Coaching Conversations in 2025

Send us a textOne of the most valuable things we can do as leaders is to position people within our own teams to be what I call influential or internal leaders. Now, just for our own definition, internal leaders or influential leaders are those people who don't have the title yet can help you lead the team. Now, let me give you a really fundamental example. Years ago, I was working with a number of branch managers at one of our client sites at a credit union. And one of the managers said, geez, I've got 10 people. I really don't have time to coach all of them. I am scheduling time with them, but I know that I'm really fractured in terms of my time. And I said, well, do you have some people on your team that you really trust that are well respected by others that could really invest in your team as well?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Quick Interruption: Wanna Hear About Our 2023 Progress Coaching Summit? Get More info Here: https://form.jotform.com/221653310306039---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------And she said, yeah, I've got two people. They're senior. They're great. They're upbeat. They don't really wanna move up in the organization. They don't want people management responsibility and I said, well, what about using them as influential coaches? She said, what do you mean? I said, well, influential coaching sometimes is more accepted than from somebody's boss because it's from a peer. It's someone who's in the trenches. It's somebody who's trusted. She said, yeah, I, I think that's great. And I said, okay, well, let's come up with a couple ideas. I said, what do you want your people to do? More of? She said, we have to ask more questions. We have to upsell and cross sell. It is a core function of what we do, cuz the more we upsell and cross sell, the more we, you know, bring business into not only the credit union, but the more we're allowed to service our, uh, customers. And I said, okay and what is the resistance? And she said, rejection people don't like to do it. I mean, you're talking to people about, you know, money and it's personal and you're kind of out in the open, it's uncomfortable. And it is. And I really lWelcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165

Send us a textThere are specific things people MUST do to develop and maintain trust within organizations:  Go to the source  Avoid sharing with non-sources, people who are not involved (essentially do not gossip)  Be transparent and honest  Provide factual insight versus merely sharing feeling s (emotional interpretation) Welcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165

Send us a textThe key to feedback is to give it so someone receives it openly and professionally and puts it into strategic use. One of the best things that you can do is to ask questions after providing feedback. For the sake of this article, we'll assume the feedback is constructive in nature. And here are five questions you could ask to create greater ownership of feedback. Welcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165

Send us a textI went to go get some food for my wife and I at a very popular place where a lot of baseball teams go after they play. What I witnessed at the counter was a father giving his son some feedback on the game that was just played. As I sat a couple seats away, I quietly listened, not letting them know I was listening. The father began to tell his son he could not make the mistakes he was making during the game. He was mentioning things like striking out or dropping fly balls, which are really physical errors, not mental errors. As I sat there and I listened uncomfortably, I realized not once did this dad tell his son, I'm proud of you or you're doing a great job. You're gonna get so much better. Trust your coaches. What I did hear was him depict inning by inning, the mistakes his son made. As I watched his son who just stared ahead and never made eye contact with his dad. As they sat parallel from each other at a counter, the kid was never smiling, never really seeming to enjoy the conversation. When the waitress came up and gave them their food to go and they got up to leave immediately. The son had a smile on his face. I think the smile came from the fact that the conversation was now over. What's going to happen to this kid if he continues to get feedback like that and he enters the workplace. What if his boss gives him really good feedback that's accurate, albeit constructive, will he listen? Or will he shut down much like what he was doing or at least appearing to do with his father? Rest of the article go here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/poor-little-leaguer-feedback-overload-tim-hagen/Welcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165

Send us a textWelcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165

Send us a textWhat if we turned our leadership development program upside down? What if we looked at developing our organizational leadership skills and capacity from the bottom up, not from the top down? Let me explain. In the United States alone, we spend hundreds of millions of dollars every single year on top line management, middle management, down to frontline leadership to become better leaders. There is nothing wrong with that. Here's the challenge. We have a major percentage of our people that are typically individual contributors or employees. Typically there's about a ratio of one to seven, maybe one to 10 leader to a number of employees that a leader would be managing. Now, with that being said, here is the funny thing, every organization we've gone through and worked with, and every leader that we've talked to bring up the same things that they go through when they're trying to lead their employees.This does not mean they do a flawless job of leading their employees. What it means is there's an opportunity to look at this differently. Let me explain. Every company will say, well, have you ever worked in this industry? You know, our industry is really different. Every single industry, every single company from across industries bring up the same things: Feedback, attitude, motivation, teamwork, etc. Here's the funny thing. Think about high school. Think about college. You entered this thing called the workforce, the workplace after high school or college, maybe eight to 10 years later, or if you're right out of high school, four years, and you are thrust into this submissive position for lack of better description. You're now in front of someone called a boss as corny and as theatrical as this sounds. Think about that.Wanna Learn About How to Develop an Upside Down Leadership Approach: click hereWelcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165

