Self-Devpt. Nuggets™

One of the best ways to boost a company’s productivity is to get high flyers in the team to help others maximize their potentials at work. Few decision makers realize this however. And that’s why their company’s best hands are rarely encouraged to show others how to do what they do.

Let Those Who Know Teach Those Who Don’t

In one of Robert Kiyosaki’s books, he proposed the idea of a community of learners for our educational systems. In it, the brilliant students in a class would be required to help their struggling peers develop required proficiency in school work. Without this, the entire class would not be able to progress to the next level.

This approach makes the need to outdo one another unattractive. Instead, the bright students are forced to look out for those they know to be weak in specific areas, and proactively help them improve e.g via one-on-one coaching.

The collaborative and cooperative spirit they consequently develop contrasts with the negatively competitive mind set many kids develop in the traditional schooling system.

The same philosophy applies to employees in an organisation.

In reality, a company that fails to use its talented people to improve other employees does itself a disservice. If you let your high flyers go around feeling superior to others in the company, you’ll create a very bad working atmosphere. There will be a lot of resentment and even bitterness. And your company will be the loser.

Great companies often find ways to use their best people to encourage (and assist) other “average” employees deliver better workplace output. That way, the entire team progresses, and those who get helped feel valued, and become more committed to the company.

Choose Your Best People To Coach Others – Or Your Plans Will Fail

In line with the above, I suggest training your best people to function as workplace coaches. Then setup a coaching program through which they will actively “support and influence” other employees to excel on a daily basis.

The people you choose to act as workplace coaches must have proved themselves to be top performers. They must have paid their dues, and should personify that which other employees aspire to become: a person(s) highly valued – and rewarded – by the company for her contributions.

If the individuals you choose are not seen by those you wish to influence as a GOOD example of what they desire to be, then they’re unlikely to respond to any kind of coaching!

Why do the big companies like Nike, Adidas, Pepsi, Coca Cola etc pay huge amounts to famous personalities in various spheres of life to endorse their products? I’m sure you know the answer already!

Many people desire to be famous, but few ever become so. Many will usually choose one famous person already doing what they want to do, as a role model. So, by gettting famous personalities/role models in society to endorse their products, big companies secure wider acceptability for their products and services. Simple isn’t it?

Therefore, to get the best results from a coaching program in your company, choose employees widely recognized for delivering above average performances. Those are the ones other average employes (who you need to step up their game) will reckon with!

In preparing your chosen high flyers to function as workplace coaches, let them understand what you’re trying to achieve. Make them realize the need to subtly “influence” others, and not be too obvious.

If I had to speak with your selected coaching champions, I would say this to them:

A person need not know what you’re trying to do. What IS important is that you get her to acquire the desired knowledge, attitude or skill to become a better person. Also, avoid making the person feel threathened by ensuring you do not use yourself as a direct example or reference point too often.

Whether or not a person accepts that she has learnt from you is immaterial. So long as your actions and utterances have led to a noticeable and beneficial change in her, in line with your objective(s), you have succesfully coached or influenced her!

And then I would also share the following quote with them to drive home my point:

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become what they’re capable of being” – Johann Von Goethe

Final Words: Setup a Spontaneous Coaching Program in Your Company

What I’ve shared above is a basic overview of the process involved in implementing what I call “Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development (SCfSD). It’s a technique I’ve used successfully in and out of paid employment. Click here to read testimonials.

Like I’ve said in past articles, to get the best from her employees, a company should not waste time trying to develop them. Instead, she only needs to create an environment that makes them want to improve. That’s what SCfSD can help you achieve.

Simply find the best people in your company and teach them to use it to help their co-workers (and even bosses!) to deliver better performances to the benefit of the company.

Next steps:

1. If you’re a high flying employee looking to excel further by helping others improve, click here to signup for my Spontaneous Coaching service.

2. If you want me to help your company setup a self sustaining Spontaneous Coaching program, click here to send me a message with details of your specific needs and interests.