5 steps to effective coaching

April 13, 2021

There are endless approaches to workforce training, coaching, and leadership. But what truly works?

For staff performing new employee onboarding, internal trainers teaching or reinforcing new skills and practices, and for people leaders looking to get the most from their teams, there are 5 simple steps to ensuring success:

Step #1: Read it
Reading helps many learners take-in and process new information.

Be sure to present new ideas, concepts, and processes in a visual way, such as using paper or a whiteboard to write it down or draw/map it out. Then, ask learners to rewrite what they see to help reinforce their learning.

Step #2: See it
Some people need to see it to believe it — and to learn and retain it.

Many learners benefit from watching a video that demonstrates the desired action or behaviour you are presenting. This helps them to visualize what it looks like and how it impacts them/their role at work.

Step #3 Try it:
Next, introduce your teams to the new process, action, or behaviour by allowing them to act it out at their own pace. This will help to reinforce the learning and allow them to demonstrate their understanding. It’s also an opportunity for learners to become comfortable with something new in a safe, controlled environment.

Step 4: Feel it
Practice makes perfect. This is the step in which you’ll ask your teams to practice what they’ve learned on-site. Walk learners through the process within the work environment so that they can put into proactive their new skill set.

Step 5: Live it
This is where it gets real. The on-site practice has led your learners to on-the-job coaching. At this stage, your people leaders or trainers will act as mentors, helping learners to execute their new skills while in real work scenarios.

Remember to be encouraging and supportive, and to offer compliments alongside constructive criticism when an area of opportunity for improvement presents itself.

Remember that each individual has their own learning style and pace. Using a singular approach to teach and reinforce new processes and behaviours will fail to reach each individual on your team. To ensure that you’re connecting — and making a positive impact — on everyone, the above holistic approach to leadership and training should be adopted.

For help putting this system into practice, reach out to the workforce solutions experts at The West Egg Group.