Content provided courtesy of USAA.
Military coaching consists of accurately and precisely describing the standards of performance to be successful in a position and then having frequent coaching sessions concerning the on-the-job performance. The best aspect of the military coaching session is the direct comparison of job performance contrasted to a very clear, distinct, and well-defined standard of performance. Military coaching is all about performance and performance improvement. When we coach, discuss, and teach to a clear standard it is very easy to see what we need to do to improve and to be successful both in our job and as we lead others.
Here are 4 tips to becoming a great coach:
Have Frequent, Quality Intersections Focused On Performance.
Performing as a distinguished career and business coach is about small, frequent meetings. Watch a sports coach in action during practice. She will be telling the players how to do this one play better, saying 15-30 seconds of advice to another, pulling another player aside for 3-5 minutes, and then working with another smaller set of players more intensely for an hour. The secret to being an effective coach is to coach to each person’s needs in a manner that will improve their performance.
Have Defined, Clear, and Achievable Standards.
Great coaches knows what they want from a team. More importantly, they tell the team in clear, simple and direct language what they want and those expectations do not change. Coaching to improve a team or to improve an individual is about matching a person’s performance to a clear standard and then telling that person how they need to take clear specific actions to improve.
Be Seen By The Team.
Even when a coach is not directly interacting with the team, they are seen and accessible. The coach’s door is open, their demeanor is calm, they are relaxed on the outside, and they walk around and have frequent, small, and positive interactions. These are small and vitally important steps because they establish an atmosphere of trust, confidence, and accessibility for the team.
Coaches Vary Their Approach But Not Their Standards.
Truly great coaches find a way to reach every team member, but they do not vary in their exacting standards. I remember when I first got to the Infantry, my Company Commander kept me at the rifle range with some of the Sniper Instructors so I could become a truly great shot. I needed some extra work and my Company Commander, my coach, knew that I needed the extra work, and so I worked to get it right. His standards did not change, what changed was the approach so I could get the extra instruction to learn so I could meet the standard.
Coach to a standard, give specific, actionable feedback and create improvement plans to truly be a great leader and coach. Military Coaching works for any position or role whether military or civilian.
Source: Legion News
