Coaching Techniques for Employee Development

Expanding Leadership Awareness: The Johari Window in Coaching One of the most powerful shifts in leadership is the movement from self-protective patterns to a more open, adaptive, and purpose-driven approach. The Johari Window provides a simple yet profound way to help leaders expand their range—both in self-awareness and in how they relate to others. In coaching, we often work with leaders who are highly skilled but limited by unseen constraints—blind spots they can’t perceive, hidden strengths they don’t yet trust, or untapped potential buried beneath old assumptions. By expanding awareness across all four quadrants of the Johari Window, we help leaders step more fully into their impact. 🪟Opening the Window: Four Coaching Levers for Growth 1️⃣ Expanding the Visible Spot (Open Area) A leader’s greatest impact comes from aligning their strengths with purpose and expressing them transparently. The more they bring their authentic self forward, the more trust and engagement they foster. Coaching here focuses on integrating self-awareness with action, ensuring that their leadership presence is both real and intentional. 2️⃣ Illuminating Blind Spots Every leader has patterns they can’t see—ways of operating that may limit trust, stifle collaboration, or keep them stuck in reactive tendencies. By using feedback effectively, we help leaders recognize these blind spots and shift toward more courageous, inclusive leadership. This is a key part of the reactive-to-creative transition: moving from an externally driven need for control, approval, or self-protection toward leading with deeper awareness and intentionality. 3️⃣ Revealing the Hidden Area Many leaders keep their deeper aspirations, values, or fears private—sometimes out of caution, sometimes out of habit. Yet, revealing more of what matters most allows for richer connection and influence. Coaching in this space often invites leaders to explore vulnerability as a leadership strength, building deeper relationships through authenticity. 4️⃣ Expanding the Narrative (Unknown Area) The unknown area isn’t just about hidden skills or blind spots—it’s about the story a leader tells about themselves and what they believe is possible. Leaders often get stuck in a narrow, outdated version of their own story, shaped by past experiences or limiting assumptions. Coaching here is about helping them step into a bigger story—one that allows for growth, reinvention, and new ways of contributing. When leaders expand their narrative identity, they open themselves up to new challenges, unexpected opportunities, and a sense of meaning that goes beyond their current role. From Awareness to Impact As coaches, our role is to create a space where leaders can see more, share more, and become more. The leaders who make the biggest impact aren’t necessarily the ones who know the most—they’re the ones most willing to learn about themselves and others.

How I helped ~90 AEs & BDRs increase outbound meetings set by 42% quarter over quarter 👇 Back story: - This sales team primarily relied on expensive inbound leads - AEs were not self-sourcing pipeline - Many AEs hadn't made a cold call in years - Inbound deals were way too small Here's what we did: ✅ Focused on training front-line leaders This is crucial for making habits stick and creating long-term results. ✅ Implemented the "Reinforcement Loop" framework with leaders We used this simple framework to reinforce the training. Teach. Telling is not teaching. Speak to the why, what, and how behind the area of coaching focus. Practice. The stakes are high in live situations with prospects. Avoid a culture where reps practice on prospects. Role play and facilitate practice during your 1on1s and team coaching calls. Observe. Self-reported data is the least accurate. Trust in your reps, but verify by watching and listening to them in action. Coach. Ad-hoc coaching doesn’t create lasting change. Be consistent in delivering coaching. But more importantly, empower reps with the tools and ability to self-assess and self-coach. ✅ Determine the Sales Math You must establish metrics for success. They worked with each rep to determine the exact level of activity needed to hit their desired target. No arbitrary activity metrics. ✅ Give to get culture with rep coaching In order to get coaching, reps must first attempt to coach themselves. We did this by aligning the leaders on a standardized cold-calling scorecard. Then, each rep was required to score one of their cold calls and bring it into their weekly 1on1 for feedback. ✅ Weekly GSD sessions We ran twice weekly Get sh*t done sessions with the sales team. These are two 1-hour standing calls where every rep is required to get on and prospect within each of their teams. Managers get in the pit, give feedback, and make calls with reps. ~~~ This is what it takes to create a dramatic pipeline-building culture shift in your org. It's hard. Requires a ton of discipline and accountability from front-line leaders. And takes 1-2 quarters to successfully implement. Want help making this culture shift at your org? Drop me a DM and I'll let you know we might be able to help #sales

