Develop a Championship Team

Building A Practice On Purpose Series Part #5-1 Develop a Championship Team by Creating a Coaching
By Brad Swift

“Words do not label things already there. Words are like the knife of the carver; they free the idea, the thing from the general formlessness of the outside. As a man speaks, not only is his language in a state of birth, but also the very thing about which he is talking.”

In the top of my coat closet I keep a number of different hats, but when I go for a walk I most frequently put on the black felt one. In the same way, I recommend that you think of team coaching as just one more hat that you wear at work, a tool that complements the other management styles and approaches you may use.

As a coach, you’ll empower your staff member and help them improve their job performance. And it’s not that hard to get started, even if you’ve never really seen yourself as a coach before. One of the most effective ways to begin the process of creating a climate of coaching is to explain your new goal to your team—you’re a problem solver, a friend, and the owner of the business; essentially, a business coach.

One of the most effective ways to begin the process of creating a climate of coaching is to explain your new goal to your team. “At various times I may wear the hat of the business owner, other times as a problem solver, and at other times, as your friend. Another new hat or relationship I’d like to also introduce is that of being a coach.

You don’t need to claim to be an excellent coach, especially if you’re new. In fact, I’ve found that it’s far better to elicit assistance from your staff, so together you learn how to be both a good coach and coachable players. The key is to communicate, which means everyone takes turns talking and listening.