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. 

The Leadership Problem Most Companies Don’t Address

By Cathie Leimbach • May 19, 2026
Many organizations assume their biggest challenges are rapidly changing technology, customer retention, and employee initiative. But quite often, the root cause is people leadership problems. That’s one reason The Imperfect CEO by Jim Brown is so timely. Releasing today, May 19, the book explores how leaders build healthier organizations not by pretending to have all the answers, but by creating cultures grounded in trust, clarity, accountability, and meaningful conversations. Brian Besanceney, Chair, Board of Orlando Health, Inc., described the book this way: “Through vivid stories, real-world examples, and a model grounded in collaborative culture, Jim Brown gives leaders permission to wrestle honestly with the generational divides, misaligned targets, and cultural fractures that can too often sabotage high-potential organizations.” Greg Apple, CEO of Amgine.ai, connected the book to leadership beyond business alone: “In a fast-moving company, culture is everything. Jim Brown’s principles have helped our team lead with greater clarity and alignment. The Imperfect CEO distills those lessons brilliantly. Every leader should read it.” What stands out to me is how closely this book aligns with the principles behind Conversational Management. Healthy cultures are rarely built through policies alone. They are built through the quality of everyday leadership conversations — how expectations are clarified, how accountability is handled, how feedback is delivered, and how trust is strengthened over time. That’s why leadership development cannot stay theoretical. Culture changes conversation by conversation. The Imperfect CEO is an easy-to-read business fable that illustrates common people leadership challenges and provides suggestions for overcoming them. Order your copy today and start building healthier leadership conversations inside your organization. 

Why Some Companies Attract More Job Applicants Than They Need

By Cathie Leimbach • May 12, 2026
Chick-fil-A restaurants often receive far more job applications than they have openings. This is not luck. It is leadership. People apply where they believe they will be treated well. At Chick-fil-A, employees experience respectful communication, clear expectations, and leaders who support their success. That reputation spreads quickly through word of mouth. Leaders in these restaurants do simple things well. They ask questions before they assume. They listen to employees. They provide encouragement and clear direction. They notice good work and address problems in a helpful way. As a result, employees feel valued. They enjoy coming to work. They tell others. That is what attracts more applicants. Many organizations focus only on hiring. Strong organizations focus on how people are treated after they are hired. When leaders create a workplace where people feel respected, supported, and clear on what success looks like, something powerful happens: People stay. People perform. And more people want to join. This is what leadership really is. Would you like to see several leadership and culture practices Chick-fil-A uses to attract and keep quality employees? Click here to view: How Chick-fil-A Attracts Quality Applicants