Key Concepts from “Coaching for Success”

David Clark
March 16, 2006

Top Coaches have a certain mindset about coaching:

1. They care about their people and demonstrate that caring by the amount of time they invest
2. They feel responsible for the performance and morale of their people
3. They believe people can grow, if given the right direction and support

Top Coaches combine this mindset with behaviors – things they say and do to help
their people improve their performance:

1. They have good communication skills. They are honest, clear, concise and pinpointed.
2. They set clear expectations and standards. People know how they will be measured and what
steps are required to deliver desired results.
3. They tailor their coaching to the needs of each person. They have enough self-awareness to
recognize when their natural style may not be right in a given situation.
4. They understand the people they coach and apply the right antecedents and consequences to
challenge people to move from their current level of performance to a higher level of
performance.

Good Coaches apply the right balance of technical and supportive coaching:

1. They have the flexibility to use the coaching style that is needed by an individual on a
particular task
2. The coaching style they use is determined by their analysis of the competence and
commitment the person has for the task at hand
3. Coaches determine whether the person’s competence is high or low by:
• Measuring results.
• Reading the person’s resume or personnel file to learn about previous assignments.
• Talking to the person about his/her experiences.
• Talking to previous bosses.
4. Coaches determine whether the person’s commitment is high or low by:
• Reading body language and verbal language for signs of enthusiasm and passion.
• Judging the person’s willingness to work independently vs. needing a lot of direction.
• The amount of time the person devotes to the task.

1
Good coaches help their people achieve excellent results by applying the right
antecedents and consequences:

1. Top coaches set their people up for success by communicating clear expectations and
providing examples of good work
• They role model what’s expected by demonstrating the desired behaviors.
• They make sure their people have access to formal training when that’s appropriate.
• They furnish job aids and other materials so their people can get answers when the
coach isn’t around.
2. Good coaches apply the right consequence as soon as practical after a given behavior

• If the behavior meets expectations, good coaches praise and encourage the desirable
actions. They do so in precise language that specifies what was done right. Good coaches
look for opportunities to accentuate the positive, knowing that people do things they get
rewarded for.
• If the behavior fails to meet expectations, the coach discourages the undesirable behavior
with feedback that is specific, timely and honest.