Coaching is taking hold in many organisations. There are extensive coaching programmes being organised many people having the opportunity to be coached. If used wisely, coaching will be offered to everyone in a team regardless of their performance level. People whose performance is fine will be able to stretch themselves. And people whose performance is below par will be able to tackle some of their challenges. I explore this in more detail in a blog post I wrote on the benefits of coaching for organisations and employees.
But what about high performers? Is the old argument true, that we should just empower them and let them get on with it? Models like the situational leadership approach suggest that all high performers need is to be delegated to, and little else.
In this blog, we argue that high performers can benefit from coaching just as much as anyone else in the organisation. More so, they deserve coaching just as much.
Coaching high performers – the argument for it
Organisations need to ensure that performance is at a good level for everyone. But the human eye has trained itself to look for flaws or imperfections. Often organisations will do the same: see where performance is lacking and direct resources there. This means that frequently all the coaching resources get directed to people performing at par or below.
However, high performers can and do benefit from support, time and energy directed to them as well. If we don’t do this, at best they continue to perform well but have to be motivated 100% intrinsically. And this can be tough. At worst, they may feel penalised for being high performers. Then they may question why they don’t merit the support that others get. That’s the fairness argument.
The growth argument is that high performers are likely to perform at an even higher level if nurtured, encouraged and stretched positively. We all have limitless potential. So the fact that someone is performing well doesn’t mean there is no further room for improvement. Clearly, we can’t tell high performers “you must do better”. And coaching doesn’t do this – it helps them to see ways for improvement themselves.
What do high performers need from coaching?
One argument that comes up from high performers themselves is “I don’t need coaching, I’m doing fine.” That is understandable. But it’s also based on a misunderstanding of coaching – that it is only for people who are struggling. If you are not sure what coaching actually is, I wrote a blog post covering this – how does coaching work and what is coaching. So, the first thing that high performers need is a good explanation of what coaching is, and how it is being deployed. Tell them that it is for everyone, and it is an opportunity to bring both challenges and aspirations to the table. Tell them that it’s not like training, and no one is going to give them the answer. Tell them that it’s a chance for them to develop their own thinking and ideas about how to make things even better. That may help!
And what else do they need from coaching?
Skilled coach
Of course, everyone will benefit from a skilled coach. But coaching high performing colleagues is particularly challenging for a number of reasons. Some coaches are more in the rhythm of working with problems and obstacles, more than opportunities. So they may not be accustomed to coaching people who are mostly positive and focussed. And some high performers may be challenging to coach, with elements of awkwardness and resistance before getting into the flow of it. So, making sure that the coach is a well-trained, experienced coach is very important. Choosing an experienced coach also sends a powerful message to the high performer. It says “we value you and think you are worth further investment.”
Regular contact and a structured programme
Coaching is most successful when organised into a package – 6-10 sessions, every month or so. It gives the coachee the opportunity to have goals to work towards, and an end point. What works less well is ongoing coaching, where the coach and coachee meet monthly, with no end date. This can work for a while, but there is a risk of getting into a cycle of dependency and routine. On the other hand, having a clear package allows for a much more dynamic approach.
Stretch goals
At the beginning of the coaching relationship, find out what goals this high performing colleague wants to set from coaching. And then find out how much stretch and challenge they want from the coaching experience. It is likely that they’ll want to use this environment to stretch themselves and further develop, so the goals can be quite big. That’s good and helpful. And the coach needs to stick to this contract. It is their role to stretch and challenge (respectfully) in the coaching, to help their coachee achieve these goals.
Don’t switch to mentoring
However, tempting it is to switch to a mentoring approach, the coach needs to stick to a coaching style. It’s tempting to throw in the odd suggestion, idea and bit of guidance. The temptation will be still there when coaching high performers. Itis likely that there will be areas of common interest between high performer and coach. The coach could be tempted to make book suggestions, offer guidance on further courses to take, new learning to tackle. Our view is that this disrupts the coaching relationship and encourages dependency. Better to keep coaching, and help the high performer decide for themselves their next steps.
Teach the high performer to coach
Most forward-thinking organisations are busy creating coaching cultures. They are encouraging people to coach, be coached, and learn how to coach. Coaching is such a useful skill to apply in many environments – as a manager, a leader, a project lead, a trusted colleague. A great way of both rewarding and stretching high performers is to teach them how to coach and to provide coaching opportunities. Some organisations have high performing colleagues share their knowledge with training or mentoring. Coaching is the next logical step. This will really help the all-round growth of the organisation and the individuals within it.
Final thoughts
If your organisation has attracted and is retaining high performing employees, then things are going well. Providing coaching opportunities for them is a pivotal part of their and the organisation’s long-term growth. They are more likely to stay, more likely to continue developing, and are more likely to help others to perform well too. Allocate coaching time to your high performers, and see the benefits all round.Happy coaching,
Charlie
If you are interested in training as a coach yourself, you can find out more about our ILM coaching qualifications.
