Today we continue our discussion on Coaching. Now, if you haven’t listened to last weeks show where we introduced the coaching model, I strongly suggest you go back and listen to that show first. Also, if you haven’t downloaded and read the Manager Tools Coaching Card yet, please do so. You may just want to print it so you have it available during the podcast. It will assist you greatly in following the coaching example we present today.

Ever since our podcast on the Manager Tools Development Model, we’ve continued to receive a number of questions on a key component of the process — the coaching model. In particular, folks are having a difficult time on coaching employees on some of the “softer” skills. So for the next two shows, we’re revisiting our friend, the coaching model. In addition to getting into an example of a soft-skill coaching challenge, we also talk a bit about what we mean by “behavior” — what is it exactly (of course, we have a model for that as well), and how do we use it within the coaching model.

Remember: In addition to our normal feedback email address, you can now leave audio feedback for us on our new voice mailbox. You can reach us at (206) 202-7376. Please note on your message if you don’t want us to use your audio feedback “on air”!

Today, we cover the second of two shows on “Coaching Revisited”. If you haven’t listened to last week’s show, we encourage you to do so. This one picks right up where we left off last week.

It’s been quite a while since we talked about feedback. We think one of the reasons for that is that there’s some negativity to it. What we mean by that is that one on ones are an easy winner. It’s about your team member, they want more time with you, a half hour with you every week seems too good to be true. And, if you’ve stuck to it, you’ve noticed improvements in areas that go beyond just employee relationships. Maybe they’re kind of hard on your schedule INITIALLY, but they’re perceived positively.

Not so much with feedback. I bet when we even SAID feedback, some of you cringed. Even though we encourage AFFIRMING as well as adjusting feedback, for some reason managers have a somewhat negative reaction to the feedback model.

And we think we know why: because adjusting feedback introduces conflict, or tension. Let’s not argue the merits of the value that sandpaper delivers to fine woodwork here today. Rather, we have an additional level of learning for you to use when you deliver feedback. Or put differently, we have an add-on to this tool which will make you more willing to use it, and will make the tool even MORE effective. (Though those of you who use it will find that hard to believe.)

During the show, we make reference to the DiSC® Behavioral Model. You’ll find a useful summary of the DiSC model here. You may even want to print it out and have nearby while you listen to the show.

If you are interested in learning in detail about YOUR profile, you may purchase the online version of the DiSC Profile here.

Mark recently blogged with our first ever management koan, “What Would An Effective Manager Do?” It was clearly a big hit - we got 45 responses within 2-3 days. Clearly, many of you wanted to know what the answer is, and that’s great - the burning desire to get better is at the heart of all good managers. Maybe we should say “many of US” wanted to know, since even Mike posted a comment wondering about the answer! (Mark thinks that was just him being nice to everyone, putting everyone out of the misery of waiting.)

So, this is a first for us, a show driven completely by a blog post and its response. In fact, we had to juggle a lot to slide it into the lineup, and it’s certainly unusual for us to record a show and put it right up on the site.

And what’s the show about? Well, don’t you want to know what an effective manager would do? We’re going to learn the right way of thinking on this issue, and then we’re going to review every unique blog comment and provide insight as to what works and what doesn’t.