Coaching

Leaders who provide coaching for their employees produce meaningful results through intrinsic motivation based on insightful questions and measurable outcomes.

Coaching Case # 1 – Can this verbally abusive manager be salvaged?

A supervisor at a California agriculture research company was very successful in every respect except in the way he treated his employees. His verbal abuse was probably sufficient cause to terminate him, but the company was reluctant to because he filled a high-value position in the company. The HR director contacted PplDev about helping him to treat his employees the same way he treated upper management—with respect. Through coaching and self-discovery tools, the manager changed his behavior. Per measures established with his direct manager and the HR director, the coaching intervention was successful.

Coaching Case # 2 – Sexual harassment charges

A supervisor at a California public agency was charged with sexual harassment on two occasions but acquitted of both. The HR director hired PplDev to ensure there were no more charges and to help him do a better job as a supervisor. Whether the charges were legitimate or not, our assessment showed he was not doing a good job modeling the way, leading his employees, and distinguishing his supervisory roles. Based on the information gathered from HR and the supervisor’s manager, PplDev provided coaching in the areas of professional behavior with staff, leadership/management of people (roles of the supervisor), and constructive feedback with employees, peers, and management.

Achievement of successful outcomes was determined by HR and his direct manager: elimination of harassment accusations, improvement on 360° constructive feedback, and improved performance appraisals by manager. 

Coaching Case #3 – A team-building event turns into a yelling match

What was originally supposed to be just a team-building session for an intact team, quickly devolved into a yelling match that indicated deeper issues. We assessed the real needs of the team and recommended a major intervention to address (1) general team dissatisfaction with poor leadership and personal issues with the supervisor and (2) deep-seated issues between two team members. Coaching the supervisor on leadership skills, especially the need to “model the way,” resolved the first issue and mediation between two antagonistic employees resolved the second.