The ‘new normal‘ is something which has been speculated on a lot in recent months. 

What will the future of business look like? Will team dynamics be affected? And most importantly – how will leaders lead their teams through it all? 

We all know that excellent leadership is the secret to success in business, but with the added dimension of Covid, what does this mean for leaders in our ‘new normal‘? 

Today, we look at the importance of performance coaching and how this is set to play a significant part in our post-Covid landscape. 

A Closer Look at Performance Coaching 

Performance coaching is a method in which leaders facilitate and play an active part in the development of an individual; it goes much deeper than merely ‘giving advice‘ or sharing their experiences and opinions in the hope of shaping others. 

Performance coaching is a highly effective leadership methodology, and it can unlock the potential in each of your team members.  

It is an in-depth kind of coaching which unfortunately some leaders shy away from. 

It involves setting goals and providing feedback to achieve the specific desired results; the individual is responsible for delivering to the team. 

Performance Coaching – the Benefits 

Performance coaching is one of the most productive ways you can excel as a leader which makes an impact across all levels; from individual, to team, to the organization as a whole.  

Here is how it works: 

• Setting practical, realistic goals is the best way to help your team meet milestones and grow both professionally and personally. 
• Performance coaching increases engagement within your organization – this leads to other benefits such as high employee retention, productivity, and fosters an innovative environment. 
• It helps employees learn on a deeper level. Often training consists of a coach ‘teaching‘ employees new skills or information. With this type of activity, employees forget up to 70% of new information within 24 hours, unless you embed the learning effectively. Performance coaching allows employees to enjoy a deeper level of learning which will enable them to solidify their skillset by continually implementing new skills and knowledge in everyday situations, which is overseen by you, their coach.

So, can any leader start to give performance coaching to their team? Yes and no. Let me explain why it’s not as simple as that. 

What Makes a Great Performance Coach? 

Have you got what it takes to be an effective performance coach? The following are the four attributes you will need: 

1. The ability to improve employee self-esteem – leaders who focus on a ‘tough love‘ type of coaching need not apply. Performance coaching is all about increasing confidence.  
2. Honesty – difficult conversations are a part of performance coaching; the ability to be honest in a tone that will help, rather than hinder employee progress, is a must. 
3. Active listening – a performance coach needs to ensure that employees are benefitting from their discussions. Active listening requires your full attention, it builds trust, and it allows both parties to benefit from the coaching.  
4. Receiving as well as giving feedback – performance coaching is a collaborative event. When leaders can show their vulnerability to individuals, this strengthens the whole team. 

Performance coaching has been gaining popularity in recent years, so how does it fit into our new normal? 

Leadership and Coaching in the New Normal  

In executive circles, it is becoming clear that our new normal calls for an increased focus on leadership and coaching. 

In times of crisis, it‘s the businesses who fail to focus on strong leadership who can become unravelled. 

As this H.R. Grapevine article suggests, “What leaders need during a crisis is not a predefined response plan, but behaviours and mindsets that will help them to look ahead and adapt“. Performance coaching is the perfect way to achieve this. It instils in your team both the ‘attitude‘ and the skills they need to flourish in their role – this is more critical now than it ever has been. 

We are not out of the Covid crisis yet, enhancing your team right now is the best way to protect your business from future challenges. When you actively manage the performance of your team, you can build and drive their success with ease. 

What Do I Do Next? 

Covid has changed the way we work forever. The ‘new normal‘ is here to stay – how have you chosen to react? 

Now is the time for powerful leadership – are you ready to take on the role of performance coach? 

If your leadership skills need a reboot for the new Covid age, we can help. 

We are expert leadership trainers, and we can help you develop the skills you need to lead your team to success amid the ‘new normal‘. 

For more information on our various leadership training courses, including Leading Teams and being a People Pioneer, click here. 

To discuss leadership training with one of our experts, get in touch with us by calling 01628 488 854 or contact us here.  

Thanks 

Tom 

P.S. If you would like to attend one of our complimentary taster workshops on working with remote teams, call us on +44(0) 1628488 854. 

About Excel Communications     

LEARN, GROW, SUCCEED  

Excel Communications is a learning and development consultancy based near London in the U.K. For more than 30 years; we have been collaborating with clients across the globe.  

Partnering with Excel empowers you to evolve your people and business by fuelling a love for learning.   

We work with you to create unforgettable, customized learning experiences to achieve your vision of success and growth, with tangible results.   

View our case studies here.   

We have a team of expert trainers delivering programmes across five continents in multiple languages. Call us now on +44 (0) 1628 488 854.   

Important   

If you would like to watch our leadership masterclass recordings, you can access the latest leadership complimentary guide here.