“Off-Form” in the Workplace – why Coaching & Mentoring is needed in Business

“He is Off-Form!” “Drop her, she’s Off-Form!” “Put them on the transfer list!” “A liability, that’s what they are!” “Get rid!”

All statements that us Sport-loving Business Leaders may hear on a regular basis when watching Sport (in my case in particular Cricket, Football, & Rugby).

But what actually is ‘Form’? At Elite Level Sport, these Athletes are masters in their fields already, and they don’t suddenly lose their ability, so what happens? Is it confidence? Is it the apprehension about a step-up in competition? Is it the wrong choice between carrot and stick from a Coach?

Similarly, we hire really capable candidates in Business, but sometimes they lose ‘Form’ as well? Again, they don’t suddenly become incapable overnight.

So, what happens, and what do we do (or not do) as Leaders, to allow them to go ‘Off- Form’?

In Sport, we marvel at the Coaching, Mentoring and Man-Management skills of an Alex Ferguson, a Brian Clough, a Don Revie, a Michael Vaughan, a Clive Woodward. They harnessed the likes of Cantona, Pietersen, Guscott et al.

In Business though, how far behind are we in embracing Coaching & Mentoring? A long way I think!

On a day-to-day basis, our staff are experiencing all sorts of issues that we Leaders simply don’t know about – confidence, insecurity, personal issues, imposter syndrome. With many appointments, senior and otherwise, our new appointees may also be being asked to take a big step up in responsibility, accountability, and visibility as a Leader. Do we help them, do we Coach them, do we Mentor them (like the Sport Coaches)? Or do we simply ‘dig them out’, say, “get on with it”, have an irregular ‘one-to-one’ where the issues get fudged, and over time fester our disappointment when the desired output doesn’t happen? Do we say, maybe like a Sports fan, “Well, they were clearly not as good as we thought”, or “Do you know what, they are just underperforming – they are ‘Off-Form’”. ie. We neatly shift the responsibility for our Leadership deficits on to the other individual! And we all meander along until the relationship ends, potentially in a relatively disappointing fashion.

It need not be like this!

I referred earlier to ‘Elite Sport’. Top-level Sport. But our Businesses are Elite!! Each has a niche, a competitive edge, great staff, a history of hard work and resilience to get where they are, whether it be a PLC, SME, or a Family business. All our Businesses have individuals ranging from ‘game-changers’ Cantona/Pietersen/Guscott, to a ‘solid superstar’ Jonny Wilkinson, to ‘below the radar nuggets’ like Dennis Irwin (MUFC) and Paul Collingwood (Durham and England Cricket). And it is worth remembering as well that Cantona was far less than a glorious success everywhere else, apart from under Ferguson. Pietersen was at his absolute peak (individual and teammate) only under Vaughan. Similarly, Revie created such an amazing environment for his Leeds team to shine, that even Clough could not improve it without attempting to dismantle it completely. Woodward specifically mentored his World Cup winning team to be able to make the right decisions at THE game changing moments.

So, what do we need to do (or not do) as Business Leaders. What can we learn? How can we make our own Business Athletes be ‘On-Form’ as much as possible?

Here is my 6-point plan:

1.     Recognise that our Businesses are our own equivalent of ‘Elite Sport’;

2.     Provide the environment for our own ‘Elite Business Athletes’ to thrive;

3.     Identify the opportunities from the variety of Cantona’s/Wilkinson’s/Irwin’s/Collingwood’s of the workplace, and Coach & Mentor each of them to achieve greater things;

4.     Treat every colleague as an Individual, but harness output from the perspective of a Team;

5.     Accept that a ‘Loss of Form’ in our Business Athletes needs addressing by us as Business Leaders;

6.     Coach, Coach, Coach, Mentor, Mentor, Mentor!

My thoughts are clear, and amply demonstrate why I am investing all my own spare time outside of my current C-Suite role on Executive Coaching & Mentoring, and have founded my very own business in this area. I think it’s the future.    

www.ClarendonCoaching.com                            Jeremy.earnshaw@clarendoncoaching.com

Thank you for reading.