Coaching for Improved Work Performance, Revised Edition Book

I like to learn a new topic by reading against a perceived or established orthodoxy. This book delivered. I'm losing a star because some of the examples of poor work performance are offensive in 2017. However, I feel the systematic lessons break through this infelicity. There are a few extremely practical processes that demand the copy machine.

In essence, the message of the book is that there is a methodical way for managers to improve their reports' poor job performance, when simple requests to improve aren't working: coaching.

Identify the problem
Get report to agree it is a problem
Ask for a specific change to work behavior
Follow up with positive reinforcement to confirm improved behavior

All these topics are covered in more than reasonable detail, with examples. Some of the stories are dated or sexist (for example, how to get an emotional secretary to stop crying in the middle of a coaching session, or how to get a sad sack to stop drinking his sorrows at lunchtime), but you can use your imagination to apply the lessons.

It spells out the ways performance can go awry, and asks the manager to be comprehensive in their understanding before coaching.

It also draws a useful distinction between understanding someone's mind and asking for specific behavior. Work behavior is a useful middle ground that the manager and worker can agree on neutrally. The manager doesn't have to judge the path the worker takes to victory mentally or emotionally, although they could support the worker in those dimensions. All they can really demand are external results.

The flowchart for identifying the root cause of poor work performance must be copied, as well as ways to create a performance improvement plan, a script for coaching discussion, and means of following up. All these tools help keep the manager honest, and force them to tie problems to concrete data and measure success the same way. As a worker who has experienced lesser versions of coaching in the past, I couldn't ask for more in the future from my boss.