Coaching is encouraging others to perform well. It is also to successfully manage a mixed lot of top performers, standard performers, not-so-good performers and the laggards, each player bearing a "Handle with Care" label. Their egos are so fragile. Even the underachievers expect to be turned into a roaring success. The whole situation seems like an irony of the saying 'there is no I in team'.
Nevertheless, it does take a grinding determination to become a coach. There are seven steps that a coach can take any day. They are:
1. There are so many options these days as far as team-building tools are concerned. Corporate Team Building has various packages like vacation packages, ice-breakers, office games kept on-going , rope courses, etc. in addition to videos, seminars and books which go to make a team worth belonging to. Some ideas on information on them will follow later.
2. Grasp the main idea behind motivating. You can definitely use it today. Avoid mind-confusing play of words. Decide on three small ways to inspire the team to look forward to the next morning, before you go to bed.
3. Whatever your area of specialization, one can't beat experience when it comes to getting people to put out their best energetic efforts and it is all the more important when you are mixing with your whole team.
4. Remember that a performance can be questioned, but never the ability, intelligence or knowledge. Awareness of what a player goes through to play right will keep you away from the common mistakes of past coaches. I have seen such mistakes of other past coaches aggravate the situation and even build up hostility. You have to set an example on how best to do the job. When you know how badly is the experience at the wrong end, and then perhaps you will be sympathetic about setting out improvement courses.
5. Every coach has to face the worst experience when he has to send the player, even the top performer, to the bench. When you have to deal with such a person, encourage him to see his own follies. An egoistic performer loses his focus even with very small mistakes. It is then that you can correct him or her firmly, but with understanding.
6. Always keep your duties in front of you. You are there to improve them for their benefit. Make them realize this rather than empathizing with them.
7. Last but not the least, trust yourself and the members of your team. Your primary goals are performance and decisions and many are keeping a close watch to see whether they could do a more efficient job. So before sending anyone to the bench, talk to her or him and find out what is bothering them. If it?s something too personal, the best you can do is to offer encouragement to them. A friendly enthusiastic pat on the back would definitely help.
It is very important to be a successful company and being a thorough corporate person myself, I know that we all can partake of that success. You must remember that coaches are employed as guides to help you to put your best foot forward and never to complicate your work. If you use their guidance well, you can prove yourself a credit to them, as well as to yourself.
