CHAPTER 10
Motivation and Coaching Skills
The purpose of this chapter is to provide the reader with specific ideas for motivating and coaching group
CHAPTER OUTLINE AND LECTURE NOTES
Effective leaders are outstanding motivators and coaches. Motivation and coaching techniques are
important because not all leaders can influence others through formal authority or charisma and
inspirational leadership alone. Face-to-face, day-by-day motivational skills are also important.
I. LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
A broad purpose of leaders applying motivation and coaching technique is to get employees
involved in their work and excited about working for the organization. Engagement is the current
buzz word for the commitment workers make to their employer. The term refers to high levels of
personal investment in the tasks performed on a job. Engagement is reflected in employee
willingness to stay with the firm and go beyond the call of duty.
A The Impact of Worker Engagement on Productivity
The State of the American Workplace report shows that companies with a 9-to-1 ratio of
engaged to actively disengaged employees experience a147 percent higher earnings per share
B. Meaningful Work for Employee Engagement
A key driver of worker engagement is the opportunity to perform meaningful work, the feeling
of doing work that matters or makes a difference. Research by McKinsey indicates that the
opportunity to make an impact in the following four areas is the most likely to enhance the
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
C. Relationship with the Leader and Employee Engagement
A human resources consultant says that managers can engage their workers by seeing them as
whole people and having courageous conversations that will build trust and see what is really
going on. Learning soft skills also helps because the can have a hard impact. A specific
technique leaders can use to engage employees is to initiate career discussions.
II. EXPECTANCY THEORY AND MOTIVATIONAL SKILLS
Expectancy theory incorporates features of other motivation theories and offers the leader many
guidelines for triggering and sustaining constructive effort from group members.
Furthermore, they choose the alternative that appears to have the biggest personal payoff.
A. Basic Components of Expectancy Theory
All versions of expectancy theory have three major components.
1. Valence is the worth or attractiveness of an outcome. Each outcome in a work situation
has a valence of its own. Valences range from –100 to +100 in the version shown here.
A valence of –100 reflects intense desire to escape an outcome, whereas +100 indicates
intense desire for an outcome. A zero valence reflects indifference.
2. Instrumentality is the probability assigned by the individual that performance will
3. Expectancy is the probability assigned by the individual that effort will lead to
B. Leadership Skills and Behaviors Associated with Expectancy Theory
Expectancy theory has many implications for leaders and managers with respect to
motivating others. Some of these implications would also stem from other motivational
theories and would fit good management practice in general.
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
1. Determine what levels and kinds of performance are needed to achieve organizational
goals.
2. Make the performance level attainable by the individuals being motivated.
III. GOAL THEORY
Goal setting is a basic process that is directly or indirectly part of all major theories of work
motivation. The core finding of goal theory is as follows: Individuals who are provided with
A. Basic Findings of Goal Theory
Behavior is regulated by values and goals. A goal is what a person is trying to accomplish.
Following are consistent findings from goal theory:
1. Specific goals lead to higher performance than do generalized goals.
2. Performance generally improves in direct proportion to goal difficulty. Stretch goals
lead to improved organizational effectiveness and professional development. Goals that
are too difficult can be frustrating, yet powerful goals can be inspirational. These
powerful goals that often relate to a noble cause can be divided into subgoals to
facilitate attainment.
A meta-analysis of 76 different results about the impact of goals on group performance
supported the findings just presented. In addition it was found that egocentric goals aimed at
B. The Importance of How Goals Are Attained and Other Concerns.
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
A major concern about using goals to motivate performance is that leaders, as well as other
workers, will take unethical and dysfunctional shortcuts to attain their goals. To implement
goal setting without creating dysfunctions, it is therefore essential to specify how the goals
IV. USING RECOGNITION AND PRIDE TO MOTIVATE OTHERS
Motivating others by giving them recognition and praise can be considered a direct application of
positive reinforcement. Recognition is a strong motivator because it is a normal human need. Tony
Schwartz says nothing influences employees’ engagement as the feeling that they are genuinely
cared for and valued by their leaders. Yet most workers feel that they do not receive enough
recognition. An APA study found that only 46 percent of employees are satisfied with the
recognition practices of their employers. David Novak, the former CEO of Yum Brands believes
that he helped turn the company’s fortunes around by emphasizing recognition.
A. Appealing to the Recognition Need of Others
To appeal to the recognition need of others, identify a meritorious behavior and then
recognize the behavior with an oral, written, or material reward.
B. Appealing to Pride
Giving recognition for a job well done helps satisfy the desire to feel proud. Giving workers
an opportunity to experience pride can be a strong internal motivator yet also grants
III. COACHING AS AN APPROACH TO MOTIVATION
Effective leaders are good coaches, and good coaches are effective motivators. Although high-level
leaders coach less, there is a coaching component at all levels of leadership. A survey suggests that
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
many managers are falling down by failing to coach, including feedback and guidance. Coaching is
a way of enabling others to act and build on their strengths. Coaching often increases productivity.
A. Key Characteristics of Coaching
Coaching might be explained as the art of management. The purpose of the coaching
interaction is to help the employee learn from the job in order to his help his or her
development of the people who are coached.
IVI. COACHING SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES
Coaching skills are important because coaching is a direct way of influencing group members. If
implemented with skill, the following suggestions will improve the chances that coaching will lead
to improved performance.
1. Define the Issues and communicate clear expectations to group members.
2. Build relationships.
3. Give feedback on specific areas that require improvement.
4. Listen actively.
A year-long study was conducted of coaching skill with 1,246 sales representatives in 136 teams in
VI. EXECUTIVE COACHING AND LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS
Executive coaching is “A one–to–one developmental process formally contracted between a coach
and a management-level client to help achieve goals related to professional development and/or
business performance.” Today, people from a wide variety of backgrounds become executive
coaches, as well as career coaches and life coaches.
