A coaching observation checklist provides guidance for managers in observing whether coaching is done correctly and will make performance coaching much more effective. Download our useful checklist now! Coaching Observation Checklist

New managers can be very naïve. They assume that all it takes for employees to work together effectively is to give them a clear goal upfront, express faith in their ability to collaborate, and dangle the right reward if they succeed. Sadly, it is never that easy. Just because you form a team and urge everyone to pull together to achieve a common goal for the organisation does not assure employees will buy in. Employees need to understand what they are supposed to do and why

During tough times, such as crises or layoffs, over-communication is better than under-communicating with your staff. Being secretive or elusive about it may lead to rumours and low morale which could potentially be more damaging to the company than the bad news itself. Let us take a look at some key points to remember when communicating during tough times. Choose the right channel. The importance of face to face interaction becomes vital during tough times. Managers have a h

When effectively administered, feedback is a powerful way to build knowledge and skills, increase motivation, and develop reflective habits of mind in employees. The following are the right ways to give feedback. Feedback on both good and bad performance It is important to highlight to the employee what he has been doing correctly thus far to give him assurance in his work. Giving good feedback also helps to prep the individual to receive the “not so good” feedback in a posi

Identify and celebrate their successes, highlight specific examples of their achievements, ensure that strong performers do not stagnate and prompt them to reflect on how they can improve on themselves within the context of their strengths are 4 tips to recognize strong performers during appraisals. 1. Identify and celebrate their successes. Thank them for their contributions and let them know that you appreciate the hard work done for the year. 2. Highlight specific examples

When there are serious performance issues, coaching is a good start towards remediation. It involves a time commitment on the part of managers, yet it will be effective in helping your underperforming employee move towards the right direction. 1. Start by identifying and helping the employee improve on his areas of weaknesses. You will need to guide the employee through setting short-term goals, monitoring his progress closely and scrutinizing his work. 2. Enlist the help of

A difficult person can be an individual who has a different perspective of the world from you, but he may also disrupt order at work. Here are some strategies to help you in dealing with difficult people at work: Overpowering - Uses anger as a destructive weapon Strategy to handle overpowering behaviour: - Let them express their anger - Try to empathise - Get to the root cause once they have calmed down Unresponsive - Uses silence as a weapon Strategy to handle unresponsi

Effective public speaking depends on your preparation, projecting positive body language, grabbing your audience’s attention, making your speech interesting and ending the speech on a good note. Step 1: Prepare Profile your audience: What background or experience do they have? What questions will they ask? Keep your speech in point forms, rather than write it out word for word. Use the points to guide you in your speech rather than speaking stiffly. Step 2: Grab your audience

Effective coaching is more of how you do things rather than what you do. It is about the attitude and approach that the manager needs to adopt that will make coaching effective. Here are some attributes of an effective coach. 1. Observant: Be aware of what is happening and what isn’t happening. A good coach needs to pay attention to what your employees are saying and what they are not telling you. 2. Sensitive: Care about how your employees feel and not just about how they do

In any job, most bosses do not judge you on what you do, but how you do it. Here are the 5 qualities that most bosses expect of their employees: 1. Proactive People who take initiative at work make things happen. A person who is merely reactive to events or waits for instructions is a drain of energy and waste of resources. To be proactive, you will need foresight in anticipation of obstacles and think of solutions to resolve such issues. 2. Ambition Ambitious employees are m

It is easy to get caught up in the day to day routine of work that you forget about your career advancement needs. When it comes to planning your career, no one knows better than you where your dreams and talents are. Here are 5 tips for successful career planning. Focus on specific career goals and list down the exact steps for attaining each of them. To-do lists and timetables will help you to organise your plan to achieve each milestone. Update your resume frequently so th

There needs to be a certain degree of compatibility between the mentor and mentee in order for mentoring to be successful. Here are some factors to consider when matching mentors to mentees. 1. The mentor should be accessible to the mentee It should be relatively easy for the mentee to make contact with the mentor, based on the means that is agreed between both parties. 2. The mentor must be willing to take on the mentoring role As a mentor, your role is not to simply tel

Employee development was traditionally thought of to be merely a job function of the human resources department. The role of training and development has broadened beyond the design of training programmes for employees. Businesses today compete in the global marketplace and there is increased diversity in the workforce. Companies need employees who are motivated and productive and has the ability to learn new skills to cope with changing consumer demands and business needs. R

Managing a team’s performance is more challenging than individual performance management. What happens if your team is not performing? Here are 5 ways for managers to fix underperforming teams: 1. Identify the factors leading to the poor performance. Talk to the team members individually, stakeholders and key executives. Ask questions that will uncover the reasons behind the underperformance. Questions to consider include: Has performance always been substandard? Are all tea

Common Pitfalls in Employee Performance Reviews When you review and make conclusions about your employees’ performance, it is essential to be aware of common pitfalls that can lead to erroneous judgments. These mistakes can damage your credibility in the eyes of both your employees and your superiors. Some of these errors include: 1. Over-emphasis on Recent Events While recent events closer to the performance appraisal period might be fresh in your mind, it is important not t

In most negotiation processes, persuasion is necessary to convince others to accept our opinions and increase your influence on them. Here are 4 really effective persuasion techniques you need to know: 1. Let them say ‘No’ Give the other party a chance to say ‘no’ by making a ridiculous demand. Once they have turned down your requests, put forward a more reasonable demand. This may serve to make the other party feel more obligated to make a concession. For instance, th

If you are reading this, you know you are ready to take a step further in your career . You love your organisation but is itching to get ahead. You want to prove to your boss that you have got what it takes to get to the next level. You are complacent in your current role and is willing to take on more responsibility and workload. Nothing highlights an individual’s achievement more than a promotion at work. Here are 5 strategies that will help you get promoted at work: 1. B

In celebration of International Women's Day, we interviewed 4 amazing women who inspire us with their success stories. In this post, we sat down with Elizabeth Wu, one of the co-founders of Trehaus to find out about her career, her family and how she finds the perfect balance between the two. Elizabeth Wu Co-founder of Trehaus, Entrepreneur, Mom to the Kao Kids, Education Enthusiast, Wordsmith Describe your typical day. EW: If it is a school-going day, 5.50am I'm up, bec

What does it take for a woman to be successful in business? Research has shown that women have the capacity to be leaders and contribute to success and profitability of businesses. For a time, it seemed that women had established an unstoppable momentum and were moving up the ranks with alacrity. But in the last few years, women’s progress has slowed. Even though we have witnessed the value of females’ contribution to the workforce, this upward movement is not matching the

There are some conversations that we worry about having. Most of us are cautious about what we say to our bosses, as the slightest slip-up may break our career. But what happens when your boss is the one who slipped up? Telling your boss he or she is wrong can be a sticky situation. Managers and leaders make mistakes - after all, they are humans too. Errors made at their level can be costly. Not only is money lost, reputation and even the organisation’s image can be at stak