Coach: a private instructor; to train

Coach Ernie Pantuso - who didn't love him? I guess you could say the same about Knute Rockne, but I never saw him in action. Never even saw the movie about him. But, I saw Cheers plenty of times with Coach at the bar, always ready to give someone a boost, a pat on the back, a shoulder to cry on, or just a good friend to listen to. Slow as he could be at times, everyone liked Coach, and he liked everyone back. Even Carla Torelli never had a bad thing to say about him.

At any given time in our careers, we may have the opportunity to be a coach to someone in our industry. That person may be older or younger. May have a little or a lot of experience. May have a different viewpoint. May not be a good fit for the business at all, but you're stuck with them. Coaching is tough - whether you do it for pay or for more personal reasons - being a good coach can be very difficult, and also very rewarding. And unlike the Coach from Cheers, not everyone may like you as a coach.

Here are some observations I've made of good coaches I've experienced in my own career:

A good coach should look for ways to develop their people. Once you've recognized a potential for leadership and determined the skills and abilities necessary for growth in a position, help that person develop those skills. You should work with that person on an appropriate development plan that includes constructive feedback. Always hold people accountable. A deadline is a deadline, not an option. Reward and recognize success, analyze and improve on failure.

A good coach should be able to delegate responsibilities. Your people can't grow and develop if you give them a project then look over their shoulder 99% of the time. Believe in your employee's ability, and then give them the leeway to be successful. Provide a guideline, but use one without a garrot at the end.

Excellent communication skills are really critical for a good coach. You have to be a good listener because you have to teach your people to listen well. Another important aspect of a coach's communication skill is the ability to stay positive. Without being a "pollyanna" a good coach can stay positive under pressure and lead a team to success. Even in times like these.

Can you be a good coach if you're not a good decision maker? Simply, no. Make a decision, set a course of action with appropriate timelines, and accept responsibility. Anticipate needs and any changes and take action when necessary. Be prepared to change. Keep the right people in your organization in the loop! One coach I had liked to say, "I can take bad news, but I don't like surprises."

The hardest thing about being a good coach is - many times you have to coach a person without them knowing it. Sometimes you will have a formal coaching session, but usually you won't want to sit down with someone and begin a conversation with, "so, today let's talk about goal-setting....." Pretty obvious eh? So - practice your coaching skills. A good coach is a good leader, and leads to a good organization. If you're better than good, it won't be long before the performance of your company improves as the people you coach improve.

And my favorite Coach quote (though not for business use):

COACH: Can I draw you a beer, Norm?

NORM: No, I know what they look like. Just pour me one.