Tired of being the bottleneck? Speak like a leader who inspires. No one teaches us how to be great leaders. Most of us learn by observing those we’ve worked for. We pick up habits along the way - some helpful, others not so much. If we’re honest, we’ve all used phrases that unintentionally demotivate our teams. I know I have. The good news is that leadership is a skill, and like any skill, it can be refined. We can choose to intentionally use words that motivate and inspire, rather than try to control and criticise. It's a small shift, but it can have a big impact. Next time you feel frustrated or find it hard to inspire your team into action, try using language that encourages collaboration and growth. 1/ Instead of saying: "You need to fix this." ↳ Try saying: "Can you walk me through how you plan to approach this?" 2/ Instead of saying: "Don't make mistakes like this again." ↳ Try saying: "What can we take away from this to avoid it happening again?" 3/ Instead of saying: "Just do it the way I showed you." ↳ Try saying: "How would you approach this? Let’s compare ideas." 4/ Instead of saying: "Who's responsible for these mistakes?" ↳ Try saying: "Let’s work together to understand what happened and prevent it next time." 5/ Instead of saying: "I might as well do it myself." ↳ Try saying: "I see you’re struggling with this - how can I help you succeed?" 6/ Instead of saying: "That's not how we do things." ↳ Try saying: "Can you walk me through why you’ve done it this way?" 7/ Instead of saying: "This didn’t go as planned." ↳ Try saying: "I appreciate the effort - how can we adapt this together?" 8/ Instead of saying: "I’ll just save time and do it myself." ↳ Try saying: "I trust your judgment to take this forward. What do you need to make it a success?" 9/ Instead of saying: "Why didn’t you tell me earlier?" ↳ Try saying: "What can we do to improve communication on this?" 10/ Instead of saying: "This isn’t good enough." ↳ Try saying: "What additional support do you need to make this even better?" Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating an environment where others feel trusted, supported, and capable of success. 👉 What phrases do you use to motivate your team instead of micromanaging them? ♻️ Share this post to help your network build stronger leadership skills. 🔔 Follow me, Jen Blandos, for actionable daily insights on business, entrepreneurship, and workplace well-being.

I launched a ML(Management and Leadership) book club just couple of weeks ago with a few fellow enthusiasts with one deliberate intention: read books on leadership that makes you an effective leader. I’ve been procrastinating on titles that have sat on my wishlist for years. This year, I picked up the pace and started with a favorite I discovered only two months ago during our Salesforce leadership skills workshop. I knew the essence, but diving deep into the pages was refreshing. For those wondering whether to read this book, these notes offer a sneak peek. My advice? Read this book, then immediately pick up *The Advice Trap*. Both are essential. Book Notes: The Coaching Habit By Michael Bungay Stanier The Core Problem Most leaders suffer from the “Advice Monster”—the compulsive need to give solutions immediately. I’m guilty of this advice trap. My intent was pure—sharing wisdom from lived experience—but long-term, it creates overdependent teams, overwhelmed managers, and disconnected workplaces. The Solution: Seven Essential Questions 1. The Kickstart Question:What’s on your mind? - Opens meaningful conversations beyond small talk. 2. The AWE Question:And what else? - The most powerful follow-up that uncovers deeper insights. 3. The Focus Question:What’s the real challenge here for you? - Gets to the heart of the issue and personalizes ownership. 4. The Foundation Question: What do you want? - Clarifies needs and motivations. 5. The Lazy Question:How can I help? - Ensures you don’t assume what others need. 6. The Strategic Question:If you’re saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?- Forces crucial conversations about priorities and trade-offs. 7. The Learning Question: What was most useful for you? - Reinforces insights and ends conversations with value. Building the Coaching Habit Transform these questions into daily practice through: Micro-habits: New behaviors taking less than 60 seconds Triggers: Environmental cues that prompt better questions Repetition: Consistent practice until it becomes automatic Key Principles • Stay curious longer, rush to advice less • Ask one question at a time • Get comfortable with silence • Actually listen to answers • Use “what” questions over “why” questions The hardest part? The silence. It took me eight weeks to get comfortable with it. Now I feel like a pro. The Transformation Teams become self-sufficient. Employees engage more with newfound autonomy—they feel seen and heard for once. Leaders unlock potential rather than provide solutions. The coaching habit isn’t just better management — it’s a fundamental shift toward empowering human potential through curiosity and questioning. My leadership style transformed in just weeks. I never expected this level of ROI from one workshop and one book. Totally worth it. Let me know what your takeaways are. #books #mlclub

