3 Coaching Questions for Leaders to Ask When a Team Member Feels Discouraged by LeAnne Lagasse

“I’m just not good at this.”

I’ve heard this phrase countless times as I’ve trained and mentored others over the years. I’ve heard it from team members who were genuinely in over their heads and I’ve heard it from employees who were exceptional in their roles. Discouragement does not discriminate.

I used to think that my discouraged team members just needed all the affirmation and all the motivational speeches. When they were vulnerable enough to share insecurities, fears, and perceived or real failures with me, I was quick to jump in and give advice. I was well-intentioned and well-reasoned.

But the thing was — they usually left feeling no different than when they arrived. All my encouragement and advice was a small band-aid for a big wound.

And that’s how a lot of leaders approach these difficult conversations. We genuinely care about our team members and want to build them back up before the discouragement takes root. This instinct is good. But many of us miss the mark when choosing a method for instilling confidence.

We immediately assume we understand the source of the discouragement, assume what the team member needs to hear, and start giving advice based on those assumptions. This is a method that rarely works.

The good news is there is a much better strategy that empowers our team members when they feel inadequate and discouraged about their job performance.

The secret?

Asking great questions and listening.

Read the full article @ Medium
Photo by KS KYUNG on Unsplash

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