Goals
Review last month’s goals and set new ones for the upcoming month. These might be individual goals or team goals such as increasing the number of calls they answer or decreasing the number of calls that roll over to the backup Intake team.
Most of my childhood memories revolve around playing sports. Softball once ruled my spring and summer, then basketball ruled my fall and winter. As I reflect on those days, so many moments come flooding back – long days of practice, big wins, crushing losses, and the bond I shared with teammates. What tied all those moments together was my coach for many of those years, Coach Abney. By definition, a coach is a passionate, dedicated individual who unlocks hidden potential and maximizes a team’s performance by believing, encouraging, and developing. And boy, he was passionate about the game and dedicated to his players! I spent many, many days developing and growing as a player in practice performing play after play, drill after drill, under his supervision and guidance. He also had a unique gift of seeing skill and potential and encouraging me to believe in my ability even when I couldn’t yet see it. On game days, he was in full game-on mode. Maybe you recall a coach you had during your youth that springs to mind as you read this? Did someone leave an indelible mark on you too? Hopefully, their influence was as meaningful and positive as mine. So why should coaching stop there? Why not bring coaching into our adult life in the workplace?
Yes! A workplace coach is someone who reaffirms high performers, rescues low performers, and provides resources and guidance to the team to improve performance and productivity. Every business needs coaches! Coaches help teams develop and deliver. They also create the vision for the department’s future and share it with each team member, so everyone knows their key role in its success.
The intake team consists of your frontline workers at the firm, fielding call after call from injured victims. Each client has a story that can weigh heavily on your team. Sometimes this role can become heavy, and we’ve heard from many intake specialists who desperately need a coach. They need someone who understands their plight and is willing to spend the time and effort helping them grow, stay motivated, and become better through skill development, assessment, and continuous education. One-on-one coaching sessions also allow checking in with team members to see how they are doing.
Who’s the right person to coach and develop your team? Take it back to the basics: Remember the attributes of those great coaches from your youth? Those are the same attributes you’ll look for in your Intake Team Coach. Be cautious, though. Great coaches don’t grow on trees. They can be as hard to find as any other exceptional leader. Take the time to find the right candidate. Be on the lookout for someone who:
Once you’ve identified a right-fit candidate, be intentional about their role; don’t just hope they start coaching. Have a candid conversation with them about what you’d like them to do. Does the role also include a promotion into a leadership position? If so, or if not, explain that clearly. Then, provide them with any coaching, mentoring, or education they may need in order to fulfill their new role. Coaching a team is a big task! Don’t minimize it. If you want them to succeed (and remember, their success is your success), then make sure they are set up to shine.
New coaches should first set the rhythm for team meetings. If this is something new to the firm, start meeting once a month with an hour limit. Less than that, your meeting might feel rushed. More than that and the meeting may become counterproductive, and participants start to disengage.
Create a focused agenda. Knowing ahead of time what you plan to cover is key to running a successful meeting that’s both efficient and effective. Be sure to share the agenda (and any other materials) with the team member before the meeting, so they have time to review and prepare. Here are some suggested agenda topics:
Coaching is a way to help team members develop personally and professionally. These meetings should allow for the free flow of both ideas and constructive feedback between the coach and team members, so be mindful of the space in which you conduct these meetings. Can other team members see or hear you? Are the phones ringing or causing a distraction? Both the coach and team member have invested their time into planning and preparing for this meeting, so make sure it’s uninterrupted so both can be fully engaged during this one-on-one time together.
The team member has an active role in the success of the session. They should review the agenda and provided materials ahead of time, come ready to learn, and be open to positive and constructive feedback. Should you, as the coach, pick up on nonverbal cues or body language that indicate the team member is disengaged or becoming frustrated, take a moment to pause the session and get curious as to why that might be.
The team member may need a minute to digest what is being discussed or need some additional time to process their thoughts. Consider a separate, one-on-one session for team members who are struggling to embrace coaching.
With a coach dedicated to the success of their team and individual team members engaged and open to coaching, workplace coaching can offer several benefits. Some of the many benefits include:
Coaching can benefit anyone, not just athletes. As Bill Gates said: “Everyone needs a coach. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast or a bridge player. We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”
Today’s team members want frequent feedback – are they meeting the firm’s expectations? Is the firm meeting their expectations? Am I doing a good job? Don’t leave it up to the team member to fill in these blanks on their own. Everyone needs a coach and work that gives them purpose. Give your team what they’re hungry for!