One of my old teams used to BCC me on any deal-related email that would have been worth mentioning to me on a 1:1 or a forecast call, and it's something that helped us create urgency and efficiency in deals, especially at year-end. Why? Because it helped give me visibility into the nitty gritty of what was happening on our critical deals and also helped the rep get eyes on what was happening from a (mostly) clear-headed thinker. A. I got to coach in the moment. "Great reply. Here are two specific things that worked well..." "Love this but think about their real question - what do you think it is?" B. It kept me updated in real-time. The rarity with which I had to say "where are we with this deal" was a saving grace for all of us. C. It let me add a strategic layer for next steps. "Have you thought about connecting them with..." "I think they have an objection here, did you get that same sense?" "Have you connected with our users (champions) recently? Might be good to give them a heads up on where we are and see if they have intel." D. Created a cadence with other leaders. I'd take that same email, forward it to my boss or mentor or other brain on my team and say "Here's where we are - what am I missing? Anything different that you would do?' which then also created a better partnership with them and gave me real-time coaching, too. This is a very small "why didn't I think of that" nuance that pays off in spades for acceleration of deals, creates better bonds with your team (without feeling micromanage'y), and does what sales training often can't: get into the tiny details that are often missed and usually end up being the game changer in creating exceptional sellers. #samsales

Your reps don't need a cheerleader. They need a coach who actually helps them improve. Here's what most managers get wrong: They think leadership is about motivation. "Great job team!" "Keep pushing!" "You got this!" Meanwhile, their reps are drowning. Not from lack of motivation — from lack of SKILL. I learned this the hard way. Early in my career, I was all energy. All hype. All "let's gooooo!" My team meetings? Pure Tony Robbins. My Slack? GIF city. My 1:1s? Pep talks on steroids. And my team's performance? Mediocre at best. Then I spoke with an early mentor, they ran a 1x1 for me. and my mind was blown. No fluff. No ra-ra. Just: "Stop. Why did you ask that question?" "What was their response telling you?" "How could you have dug deeper?" "Let's practice that transition again." His team? Crushing quota while mine struggled. That's when it clicked. The Cheerleader vs Coach Reality: Cheerleaders say: "You're doing great!" Coaches say: "Here's what I noticed at minute 14:32..." Cheerleaders say: "I believe in you!" Coaches say: "Show me how you'd handle that objection." Cheerleaders say: "Next time will be better!" Coaches say: "Let's diagnose why this happened and fix it now." Here's what real coaching looks like: 📞 Call Reviews That Matter Not "good call" — but timestamp-specific feedback "At 8:47 when they mentioned budget, you moved on. Let's unpack why." 🎯 Pattern Recognition Not "work harder" — but identifying the real gaps "I've noticed you lose deals at the 45-day mark. Here's what's happening..." 🔄 Live Practice Not "you'll figure it out" — but reps in a safe environment "That objection killed you. Let's run it 5 times right now until it's natural." 📊 Data-Driven Development Not "trust the process" — but showing them their numbers "Your discovery-to-demo conversion is 23%. Top performers are at 67%. Here's the difference..." The Hard Truth: Your reps don't need another "attaboy." They need someone who will: -Listen to their calls at 2x speed before your 1:1 -Role-play until they nail it -Call out their blind spots (with love) -Show them exactly HOW to improve THEN - Hit them with a well earned, deserved and intentional 'Great job, I believe in you, you got this. - THAT's when it matters and truly drives impact. Is this harder? - Yep. Is it worth it? - Absolutely.

Early in my career, I landed my dream job… and immediately felt like an imposter. On day 3, my new colleague, Rina, spotted an error in my strategic plan. My first instinct? → Defend myself. → Prove I belonged. → Protect my ego. Instead, I swallowed my pride and said: “Walk me through how you’d approach it differently.” That single conversation unlocked solutions I’d never have seen alone. Six months later, we co-led a project that saved the company $1.4M. Not because I knew more than her. But because I realized: ✅ Working with people smarter than you is a blessing, not a threat. Here’s what most leaders get wrong: • They think leadership is about being the authority in the room. • They worry that smarter colleagues will overshadow them. • They fear being seen as “less than” if they ask for help. But the highest-impact leaders I’ve coached share one trait: They’re fiercely coachable. → They seek out people who know more. → They treat differences as assets, not threats. → They let go of needing to be the hero. That’s how careers grow, not in certainty, but in curiosity. The C.H.O.I.C.E.™ Framework makes this real: • Courage: Ask, even when your ego screams “don’t.” • Humility: Recognize brilliance in others. • Openness: Let new ideas replace old assumptions. • Integration: Apply what you learn fast. • Curiosity: Keep asking “What else could be true?” • Empathy: Celebrate others’ strengths instead of competing. 🛠 3 Ways to Turn “Smarter People” into Your Career Advantage: ✅ Flip the script. → Instead of thinking “They’ll make me look bad,” ask: → “What could I learn from them that would take me years to figure out alone?” ✅ Invite co-creation. → Pull in the experts. → Say: “Can I get your eyes on this?” → Collaboration is rocket fuel for your influence. ✅ Say the magic words. → “I didn’t see that. Thanks for helping me get better.” → That’s leadership, not weakness. Here’s the truth no one wants to admit: If you’re always the smartest person in the room… you’re in the wrong room. 💭 Who’s the “smartest person” who made you better at your craft? ♻️ Tag someone who turns intelligence into collective wins. ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for human leadership.

