HBR Guides to Performance Management Collection (4 Books) (HBR Guide Series)

Chapter 9

Help People Help Themselves

by Ed Batista

When I take on new clients in my executive coaching practice, I emphasize how much work they will be doing without me. That’s because they typically spend just 1% of their working hours in coaching sessions; the other 99% of the time, they’re managing interactions, making choices, and solving problems on their own. Although our conversations may influence my clients as they go about their day-to-day activities, most of the time they’re coaching themselves. They’re assessing what’s working and what’s not, deciding where to change course and where to hold steady, and repeating this process as they steer themselves through professional challenges.

The same holds true for your employees if you manage ...