Communication is Key

Establishing an open and honest conversation between the Coach and Manager is vital to their mutual success. For coaching conversations to be successful, both parties need to see feedback as an opportunity to explore what elements will contribute to future success, and the basis of coaching will be strategies for successfully getting there. If the Manager approaches the coaching conversation with fear, then that fear (or even more dangerous – the fear of retribution) will be interwoven into the fabric of the entire experience. Trust and openness cannot be built – even when both parties have the best intentions in mind. This team effort must be focused on how to create environments that break from the past and allow connectivity and positive conversations to flow between the parties.