Coach Smarter

The Characteristics of a Good Coach

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Impact Learning Systems International
P.O. Box 14110
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406

Toll Free: 800.545.9003

Local: 805.781.3283

Email: info@impactlearning.com
www.impactlearning.com
 Coach Smarter
The Characteristics of a Good Coach
There’s no formula for perfect coaching. It calls as much for intuition as for technique. What works
with one employee won’t necessarily work with another. And what works in one situation may not
work in the next. But there are several characteristics that successful coaches have in common.
These coaches:

 Provide clear, complete instructions.

 Let employees know how they’re doing.
 Give constructive feedback when employees make mistakes.
 Remain accessible.
 Build and maintain mutually rewarding relationships with employees.
 Set reasonable and consistent expectations.
 Establish and model a high standard.
 Build team effort to achieve high productivity.
 Seek a commitment to quality and performance from each individual.
 Remain poised and positive under stress.
 Manage their time and responsibilities well.
 Maintain a sense of humor.

Successful coaches also help their employees to:

 Establish goals.
 Monitor their progress.
 Identify problems.
 Find solutions.
 Enhance their knowledge of the industry and customer base.
 Understand and appreciate their strengths and weaknesses.
 Realize their full potential.

Although you may naturally be stronger in some of the areas listed above than in others, if you
dedicate yourself to becoming a better coach, you can master each and every one of these
attributes.

Take a sheet of paper and divide it into three columns. Label the left column “Back to School,” the
middle column “Ups and Downs,” and the right column “Super Star.” Read through the above lists
again and put each characteristic into the appropriate column as follows:

© 2010 Impact Learning Systems International www.impactlearning.com 1

 Back to School – If you need considerable improvement in the skill

Up and Downs – If you have average proficiency in the skill, or if you know what to do but
don’t always do it

Super Star – If you’re consistently at your best in the skill

Once you’ve completed this step, go on to create an Action Plan for turning these opportunities for
improvement into assets. Here’s an example:

Skill: Let employees know how they’re doing.

Action Plan: I plan to establish an hour long drop-by session every Friday. The purpose of this
informal session is to encourage employees to drop by for a few minutes so I can
briefly give feedback on how they’re doing. I will implement this session within
the next two weeks, and review its effectiveness on the last Friday of every
month. The drop-by session will not replace our more formal quarterly
performance reviews, but rather it will be in addition to the review.

Now it’s your turn. Be honest. No one is watching.

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