Five ways to tell someone could benefit from coaching

Knowing when and how to suggest coaching to a member of staff or a colleague is key to getting people the development they need, when they need it. Here are five ways you can tell if someone could benefit from coaching - and how receptive they are likely to be.

1) They have recently taken on new responsibilities, but carry on doing their old job

When someone is promoted, it's important for the organisation that they get up to speed as quickly as possible. There isn't always the time for people to learn the new job before other people start expecting to see results. Many managers in this situation respond by continuing to do their old job (only in a more bossy way) or failing to delegate, which means their direct reports don't start to develop the ability to assist their manager. This doesn't help anyone. These people are good candidates for coaching and are almost always receptive to it.

2) They have issues with communication skills

'Communication skills' covers a huge spectrum of development needs - they might be sending one-line abrupt emails, belittling people, having difficulties with a colleague, avoiding confrontation,  not speaking up in meetings and so on. Coaching can help them to be more empathetic and consider the impact their communication style is having on others. Depending on the person, they may respond well in a workshop or if your organisation is status-orientated they might prefer to work on this in the privacy of a coaching session instead.

3) They need to improve their leadership skills

There are so many books, courses and resources available on leadership. They all add value and give people the information they need to be a good leader. It's the application of that information which makes a difference in the long-term. Coaching helps people to apply the knowledge they have and turn it into something practical. It also gives them the space to practice these new skills before trying them out 'live' on their staff and helps boost their confidence. Position it to them that they'll be able to do this in private and they are likely to be receptive.

4) They have started to deliver work at the last minute or late

When an otherwise organised person starts struggling to meet deadlines it can indicate that they are having challenges saying 'no', delegating, or something else is bothering them. While they might think the last thing they need is to work with a coach because it eats into their day, the benefits to them can be huge. Coaching sessions don't need to take long - they can be half an hour on the phone. They may need a little coaxing and convincing to take time out, but it will be worth it.

5) They ask for it!

Yes, this might appear obvious, but it can sometimes be overlooked when someone is already doing well in their job. They might be able to keep up appearances now but know that they need support with something in order to continue to perform. Whether they are asking for presentation skills coaching, conflict management coaching, time management coaching or any other type of coaching if you can respond quickly, they will be very grateful. Coaching doesn't have to be a long-term support. Many of our clients find that one or two sessions is all they need to work on achieving a specific outcome.

While some of the above examples might appear to focus on coaching being used to 'fix' a problem, it's important to position coaching as something positive - which it is. Depending on the culture of your organisation, changing the terminology might convince an otherwise sceptical person to accept help. We know they are going to be coached, but they might respond better to it being pitched as 'one to one training', 'mentoring support' or 'leadership development'. Just make sure the coach you choose can cover this as well. 

Hannah McNamara is the managing director of HRM Coaching Ltd. She is a former head of marketing and a Chartered Marketer. HRM Coaching specialise in providing down-to-earth, jargon-free coaching and development for senior executives and managers. Hannah and her team work internationally and can be contacted on +44 (0)20 7939 9910 or via www.hrmcoaching.com