THE MANAGER AS COACH

In the current economic climate, companies are increasingly realizing that their management style has to change. “Downsizing” has resulted in less opportunities for promotion and managers must be able to motivate their staff and enable them to develop in their jobs. The existing management paradigm focuses heavily on control, order and compliance, with the consequence that people become objectified, measured and expended. Looks at the manager as coach and explores the importance and benefits of creating a strong relationship between manager and employee, what makes a good manager and the cultural changes necessary within an organization to bring this about successfully. The importance of staff empowerment is discussed and the argument put forward by experts Evered and Selman that coaching skills are not just part of the range of tools that a manager must have at his or her disposal, but are more important than any other management skills.