HBR Guide to Coaching Employees :HBR Guide Series

When you're swamped with your own work, it's hard to make time to coach your employees--and to do it well. But if you don't help them build their skills, they'll keep coming to you for answers instead of finding their own solutions. In the long run, investing in their development pays off. Whether you have a star on your team who's eager to advance, an underperformer who's dragging the group down, or a steady contributor who feels bored and neglected, you need to learn how to shape your employees' goals and how to support their efforts to achieve them. This guide will teach you how to: (1) Match individuals' skills with your organization's needs; (2) Create realistic but inspiring plans for growth; (3) Customize your approach; (4) Give your employees feedback they'll actually apply; (5) Provide the support they need to achieve peak performance; (6) Tap their learning styles to make greater progress; (7) Give them room to grapple with problems and discover solutions; and (8) Keep them engaged.