Fed up with managers who only focus on finding faults, but never offer support or guidance? You are not alone. As leaders, it's easy to point out flaws and mistakes. But true leadership is about supporting, guiding, and empowering others to grow and succeed. Great leaders know that their team's strengths and weaknesses are a reflection of their own leadership. Rather than simply criticizing, they take the time to understand, mentor, and develop their team members. Regular Feedback and Coaching: Provide constructive feedback that helps team members grow and improve. Offer coaching and guidance to help them overcome challenges. Empower Decision-Making: Give team members the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Provide the necessary resources and support to help them succeed. Foster a Growth Mindset: Encourage team members to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. Provide training and development opportunities to help them build new skills. Recognize and Reward: Acknowledge and reward team members' achievements and contributions. This helps to boost morale and motivation. Lead by Example: Demonstrate the behaviors and values you expect from your team. Show them that you're committed to growth, learning, and support. What else ? Do you remember the manager who changed your life? #possibilitariangauri

I used to put a lot of pressure on myself before each 1:1 with a rep I thought - "I need to add value in every meeting to be a good manager" "I have to have the perfect answer to each question" "My competency/authority are on the line with each conversation" Man was that an unwarranted increase in PRESSURE during my day! Yes reps are looking for something from you BUT that can take many forms: ☕ Being a sounding board for something on their mind ☕ Confirmation of a direction they want to take ☕ A direct question on a topic or deal ☕ Career conversation/feedback ☕ A pep talk ☕ Etc. And your reaction can take many forms: ☕ Asking questions to help them explore a solution (Coaching) ☕ Referring them to a SME who is not you (Connecting) ☕ Listening and engaging without a directive (Support) ☕ Active direction and guidance (Teaching) ☕ Etc. The fact is that simply being an engaged, curious counterparty with undivided attention already makes you a good manager! 🤜 Referring someone to another resource does not diminish your competency, it helps raise your stature as a resource while creating more bonds internally 🤜 Admitting you need to look up an answer creates space for everyone to learn together and builds trust with your reps 🌟 And yes, sometimes you will be able to deliver the EXACT answer that is needed - awesome! Just don't make that your own expectation. That isn't what your reps expect either #SalesLeadership #Communication #SalesCoaching #CorrCompetencies

Coaching is not intuitive, yet many managers think it is. Here’s the hard truth: many managers believe they’re coaching, but they’re just telling people what to do. 💬 Managers - when they contact me for coaching training : "I've always coached my team intuitively, now I need a solid framework and practical tools." 💬Managers - after the first day of coaching training: " I’ve realised that I never truly coached my team — actually I've been mentoring them all this time…" ✅ Real coaching requires a distinct approach and a specific set of skills, now critical for every leader. If you're ready start coaching, here’s your 9-step cheat sheet to transform how you lead: 1. Build Trust Trust is consistency over time, as Jeff Weiner would say. Without it, nothing else matters. 2. Structure your sessions with the GROW Model Goal - the most important part - What is your goal for the session ? Reality - What is happening? Options - What are your options? What else? Way Forward - What is the first step? 3. Listen at levels 2 and 3 Stop listening to respond (level 1). Listen to what's not being said.  Start listening to understand. Go beyond the words. 4. Ask Powerful Questions Stop giving answers. Start asking questions Make people think: What’s possible? What success look like for you? 5. Coach the Person, Not the Problem Focus on the employee's growth, not on solving today’s issue. 6. Understand behaviors with DISC Adapt your communication style using DISC to meet them where they are: D- Dominant : Straight to the point I - Influential: Creative thinking S- Steady: Safe space, reflective time C - Conscientious: Be precise, take time 7. Focus on what can ce controlled Coach them to focus on what they can control and change. Help them not waste their time on what they can't control nor influence. Toxic waste of energy. 8. Close Every Session with SMART Goals Vague intentions don’t cut it.  Every session needs actionable goals, small steps. 9 Ask for feedback, Welcome radical candor Feedback is a two-way street.  Ask for it. Encourage it. Embrace it. Ready to level up your coaching skills? Join our training in September - link in comments - and start coaching to the next level. P.S. 👍 Like this? ♻ Repost it and download it. And follow Geraldine GAUTHIER MCC for more content like this!