Tips for Coaching Your Employees

Cathie Leimbach • July 12, 2021

Coaching employees is a fundamental part of being a good manager. It keeps employees engaged, supports their professional development, and gets more things done more efficiently. Coaching is a learned skill. Too often, we think we are coaching when we are telling our employees what to do. Yet, quality coaching encourages them to proactively manage their own work.

 

Research shows that there is a significant ROI to coaching. It is a high value activity that positions employees to become better versions of themselves because you are helping them solve problems and accomplish goals. 

 

The ancient proverb, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime,” illustrates the benefits of coaching employees rather than giving orders or directives.  Let’s consider some examples that may help you shift your mindset and leadership style.


Example One – One of your employees may be struggling with a teammate’s defensiveness when receiving feedback from a peer.


Rather than saying, “ok, let’s bring him in here, and I’ll talk to him about it,” or “just be direct and let him know he needs to take feedback,” try the following coaching process.


  • Ask the employee who wants to discuss this concern with her colleague questions to help her think through how to approach him:

        -  “What is one example of when he doesn’t accept feedback?”

        - “How do you want him to feel when receiving feedback?”

        - “How can you help him feel that way?”


By answering your questions, your employee has an opportunity to think through how to approach her colleague to reassure him that she respects him and encourage him to see the benefit of receiving the feedback she is offering.


Example Two – A manager who reports to you may be lacking intellectual curiosity. When her team shares good ideas, she nods and smiles, but the ideas never make it into a plan. 


Rather than saying “you’re not listening,” which may trigger defensiveness, or “hey, this is no big thing, but you need to listen better”, which would be just one more piece of feedback to ignore, try the following:


  • Observe when this behavior pops up. Is she always resistant to other people’s ideas, or does this only happen sometimes? Get some confidential feedback from other teammates, including how this behavior makes them feel. 


  • Share your observations and the themes that you see in other teammates’ observations and feelings. Then ask questions to help her realize the benefits of considering and valuing other people’s ideas when making decisions. Your comments may be something like this:

        -  “When someone shares an idea with you, and you don’t engage, they feel discouraged.”

        -  “I wish when ideas were put forth, you took your time to consider them.” “If you don’t like the idea, at least explain your reasoning.”

        - “What comes into your mind when your team members share ideas with you?


You may uncover that she was blind to the pattern. Hearing how her behavior affects others on the team will often create new self-awareness and change behavior, positively impacting the whole team.


Becoming a stronger coach for your team takes practice.  Learning coaching skills and consistently using them will increase your confidence and help you and your team become more effective. Plan on have one-on-one coaching sessions with each of your employees regularly to clarify goals, deal with potential stumbling blocks, and improve their performance. 

Is Absenteeism a Pain in Your Pocket?

By Cathie Leimbach • August 10, 2026
Absenteeism is expensive. Every unexpected absence costs more than a day's wages. Someone else may need to work overtime. Priorities get reshuffled, service slows, projects fall behind, and customers notice. Before long, absenteeism starts taking money right out of your pocket. That's why many organizations turn to attendance policies, incentives, disciplinary action, or tighter oversight. But what if those approaches are addressing the symptom rather than what's really going on? Most people don't wake up one morning and suddenly decide they don't care about their work. Disengagement usually happens gradually. People stop sharing ideas. They stop feeling heard. They begin doing only what's required. Eventually, some stop showing up. By the time absenteeism is brought to your attention, the real issue may have been growing for weeks—or even months. If absenteeism has become a recurring challenge, don't just ask, "How do we reduce call-offs?" Instead, ask "What happened before people stopped wanting to show up?" That question may lead you somewhere an attendance report never will—and may ultimately save far more than overtime costs. Attendance problems. Accountability. Difficult conversations. Team conflict. Every leader faces workplace people challenges, and few have been taught exactly what to do when they arise.  Talking through your challenges with others can be helpful. Ask questions of your network. Get some ideas online. Sometimes another perspective is exactly what you need to see the situation differently. You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on August 17. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees as you explore practical ways to handle the situations you're facing. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic

People Give More When They Know Why Their Work Matters

By Cathie Leimbach • August 4, 2026
Most employees know what they are expected to do each day. Far fewer fully understand why their work matters or how it contributes to the organization's success. Yet that understanding is one of the most powerful drivers of engagement, commitment, and performance. Gallup research consistently shows that employees who feel connected to their organization's mission and purpose are significantly more engaged, while highly engaged teams achieve stronger productivity, profitability, customer satisfaction, and retention. When people understand how their individual responsibilities help customers, coworkers, and the organization succeed, their work becomes more than a list of tasks—it has meaning. Supervisors play the key role in creating that understanding. A job description explains what to do. Leadership conversations explain why it matters. They help employees see how quality, safety, customer service, teamwork, and continuous improvement all connect to the organization's goals. As work changes, priorities shift, or new challenges arise, supervisors who communicate openly help employees understand not only what is changing, but why those changes matter. Questions, discussion, and regular feedback replace assumptions with clarity and build trust. Employees who understand the purpose behind their work are more likely to make good decisions, solve problems, take initiative, and remain committed during difficult times. They also appreciate knowing that their organization is willing to invest in their future through learning and career development opportunities, even if promotion is not immediate. When supervisors consistently connect daily work to a larger purpose through meaningful conversations, employees gain direction, confidence, and motivation. They don't simply complete tasks—they understand the difference they make. And that understanding creates a workplace where engagement, performance, and retention naturally grow. Need Help with a Difficult Workplace Conversation? Great leadership doesn't happen by accident—it happens one conversation at a time. You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on August 17. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees as you explore practical ways to handle the situations you're facing. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic Conversation is where leadership happens.