Starting a Business All-in-One For Dummies, 4th Edition

Chapter 1

Developing Employees through Coaching and Mentoring

IN THIS CHAPTER

Digging into reasons for employee development

Breaking down the employee development process

Building basic coaching skills

Understanding the power of mentoring

As a business owner, if you have employees, you’re by definition a manager. That may not be your goal when you first imagine starting your own business, but unless you can do everything yourself, you need people to help get the work done. Managing people can be tricky, and the ways in which it’s been successfully accomplished through the years have changed dramatically.

One recurring theme of today’s management reality is the role of managers as people who support and encourage their employees instead of telling them what to do (or, worse, simply expecting them to perform). The best managers take time to develop their employees by staying actively involved in employee progress and development, helping to guide them along the way. The best managers also are coaches — that is, individuals who guide, discuss, and encourage others on their journey. ...