A governing success factor of your project depends on the quality of coaching you provide your team.

We’ve developed a proven frontline coaching method that simply works. Introduce these 5 strategies and you’ll start to see an immediate improvement.

Coaching strategies.

1. Allow the team member to initially review the evaluation report alone.
Benefit: This enables them to processes the information reported by the evaluator. It also avoids the perception that the manager is "talking at" them.

2. After a few minutes, return and ask them, "So what did you notice?".
Benefit: Questioning forces them to assess their own effectiveness and deficiencies. It empowers them to actively look at their own improvement process.

3. Modify the coaching session based on the scores:

A. IF SCORING SUGGESTS IMPROVEMENT IS NEEDED: Discuss the results and ways they could do better next time. Have them select 3 standards to focus on. Say something like, "Jo, designate 3 areas you’ll actively work on during the next month. I look forward to seeing these new habits in action."

B. IF SCORING SUGGESTS EXCELLENCE: Recognize their achievements. Read aloud the complimentary remarks the evaluator made about them. Ask them employee how they feel about the results. If they routinely get exemplary results, leverage this habit into a recognition session i.e. ask them to help you mentor others.

The team member usually feels trapped by his performance results. Stop the session momentarily and tell them the coaching session is valuable for both of you.

Benefit: Explain that they don’t have to agree with everything the evaluator said, you expect them to take a good faith look at the development points. Ask them to take 5 more minutes to review the results with a new frame of mind.

4. Return and ask, "Okay, so now that you’ve reviewed the results again, what have you noticed that you can do to improve?".

5. If you have a difficult or aggressive team member, don't retaliate but listen. They could provide you with valuable information about the climate of your team. They may be feeling one or more of the following ways:

•Overwhelmed or overworked.
•Unappreciated or unsupported.
•Standards are too high and can’t be met.
•Some receive more recognition than others for the same work.


Benefit: Listening can solve a lot, don’t fight back; just ask additional questions. You’re there to work together to improve standards; the coaching session is a learning tool for you both.

Tell the employee that as the manager, you are charged with creating the best customer experience possible; and you need and expect their sincere cooperation in this process.

That's it, 5 clear-cut steps to effectively coach your frontline team. Try it and see the results.

Mystery customer evaluations can introduce coaching evaluations based on the mystery shopper reports. Contact us now for more details.

MCE Team.