2022 will be remembered as a year of continued change as workers adapt to a post-COVID, hybrid work environment. This was reflected in the questions Madeleine received from her readers. Here is a list of this year’s top five, most-viewed columns. Madeleine will be back on January 7th with a new year of questions from…
As if the job of managing people in the workplace isn’t difficult enough, add in the recurring need to coach them through challenges and issues. The skill of coaching others is not one that comes naturally to most of us; in fact, during my experience coaching within organizations, I’ve found leaders who are downright plagued…
Dear Madeleine, I heard somewhere that as a manager I should reward good behaviors and coach negative ones. I have been trying to do this, but I realize I’m not really sure what it means. While we are on the topic, how many times do I let someone make the same mistake before I stop…
There is a joy that coaches experience when they provide leaders with the one-on-one support that increases effectiveness and professional growth. That sense of satisfaction is available to managers at all levels in an organization if they are willing to adopt some of the behaviors that professional coaches use. Below are a few key skills…
In today’s fast-paced working environment, people in leadership roles are being asked more and more to use a coaching approach to move people and their projects forward. Interestingly, the number one reason managers give for not coaching is that it takes too much time. Let’s explore that reasoning. At The Ken Blanchard Companies, we define…
Learning new skills can be awkward and uncomfortable. Think back to the first time you interviewed for a job or spoke in front of a group. It’s possible you made some mistakes, but in the long run you grew and developed. And if you were lucky enough to have someone supporting and partnering with you—someone…
More and more organizations are looking for their managers to use coach-like behaviors in conversations with their direct reports. Here are five of the most important techniques coaches use in their conversations with clients. Consider how these techniques could help the managers in your organization be more coach-like in their communication style. Be fully present.…
According to the 2016 Global Coaching Study by the International Coach Federation and PricewaterhouseCoopers, almost all coach practitioners (99%) reported receiving some form of coach-specific training, with a large majority (89%) receiving training that was accredited or approved by a professional coaching organization. As the availability of coach training programs has increased, so has the…
Leaders should be more coach-like. I’m probably not the first person who has penned those words in a blog post. My guess is that you’ve heard that advice before—possibly even tried being more coach-like with your team members and direct reports but ultimately realized that it takes a lot of time to do well. One…
“Think about your best boss,” asks coaching expert Madeleine Blanchard. “Your best boss is a person who helped you to deliver phenomenal performance, but they also helped you to really grow and develop yourself.” In a short video interview Blanchard explains that, “Managers who have no idea how to use coaching skills, or use a…