Observing and measuring performance - Keys to effective coaching

If you are truly dedicated to helping those you lead or supervise to improve their performance and productivity, it helps to actually watch them in action. Professional coaches in the athletic arena use on-site observation and film replays. This allows them to isolate and work on specific areas, techniques, or skills needing work. In the business world these 'instant replays' may be filtered or edited by the people reporting them to the coach/manager/leader. It is difficult to know how well people are doing without actually observing and/or tracking their performance. Better observation systems and relevant information will lead to a better result and better coaching.

Over the years, one of my bigger management challenges was to work with those who I supervised to be more productive on the job. I've had a fair amount of challenge and success as a small business owner and as a manager for larger firms in helping my employees succeed. I just love it when I see people grow and win!

Long before coaching became a 'buzz' word, I found myself using some of these 'management' techniques in coaching my staff, in helping them set goals for successful learning, and in moving their skill sets up the ladder so they could be promoted. In the 1970's I was hired to open a Big Boy's franchise in Edmonton Center. A year or so later, I was asked to go to Calgary and assist the franchiser there in re-energizing his staff at 3 stores. After my departure, my two assistants were promoted; one to take over my store and the second to take over the store in the east side of the city. Their leadership skills had been honed and they had the chance to shine. They each did very well.

I had a similar experience when I was head hunted as part of the management team to open the first two Home Depots in BC. Several of my staff were tapped to move up into management as new stores opened. I have found that coaching as part of the training and motivational process works very well.

It works well in the management of volunteers too. I could tell you many success stories of boards and those who responded well to these leadership coaching techniques.

One example was during my extended term as President of CAPS-Vancouver, (1999 & 2000). We had a serious organizational challenge as we had a low bank balance, low membership, and low energy in our meetings. It took recruiting and creating a motivated, success focused team to make it happen and to reverse the process. It took a leadership coach to call the plays, help set the goals, and continue helping our volunteer leaders grow to take on their respective roles and to serve our membership.

Did it work? You bet it did! At the end of our extended term, we had tripled our membership; had a healthy bank account; a reasonable budget for the next year; a 3-year succession of leaders (succeeding presidents did an awesome job); hosted the following national convention; a healthy, fully active board; the next year's meetings already booked; and a very relieved and tired Immediate Past President.

Canadian Association of Professional Speakers National recognized our growth in 2000 by awarding us Chapter of the Year and our CAPS National President, Patricia Katz awarded me a special CAPS President's Award 'for my energetic contribution to the advancement of CAPS and my living example of the power of one.'  I was overwhelmed at this recognition, as I did not see it coming. Yes, Coaching works!

Successful managers (coaches) look at both the results and the process to find areas where they can assist their employee's or member's fine tune or tweak their success skills for enhanced performance and productivity.

Performance observation and measurements must be done on a regular, recurring basis to offer ongoing validity in your coaching efforts.  A little feedback and instruction closer to the activity is the most effective. Performance reviews, as done in most businesses once or twice a year, are not effective and can at times be counter-productive.

Learning how to observe your employees or team members without making them feel intimidated or uncomfortable is a skill you'll need to acquire as you evolve your leadership and coaching expertise.

No one exemplifies the concepts in this article better than Antonio Stradivari, an Italian violin maker who lived from 1644 to 1737. Stradivari died at the age of ninety-three, at a time when the average life expectancy was a little over thirty-five years. He taught himself his trade. His tools were primitive, and he usually worked alone until later in life, when his sons joined him. Stradivari had a passion. He put the best of himself into every violin and viola. When he was finished and was certain that his craftsmanship measured up to his personal standards, he signed his name on the instrument.

Nearly three hundred years later, his violins sell for hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars, and Stradivarius is a synonym for quality throughout the world. But far from every man or woman with uncommon standards of excellence become celebrities. At this very moment, thousands or tens of thousands are working unknown and unsung in industry, the arts and the sciences. The public has never heard of them and probably never will; yet they refuse to turn out shoddy work. They are in the minority, but that's where they've always been - playing for a gallery of one, for their own inner applause. Remember, people who consistently do things well set their own standards and make themselves measure up. In so doing, they:

Chase your passion, not your pension!