The behavioural changes managers need to make to boost staff confidence – and how HR can help

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to explore how HR leaders can help their managers ditch the traditional command-and-control leadership style and instead adopt an enquiry-led management approach – Operational Coaching®. This approach helps managers to develop coaching-related behaviours in their day-to-day interactions with teams, to cultivate a culture that is more collaborative, inclusive and innovative with measurable improvements in engagement, productivity and performance. Design/methodology/approach Responding to the UK’s woeful productivity and employee engagement levels, the Government sponsored a large-scale academic research study (designed, conducted and independently evaluated by the London School of Economics, LSE) to assess the impact of managers learning to use an Operational Coaching® style of management. Managers in 62 organisations across 14 sectors worked through a learning programme designed to build managers’ confidence in using intentional enquiry as a part of their everyday management style. Findings LSE proved, statistically significantly, that managers increased the amount of time they spent coaching their team members by an average of 70% and generated a 74 times return on investment. LSE also noted that intervention group organisations indicated a positive sixfold improvement in employee retention than in control group organisations. Originality/value When managers learn to use an Operational Coaching® style of management in their day-to-day work with others, it allows them to learn how to challenge, support and grow the capabilities of their team members in ways that measurably benefit the individual and the organisation. Colleagues are more engaged, recognised and rewarded. As their competency and confidence grows, managers are released from aspects of their to-do lists and are able to invest even more attention towards coaching their team members.