Have you ever heard a manager talk to an employee over a nagging performance issue, but they never saw any improvement? Maybe you're familiar with the type of manager who pretends problems don't exist and ignores them altogether. Then, there's the over-controlling manager who chews out employees when their performance isn't up to snuff. Unfortunately, these types of scenarios occur far too often in the workplace, and they're a lose-lose situation for not only the employee but for the organization as well. When managers struggle to effectively address and improve employee performance, it can lead to numerous negative consequences for both the individual and the entire organization.

 That's where Coaching Skills Inventory comes in, providing a proven method for managers to identify and address performance issues in a constructive and effective manner. With our solution, managers can avoid the pitfalls of ignoring or micromanaging their employees, ultimately leading to a more successful and productive workplace.

The Coaching Skills Inventory is designed to assess a leader's ability to use the skills needed for conducting effective coaching meetings. After all, the purpose of a coaching meeting is not to reprimand an employee or threaten dismissal if their performance does not improve. Rather, the goal of coaching is to help redirect an employee’s behavior to improve future performance while continuing to build a relationship of mutual trust.

Coaching Skills Inventory is your first step to effective coaching and establishing rapport based on mutual trust. It's the foundation of healthy manager-employee relationships and the key to growth and performance. But that's only the first step. To ensure a truly productive coaching meeting, managers need to follow this seven-step process:

1) Building a relationship of mutual trust
2) Opening the meeting
3) Getting agreement
4) Exploring alternatives
5) Getting a commitment to act
6) Handling excuses
7) Closing the meeting

This approach to performance coaching doesn't come from gut instinct or intuition alone. That's why the best place to initiate training is with the Coaching Skills Inventory. Designed for team leaders, this assessment measures the ability to conduct effective coaching meetings and build productive relationships with employees.

Presented with 18 everyday coaching situations, managers select the action response they are most likely to take. Scoring the inventory produces an overall coaching-effectiveness profile, and the subscores measure their skill level in each of the seven steps of the coaching meeting model process.

The self-assessment takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. An additional 40 minutes (minimum) is required for the scoring, interpretation of results, debriefing, and goal setting. You can expand the learning into a three-hour program using the workshop outline and PowerPoint presentation that's offered in the Facilitator Guide. Also included is a follow-up assessment you can administer to measure progress post-training. Trainer certification is not required to administer or facilitate the Coaching Skills Inventory.

By the end of this workshop, participants will:

• Identify strengths and weaknesses in the skills needed for effective coaching meetings.
  
• Compare skill levels with a normative group of managers from a wide range of industries.
  
• Acquaint managers, supervisors, and team leaders with a seven-step model for effective coaching meetings.
  
• Help employees improve their performance through effective performance coaching meetings.
  
• Measure the development of personal coaching skills.

The Coaching Skills Inventory is excellent as a standalone learning instrument or part of a more comprehensive training program. It's appropriate for use with managers, supervisors, and team leaders. The Coaching Skills Inventory can also be used with prospective managers to help them prepare for their coaching responsibilities when they are promoted.

Use this assessment to:

• Introduce a new performance management system within an organization.
• Assess the coaching strengths and weaknesses of individual managers.
• Identify the collective skill level of managers within an organization.
• Reinforce performance coaching skills after a training event.
• Examine the effect and results of training using pre- and post-training scores.

It can also be used with prospective managers to help them prepare for their coaching responsibilities when they are promoted.

Facilitator Guide

Order one guide per trainer. The Coaching Skills Inventory Facilitator Guide includes background information, administrative guidelines, workshop outlines, a post-training follow-up assessment, a PowerPoint presentation, and sample assessments. Facilitator support materials will be available to you as a digital download link in your order confirmation.

Paper Assessment 5-Pack

Order one pack for up to five participants. The Coaching Skills Inventory self-assessment is available in print format. It includes the 18-item inventory with pressure-sensitive scoring, interpretive information, the Coaching Skills Model, and goal-setting worksheets.

Online Assessment

Order one per participant. As the foundation for the workshop, the online assessment is administered to participants through the HRDQ Assessment Center. A full-color, detailed report is delivered electronically to the facilitator/administrator when complete.

QuickStart Train-the-Trainer (QST)

QST is a convenient, one-hour virtual coaching session for first-time facilitators of this product. You'll receive personalized, one-on-one coaching with a subject matter expert who will get you up to speed quickly and accurately so you can step into the onsite with confidence. We'll answer all your questions about the facilitation of the product. And you can add additional coaching hours as needed. Your coaching session can be provided by telephone or video call and at a time of your choosing.

* Facilitators will also receive an HRDQ Certificate of Completion for completing the QuickStart session.

Ken Phillips is the founder and CEO of Phillips Associates, a consulting and publishing company with expertise in performance management and measurement and evaluation of learning. He has more than 30 years of experience designing learning instruments and assessments and has authored more than a dozen published learning instruments. He regularly speaks to American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) groups and university classes. Since 2008, he has spoken at the ASTD International Conference on topics related to measurement and evaluation of learning.

Prior to pursuing a Ph.D. in the combined fields of organizational behavior and educational administration at Northwestern University, Mr. Phillips held management positions with two colleges and two national corporations. In addition, he has written articles that have appeared in TD magazine, Training Today, and HR.com. Mr. Phillips earned the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) credential from the national ASTD.