6 Tips to Coach Your Managers to Boost Team Productivity

Managers can make or break a team. They're the ones that set the tone, decide which projects to prioritize, and ultimately decide how much work gets done. But managing is complex—and coaching your managers in order to help them be better leaders can be even more complicated. 

That's why so many companies struggle with finding ways to effectively coach their managers, and as a result, their teams suffer from low productivity. 

In this blog post, we'll explore six tips on how you can coach your managers to help fuel up team productivity. We'll discuss methods such as setting expectations, giving feedback and creating an environment of collaboration. Read on to learn more.

What are the Benefits of Coaching Managers?

Coaching managers have a number of benefits that can help enhance productivity. Perhaps the obvious benefit is that it can help managers become better leaders. By coaching them on how to communicate effectively with and motivate their team, you can help them develop the skills necessary to lead their team to success.

In addition, coaching can also help managers learn how to handle conflict better within their team. By teaching them effective conflict resolution techniques, you can help prevent minor disagreements from escalating into major problems. This can ultimately lead to a more harmonious and productive work environment for everyone involved.

Coaching further can aid managers in becoming more strategic thinkers. By working with them to develop long-term plans and goals for their team, you can help them hone their decision-making skills and learn how to better allocate resources in order to achieve maximum results.

6 Coaching Techniques to Help Managers Succeed

In order to coach managers for success, there are a few key techniques you can use. First, it's vital to help them set realistic goals for themselves and their team. This will ensure that all are on the same page and working towards the objectives. Additionally, you should provide regular feedback to your managers. 

This feedback should be both positive and constructive so that they can continue to improve their skills. You should encourage them to take risks and experiment with new ideas. This will help them stay innovative and always be looking for ways to improve their team's productivity.

1. Identifying Areas of Improvement

The first step to managers’ coaching for improved team productivity is to identify areas of improvement. It can be done through regular check-ins and performance reviews.

During check-ins, ask your managers how they are feeling about their team's progress and what areas they feel need improvement. 

Performance reviews are another great opportunity to identify areas of improvement. They can help identify areas of weakness and provide guidance on improving. When conducting a performance review, ensure, to be honest, and objective.

It is also important to give specific feedback. It'll help the manager to understand what they need to work on and how they can improve their performance. Also, give your managers input on what they could do differently to improve their team's productivity. Then, work with them to create a plan of action to address those areas.

2. Creating a Coaching Plan

It's important to have a plan for coaching. This will help you focus on the areas that need improvement and ensure that everyone is on the same page. Following are a few tips for creating a coaching plan.

• Define your goals. What do you hope to achieve through coaching? What areas need improvement?
• Create a schedule. Decide how often you will meet with each team member and stick to it.
• Be prepared. Before each meeting, review the progress made since the last time and think of specific questions or topics to discuss.
• Follow up. After each meeting, take some time to reflect on what was discussed and identify any next steps.

3. Setting Goals and Objectives

Setting goals and objectives is a critical part of any manager's job. Without clear goals and objectives, it can be difficult for managers to know what they should be working on and how to prioritize their time.

Also, as a manager, one of the key roles is setting expectations for the team. This includes communicating what needs to be done, setting deadlines, and establishing standards for the quality and quantity of work. 

Unfortunately, many managers fail to do this effectively, resulting in frustration and low productivity from their team. Training them to learn set goals and objectives that will boost team productivity. Here are a few tips:

• Specific Goals: 

Ensure that the goals and objectives are specific. Vague goals like "Increase sales" or "Improve customer satisfaction" are difficult to measure and, therefore, difficult to achieve. Instead, try to set specific goals that can be easily tracked. For example, "Increase sales by 10% over the next quarter" or "Improve customer satisfaction scores by 2 points."

• Realistic Goals: 

Make sure that the goals and objectives are realistic. If a goal is too ambitious, it can be discouraging for managers and teams when it isn't achieved. On the other hand, if a goal is too easy, it might not be challenging enough to motivate employees. The best goals to set are those that are challenging but achievable.

• Goals Aligned with Company's Mission: 

It's important to ensure that the goals and objectives align with the company's overall strategy. If a goal doesn't support the company's broader mission, it likely won't have much impact on team productivity. 

Ensure that the goals you set are achievable and that your team has the resources and capabilities to reach them. It's also important to give your team adequate time to complete tasks and projects. If you expect too much too soon, you'll likely end up disappointed and unmotivated.

4. Setting Expectations

It's essential to set expectations with your managers in order to get result-driven productivity. Here are a few tips:

• Make sure your managers understand the company's goals and objectives.
• Communicate your expectations clearly and concisely.
• Give your managers the resources they need to meet your expectations.
• Hold your managers accountable for meeting your expectations.
• Reward your managers for meeting or exceeding your expectations.
• 5. Delegating Responsibilities

As a manager, it's important to know how to delegate responsibilities. You can check these tips to teach managers about delegation:

• Make sure that each task is assigned to the appropriate person. Delegate based on ability. When delegating tasks, it's important to match the task with the right person. Consider each team member's skills and abilities when making assignments. And don't hesitate to seek help if you're not sure who is best suited for the task at hand.
• Be clear about what needs to be done. Before delegating a task or project, make sure that you're clear about what needs to be done. This means being clear about the goals, objectives, and deadlines. Once you have a good understanding of what needs to be done, you can delegate accordingly.
• Clearly explain the expectations for each task. Set expectations upfront. Before delegating a task, take the time to set expectations with the team member who will be taking on the responsibility. Discuss deadlines, deliverables, and any other important details. By setting expectations upfront, you can avoid misunderstandings and miscommunication down the road.
• Provide adequate resources and support. Follow up regularly to ensure that tasks are being completed as expected.

6. Providing Feedback

The most important part of being a manager is providing feedback to your team. This not only helps to improve performance but also builds trust and strengthens relationships. But giving feedback can be difficult, especially if you're not used to it. Here are some tips to help managers to learn about giving feedback:

• Make sure the feedback is specific.
• Avoid making assumptions about why the problem happened.
• Critique the behavior, not the person.
• Avoid using "you" statements. For instance, instead of saying, "You didn't do your job right," try, "The task wasn't completed satisfactorily."
• Use "I" statements to give constructive criticism. For example, "I noticed that you didn't complete the task on time."
• Be aware of the tone of voice and body language. Avoid sounding judgmental or angry.

Bonus Tip: Encourage Active Listening

Active listening is a key coaching skill that can encourage employees to open up and share important information. When managers take the time to truly listen to their team members, it shows that they value their input and are invested in their success.

Managers should avoid distractions when listening to their team members, such as checking their phones or looking around the room. They should also give the person speaking their full attention, making eye contact and occasionally nodding to indicate that they are following along.

It's also vital for managers to ask questions and clarify anything they don't understand. This shows that they are engaged in the conversation and want to make sure they understand what the team member is saying.

Encouraging active listening will help build trust between managers and their team members. It will also create a more open and productive work environment where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns.

Conclusion

Coaching managers to increase productivity is a compelling way to get the most out of your employees and help them reach their maximum potential. By using these six tips, you can create a culture of effective communication, open dialogue, and collaboration which will ultimately lead to improved results for both the organization and its people. With consistent coaching and feedback, you can ensure that everyone stays on track with morale high and performance even higher.