Good Coaching Means Quality Conversations

Posted: April 4, 2012 | Categories: Management, Team Building

“Interrogate reality, promote learning, tackle touch challenges, enrich relationships…success occurs one conversation at a time”

Susan Scott
Fierce Conversations

If there is one common denominator among all the companies I work with, it is that they want to increase sales and improve profit margins.  To triumph in these objectives, selling is important, and just as important is communication within teams and among departments.  When a sale is made, the customer expects the product or service to be exceptional and they anticipate that the work will be completed on time and within budget.

When companies conduct surveys about how things can improve, the topic of communication comes up consistently as a key focus area.  The quality of communication helps ensure that important information is transferred and things don’t slip through the cracks.  In addition, good communication strengthens teamwork by increasing engagement and reducing toxic finger-pointing and blame.

Let’s take a look at some important fundamentals and components that make up quality communication:

Trust: A strong platform of trust and mutual respect must be built.  This doesn’t means that everyone has to like each other.  Chicago Bulls legends Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen did not like Dennis Rodman.  They did  trust him and respect his work ethic and playing ability.  That was enough to get them more than one championship.

Focus: Mistakes, problems and challenges occur every day.  When they do, there are often two or more people involved in solving the problem.  The first step of the conversation is to clarify and maintain focus by asking the questions:

1. What is the focus of our discussion?
2. What would be a desirable outcome (A corrective action plan defined and committed to)

List all possible solutions:  Without judgment, get all ideas and possible options on the table.

Evaluate options:  Determine action.  After identifying the decision-making criteria, which of the options makes the most sense?  Who is going to do what?  When are they going to do it?

Remove Barriers: When we committed to a task that involves a change in pattern, much can get in the way.  At this stage, we flush out all the possible barriers, and have a strategy to help prevent the potential barriers from impeding our progress:  Here are some questions we can ask;

1.  What might prevent you from succeeding?
2. What’s missing?
3. What resources do you need?
4. What are the roadblocks you expect or know about?

To operate profitably and efficiently, look for ways to collaborate with each teammate on improvement opportunities.  Focus, list options, evaluate options, formulate action steps, remove barriers, and commit to action.  You will solve one problem after another as a team, and your team will keep getting stronger.