coach employees

Many demands are made on managers today. They should be "entrepreneurs", i.e. act in an entrepreneurial manner. They should be "leaders", i.e. personalities to whom their employees can orient themselves. And the latest trend: they are supposed to be coaches for their employees, i.e. they are supposed to promote their development and support them in their performance. Due to this variety of tasks, many managers forget their core task. They simply have to make sure that their employees are

Contribution to the success of the company

The company's success depends on its employees' ability to make their own contribution. All other management tasks are subordinate to this task - including the promotion of employees.

Managers are also supervisors

The statement "Our managers should be coaches for their employees" can be found more and more often in the management guidelines of many companies. In doing so, it is usually not sufficiently considered that their managers are also the disciplinary superiors of their employees. As such, they decide to a large extent on their professional advancement. The employees know this as well. Therefore, their behavior towards their superiors is also characterized by tactical considerations. Hardly any employee, for example, would openly say to their boss, "I don't enjoy my job," as long as they don't have an alternative job in the bag. Or, "I'm overwhelmed." Rightly so! Because too much openness is detrimental to career advancement.

The relationship between manager and employee is not a family one. A father encourages his children so that they become personalities who shape their lives with success. This is different for a manager. She promotes her employees primarily in order to achieve that they perform better.

Coaching is mostly instructing

This sets narrow limits on the coaching function of managers. They are largely limited to guiding employees in their work. But this is precisely what is needed in companies today.

Helping - professionally and mentally

is often frowned upon. Because instructing is often equated with instructing. Wrongly! Because instructing does not mean giving orders to other people, but rather giving them the necessary support - professionally and mentally.

In addition: Instruction is largely associated with the field of training. Wrongly so! Because what does an instructor do? He doesn't chew the solution to his charges. Rather, he asks them, "How would you approach this task? " In other words, he motivates them to come up with their own proposed solutions. And if he sees that those entrusted to him need support, he gives it to them before agreeing with them on a solution path. But that's not the end of the leader's job. A good instructor also keeps asking during implementation, "Are there any problems?", "What have you achieved in the meantime?", so that he can intervene with support if necessary. In this way he ensures that his protégés go through learning processes and achieve the desired results.

Even experienced employees need support

Even experienced employees need such guidance - especially when they take on new tasks with which they have little experience. Otherwise it is left to chance which work results the employees achieve. And this is exactly what is to be avoided when demanded: Managers must coach their employees. Then it translates as: Managers, offer your employees the support they need to complete their tasks - for example, by providing them with the know-how they still lack.