Part B - Management Skill Builder: Developing Your Coaching Skills

Organizations have become increasingly designed around teams. Twenty years ago, the individual was the basic building block of an organization. Today, its teams. As the manager, you need to be able to effectively lead and coach a team. Without those skills, youre likely to have a short tenure in your management position.

Skill Basics

You can learn to be a good team coach by practicing these behaviors:

1. Analyze ways to improve the teams performance and capabilities.

2. Create a supportive climate.

3. Influence team members to change their behavior.

Practicing the Skill

Youre the leader of a five-member project team thats been assigned the task of moving your engineering firm into the growing area of high-intensity rail construction. You and your team members have been researching the field, identifying specific business opportunities, negotiating alliances with equipment vendors, and evaluating high-speed rail experts and consultants from around the world. Throughout the process, Tonya, a highly qualified and respected engineer has challenged a number of things youve said during team meetings and in the workplace. Other team members are complaining that Tonyas actions are damaging team effectiveness.

Each team should analyze the leaders problem as presented in the text and suggest solutions for coaching Tonya (and possibly the other team members).