The history of Indian cricket triggers several observations with regard to its coaches. In the 1990s, the national cricket team had its first official coaches. Before that, the team travelled with a manager.
The change brings to us our first observation: The difference between a manager and a coach.
A sports team is a select group of experts trained to deliver on the big stage. They are backed by a support staff catering to their health and training and led by a captain with experience and leadership qualities. One would wonder: Why would they need a coach – which leads us to the second observation: The role of a coach in a team. Since 1990, the Indian cricket team has had some excellent coaches.
It brings us to my third observation: What good coaches deliver that managers don’t?
Coach versus Managers
An organization is like a collection of cricket or any sports team. It hires a range of experts to perform specific tasks. These experts are supported by various technologies and training programs to upskill and maximize their performances. A manager heads each team of experts. In most large organizations, a pyramidal organizational hierarchy is established.
While few managers naturally emerge as coaches, most managers usually remain managers and never graduate to be a coach. The difference is that a manager manages tasks and resources, a coach serves the team with a purpose. A coach essentially does not have to perform himself. The team’s performance is the performance of the coach. For that, he needs everyone to succeed.
Despite having the whole ecosystem, a coach is essential for any team. As per a Gartner study,
Effective manager-coaches engage 40% more employees and increase team retention by 20%.[1] Good coaches develop a comfortable yet professional relationship with teams. They have an uncanny knack to solve problems. They are able to anticipate the issues and offer a third-eye perspective. In times of crisis, even when a captain is facing leadership or performance challenges, the coach infuses stability in the team. In peacetime, the coach nurtures and mentors quality talent to become leaders.
Build Your Company to be a Coach for Leaders
While a captain leads, a coach is a leader who serves. Hence, every organization at its highest level need to be a coach first for its entire managerial hierarchy and leadership. Out of many, the following are five key things that organizations need to do to coach their employees into leaders.
Integrate purpose. The purpose is beyond business goals or CSR objectives. It’s the core thought of why your organization exists and why should people help you achieve that? Integrating purpose and organizational vision with every employee gives a meaning to their work. It makes the person feel important and the creation of value, which acts as an innate motivation.
Listen to your employees. Employees spend more energy and time at work than in their personal lives. If employees go unheeded, it leads to colossal discontentment. On the other hand, listening makes team members feel more connected and valued. Therefore, it is imperative that an organization listens to its employees and takes their ideas, thoughts and challenges into account.
Discuss organizational strategies. Some roles may be more important than others. Also, many strategies may have to be secret. However, discussing plans with employees make them feel more connected to the larger mission.
Avoid negative comparisons. Seniors can use comparisons to inspire and motivate or humiliate or discourage. Avoid negative comparisons within a team. Healthy competition is good, but thriving insecurities can cause a team to collapse.
Cater to employee needs and aspirations. There’s no’ one-size-fits-all’ solution in terms of employee needs and aspirations. In pandemic times, a raise, salary or the latest gadgets may not guarantee employee retention. Focusing on holistic health, hygiene, and security may be a priority area. New work or training opportunities or perks might be more rewarding than incentives.
It is the organization that needs first to begin thinking like a coach. It should abstain from building a command and control culture and infuse organizational fabric with care and compassion. It needs to handhold its employees, help them explore and identify their passion, and determine a career path aligned to company goals and vision.
In the future, amidst uncertainties, stiff competition, and a higher attrition rate, employee centricity needs to come alive and not be left to company value statements. The best way to approach it is to build your Company to be a coach, and coach your employees to be leaders.
[1] https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/think-employees-thrive-with-constant-coaching-think-again
