Consider the following scenario, in which Tom (a retail bank chief) expresses concern to Julia (the HR director) that a team member is struggling in a new leadership role.

Tom: Jake is still struggling to fit into his new role. I think he doesn’t have the right outlook of a regional branch manager.

Julia: Don’t be so quick to judge. After all, what is the right outlook of a regional branch manager? I think Jake has a lot of potential, and we need to help him to get there.

Tom: It’s been nine months since Jake took over this role. I made sure Jake completed all the required training and carried out the relevant assessments. Still five out of the eight branches are falling well below the revenue targets.

Julia: What else have you tried to address the issue?

Tom: I’ve met with him a number of times and told him how he needs to have an aerial view of the branches. I also told him how I made the transition into a regional position many years ago. In addition, our COO Martin has shared some tips from his career. However, I still don’t see much improvement.

Julia: Do you think he is keen to implement the ideas that you tell him?

Tom: Yes! He always walks away agreeing that it was a good discussion.

Julia: Tom, I think I see the problem. When we tell people exactly what needs to be done, we can’t expect “everything” will get done. What’s more, we aren’t developing our people this way.

Tom: Well… when my bosses told me what needed to be done, I closely followed their orders. That is how things worked then.

Julia: Perhaps. But people are not geared to respond like that anymore. They want their organizations to help them develop their own skills and capability to think for themselves.

It’s like when we launched our mobile app. Although we were briefed on best practices for using the app, it got little traction—because we lacked buy-in. But once everyone was given the opportunity to add their own unique ideas, the dynamics changed. It soon became “our” thing, and everyone started to think about how to use the app. It’s the same with Jake. He needs to discover the solution for himself.

Tom: How do you think we can achieve that with Jake?

Julia: Have you considered coaching as an option?

Coaching draws out the skills or talents that were previously hidden within an individual and helps them find ways to solve a problem previously thought unsolvable. The coach, over a series of questions, helps the person dissect the stated problem and discover the real issue at hand. In other words, a coach can help Jake discover the solution for himself and work toward an action plan that he develops.

The point is that the focus is always on the one being coached—not the coach. In our case, Jake will be defining the problem, discovering the real issue at hand, coming up with the solutions, and executing the action plan. The coach will only facilitate the process.

Most experts will tell you that a “good enough” action that you discover for yourself is 10 times better than an excellent idea that’s not your own. When the idea is yours, you are motivated. You want to get it done.

Tom: How will this work? How long will it take?

Julia: Most business coaching programs run anywhere from four to 12 months. Given Jake’s situation, I think we should look at about five months. There are no shortcuts. Still, we may see results before that. In fact, the coach will invite us for progress meetings—probably every six weeks.

No doubt, using the “tell” approach may seem like an easier way to get the job done. It doesn’t require the intricate art of listening or the masterful skill of asking questions. But does it develop people? Not likely. What’s more, according to thought leader Nick Clench, people actually develop faster when they have to think and learn for themselves. When employees work on challenges for themselves, they learn. And what they learn, they can apply to a multitude of other situations.

Does coaching mean organizations move away from giving people clear instructions? Not at all! For instance, a staff member joining a new organization, a project coordinator starting a new project, or a project team implementing a process change will need clear instructions. But there are managers in the workplace who don’t have the discipline to provide clear instructions to their team members, and the results can be significantly disruptive. On the other hand, when managers set out to give instructions, it needs to by design—not by default.

Here are some key things to remember:

Do patiently listen to your people and ask the right questions without imposing your ideas. 

Don’t give answers to your team members’ problems by default. You are destroying their ability to think for themselves. 

Do help people maneuver through and discover the real issue at hand.  

Don’t assume that when you tell people your ideas they will carry it out with a great sense of ownership. 

Do work hard at developing the buy-in. It should be their business problem, not yours.

I sometimes hear managers say, “But my team doesn't want to learn. They don't seem to care. They just want the answers.” I contend that if they say those things, it’s because they have gotten used to a certain command-and-control style of management. Sadly, if you hear that, your team is likely demotivated and disengaged. More importantly, the time is right to try business coaching.

For more insight, check out these resources:

“The Art of Giving and Receiving Advice,” by David A. Garvin and Joshua D. Margolis; Harvard Business Review. 

World Association of Business Coaches Frequently Asked Questions 

Leadership Freak Blog by Dan Rockwell 

“[Management: Stop Telling People What To Do](http://www.lifestyles4lawyers.com/articles/on-the-job/297-management-stop- telling-people-what-to-do)” by Nick Clench; Lifestyles4lawyers