A. Specific Forms of Assistance Provided by Executive Coaches
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
develop high potential and facilitate transitions, (b) act as a sounding board, and (c) address
derailing behavior. Six examples of assistance offered by executive coaches are:
• Helping corporate stars attain peak performance, such as discovering that the leader has
untapped creativity and imagination.
• Counseling the leader about weaknesses, such as being too hostile and impatient, that
could interfere with effectiveness.
•
A refinement of individual coaching is for the coach to work with both the individual and his
or her work associates. The coach will solicit feedback from the group members, as well as
involve them in helping the manager improve.
B. Contributions and Concerns about Executive Coaching
Executive coaching often attains the outcomes already mentioned. A potential drawback of
IX. GUIDELINES FOR ACTION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Despite all the hype, there appears to be an optimum amount of engagement for leaders and their
subordinates. Studies have found that highly engaged workers tend to suffer from work interfering
with personal life, including the development of heart problems.
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
COMMENTS ON EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES
Leadership Self–Assessment Quiz 10–1: My Work Engagement
Tendencies
Leadership Skill–Building Exercise 10-1: Collecting Live Data on
Worker Engagement
An exercise of this nature is inherently interesting to the majority of students. Students will most
Leadership Self–Assessment Quiz 10–2: How Meaningful Is My Work?
This quiz about the meaningfulness of work should be meaningful to many students. If the person
Leadership Skill–Building Exercise 10–2: Estimating Valences for
Applying Expectancy Theory
Many people have never thought of attempting to quantify the motivational value of rewards and
Leadership Skill–Building Exercise 10–3: The Application of Goal
Theory
This modest exercise in goal theory gives students an opportunity to implement one of the leader/
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
Leadership Self–Assessment Quiz 10–3: How Much Do I Crave
Recognition?
Leadership Self–Assessment Quiz 10–4: Characteristics of an Effective
Coach
An important purpose of this activity is to emphasize the importance of having the right characteristics to
characteristics in order to become an effective coach.
Leadership Skill–Building Exercise 10–4: Coaching for Improved
Performance
Leadership Skill-Building Exercise 10-5: My Leadership Portfolio
This portfolio entry should prove quite useful for many students because so many people have
COMMENTS ON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Kim Jordan, the executive chair of New Belgian Brewery, emphasizes her high level of humanism.
What is your opinion about a company that produces beer still being humanistic?
Beer lovers unite! Many people would think that because beer brings so much pleasure to so many
2. Why should a leader be concerned about employee engagement when almost all of his or her direct
reports are corporate professionals?
professionals.
3. To what extent would the amount of financial compensation you receive in a position influence
your level of engagement?
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
Theories about intrinsic motivation suggest that the nature of the work is more important than
4. Identify several outcomes you expect from occupying a leadership position. What valences do you
attach to them?
The discussion in Chapter 1 about the satisfactions and frustrations of being a leader might help jog
5. How can the influence exercised by a charismatic leader tie in with expectancy theory?
outcomes will have high valence for many people.
6. What is an example of a noble cause the plant manager of a division that manufactures paperclips
might use to motivate workers.
A noble cause for the paperclip plant manager is that the plant is providing a low-cost way of
7. For purposes of recognition, many companies give out watches, clocks, and sports shirts with a
company logo embedded. What do you think of the effectiveness of this form of recognition?
For a small segment of the workforce the standard recognition fare of watches, clocks, and shirts
8. Imagine that you are a hospital administrator, and you are told that a custodial worker just saved the
life of a patient who was choking on a pretzel. What type of recognition would you give this
custodial worker?
9. Imagine that you have a couple of extra-high performers reporting to you who are carrying out all
their job responsibilities in a superior manner. What kind of coaching might you conduct with these
people?
Although counterintuitive, the best performers are frequently those most receptive to coaching.
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
10. Ask a manager to describe the amount of coaching that he or she does on the job. Be prepared to
bring your findings back to class.
PLAUSIBLE RESPONSES TO CASE QUESTIONS
Leadership Case Problem A: Firing Up the Commerical Uniform Team
The theme of this case is the use of praise to motivate and engage workers. As the case suggests,
finding the right approach to praise might not be easy.
1. How well is Derrick praising his workers? What advice can you offer him to be more effective in
his praise?
2. Which statement of praise do you think was the most effective? Why?
The comment of praise to Hector was highly specific about what he does for the company:
“Without you making hourly timely stops at your customers, we have not business.” Specific
3. Which statement of praise do you think was the least effective? Why?
The statement of praise to Kaitlin did not go over well, as evidenced by her quizzical look, and
Associated Role Play
This role play is challenging because the recipients of the praise might have a different perception of their
Leadership Case Problem B: Tyler Faces a Feedback Challenge
This case illustrate how feedback and coaching are sometimes required for activites that relate more to
personal behavior than to job performance.
1. Are the reported incidents in relation to Gus even worth the attention of a COO?
The problems suggested by the behavior of Gus are definitely worth the attention of a COO
Chapter 10: Motivation and Coaching Skills
2. If you think the case describes a problem worthy of his attenton, how should Tyler coach Gus about
the reported incidents in this case?
3. What opening line do you recommend for Tyler if he does hold a coaching session with Gus
about the incidents reported in this case?
Certainly this scenario will not be easy for Tyler because he has already expressed concern about
Associated Role Play
A role play of this nature is valuable because it deals with two different perceptions of the same events.