a project is taking too long and the deadline is fast approaching, step in and help turn things around by asking them how they are doing with their deliverables. If they're not meeting expectations, offer advice on how they can get back on track or find a solution that works well for both parties (if they've already failed).

If you're a manager, it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running your business and forget about setting clear goals with your direct reports. This is especially true if they are high achievers who don't need much guidance. But if you want to see results, it's important to set clear goals and hold your team accountable for meeting them.

Empower their decisions.

As a manager, your employees look to you to provide answers. What should we do? When should we launch our new product? How can we improve the customer experience?

You may be responsible for all the answers, but recognizing that you don't have them all or that they aren't set in stone is incredibly important. In fact, if you want your direct reports to feel empowered in their roles and make their own decisions, they need to know that they can trust their own judgment. Your way is not necessarily the right way or the only way to get something done successfully.

So how do you give them the freedom to make decisions without worrying about making mistakes or taking ownership of everything that happens? You need to give them all the tools they need, like data and analysis, access to other stakeholders in your organization, a clear understanding of current performance metrics so they know what's working well and where improvements are needed, decision-making templates (if applicable), and, most importantly, the confidence that comes from knowing there are accountability processes in place.

Always thank them and celebrate them.

It's important to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of employees. They want to feel proud of their work, and recognition is one way to do that.

Rewards, on the other hand, can be like a "carrot on a stick." They're nice when they happen, but they don't have the same impact as recognition. Rewards often make people feel like their performance is being measured or judged—which isn't always something you want your employees thinking about at work!

As a manager or coach (or any kind of leader), it's your job to make sure you are recognizing employee accomplishments well and often, and this can be a powerful motivator for them to keep doing well! People typically perform better when they feel appreciated by their leaders than they would if they received no recognition at all from them.

So, how can managers be better coaches?

Although there are no hard-and-fast rules for coaching, managers can make it easier on themselves by sticking to these tips. By doing so, you'll create a coaching culture that will develop your team's skills and talent for years to come.