Work-life balance has been a theme in the workplace for over twenty years now.  What is your team’s stress index?   Are your employees reacting to constant change in business priorities, long hours or 24/7 mentality?  Do you support and incorporate the employee’s right to create balance in their lives?

Work-life balance is defined as a balance between one’s work and personal life.  Technology has increased the discussions and concerns around this issue.  If an employee feels out of balance, either with their work or with personal life, it influences their ability to perform.  In managing employees, their problems are the problems of the organization.

We have limited time these days and so much to do.  That’s why it’s important to know who you are…how you best learn.  This information about yourself helps you gather the right resources to build your knowledge base in business.  Managers need to learn how to manage their employees.  The amount of information available is endless and knowing how to absorb information will help you build you knowledge quickly.

My last post excited you about the possibility of including a Coach into your support system.   Top performers know it’s important to find and utilize many different areas of support in developing their careers.   The right one-on-one coaching can move your career and your life forward faster and better.

Depending on what area you want to move forward in, you would want to find the right Coach to collaborate with you in this process. 

“Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
(International Coaching Federation)

Today, there is so much managers need to know in business.  You have to manage a constant flow of industry information each day. Besides being an expert in your business function, you have to manage your employees so they perform at high levels.   You are responsible for the profit and loss of your department. 

Can you do it alone?   No, you need three separate support systems in order for you to be successful in your management role:

• Your employees
• Your manager
• Your Coach

You are the manager and that includes coaching your staff. Your primary focus is to find the best employees, train them, set standards and guide your employees to higher performance levels. It’s about reframing how you see your role as a manager from demanding to coaching performance levels. Coaching an employee includes knowing their skills, depth of job knowledge and the basic gifts or talent they bring to the table.

What is coaching? Coaching is a more enjoyable way to interact with your employees. Like a coach of a sport’s team, you want to encourage your team, ensure they know how to play, know the rules of the role, clarify any misconceptions, and be there to listen and support them as they grow in their job knowledge.