Send us a textFirst of all, realize one thing conversations are powerful! What we say and how we say it has a major impact whether fair or unfair.Let's look at how conversations can negatively affect the workplaceThe water cooler - gossip central.Come into to my office - uh oh what did I do wrong?So-and-so told me… - ahhh not going to the source always create issues.The emotional interpretation - people react emotionally versus rationally asking themselves what ca I learn when getting feedback.The Maniac response - my boss ALWAYS attacks me or they never give me a chance. Now let's look at how conversations can positively affect the workplaceFrom water cooler to coffee break - lets just chat and learn about one another to deepen our connection.Come into my office - you are doing a (specific) great job! Now the positive stuff can spread.So-and-so told me so I want to learn from you ... - connections learning from one another can spread connections and knowledge.The written communication - send a card praising and that message will last a long time.The self-actualized question - "what will you do successfully ... fill in the blank" and watch them react positively as the questions helps frame out their response and reaction.Also please Register for Our First Edition of Our NEW Publication The Talent Times: https://form.jotform.com/220913443091045Welcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165

Send us a textConversations are hard. The cool thing about what's happening in the training and development and talent world is that leaders and organizations are finally realizing coaching is not just something we'd like to do if we had time. It is now moved into an arena of, We Must Coach Our Employees. This requires leaders to have conversational ability, the ability to ask questions, to truly listen, to actively listen, and to cooperate in a process where somebody feels like somebody is invested in them. Now, this sounds easy on the surface yet it requires practice. Think about sales people, a longstanding profession for decades. Sales people have been taught how to ask open-ended questions. Yet, if you ask a customer, what's the one thing they dislike about sales people? They typically say they talk too much. Think about that decades of training and a whole industry, still battles what leaders now have to gravitate from. Coaching is asking questions of what people can or cannot do. Ultimately. leaders facilitate participating in scheduled sessions where skill and behavioral improvement is sought. This is not easy as conversations need to be open ended with active listening and not thinking about what we want to say while somebody is talking. This is much more difficult than people think. It's okay not to be a great conversationalist. It's not okay to not practice and work on this craft.Checkout Our New Digital Publication The Talent Times : Click here to get on the waiting list: https://form.jotform.com/220913443091045Welcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165

Send us a textRecently, I was conducting a workshop and one of my participants was an ex-bartender. She never hesitated to participate or offer her thoughts or converse with people or dare I say, role play. She's quick on her feet and really listens well during the workshop. I asked her where those skill sets came from. She said, I bartended for 15 years. As I thought about her response, I thought what a wonderful experience to be able to wait on people, not knowing what they're gonna say, not knowing what they're gonna do, not knowing what their behaviors are, not knowing if they have a jaded attitude or a positive mentality. You have to be on your feet ready to go or you know, you won't make tips. The same skillset is needed in leadership today. Having conversations fluently and thoughtfully, navigating waters of conflict and negative attitudes and coaching people who wanna be promoted, but yet are not ready, and coaching those people who are performing really well so they don't get complacent. All of these require foundational conversational skills. How does one go about developing such skills, practice, practice, practice! Bartenders, and wait staff, a special breed of people working their butts off, always on the spot, always on the stage, always having to be on, always having to have the ability to converse and create a great experience so they can earn money. These are the same attributes leaders have an opportunity to possess through practice and repetition.Get on Our mailing List for Our NEW Digital Publication: The Talent Times: https://form.jotform.com/220913443091045Welcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165

Send us a textYou often hear the concept that feedback is a gift, and it truly is yet we cannot use that approach as some reactive way to facilitate a positive relationship with feedback when so often it is perceived as negative. A positive cadence of feedback structured by the recipient is the secret sauce. There is such a simple concept called WIIFT, what is in it for them.Recently I was teaching this concept to a bunch of individual contributors at a client of ours. I said think about feedback as something that you need to structure and receive before somebody needs to provide you feedback. After making this statement people looked at me very puzzled. I said think about your childhood when you knew you were going to get in trouble, but you went and told your parents before they could even get angry about it. After this comment people started to nod. I said how many of you know what your strengths are and have those been validated by your manager? Everybody in the room started to shake their head. I then asked how many of you know areas where your manager feels you need to improve through some feedback you have received? All the people started to nod. Therein lies the problem.Welcome to Coaching Conversations We have created a NEW and Innovative line of books called Workplace Coaching Books. These books use QR codes with embedded audio and video lessons speaking directly to the reader. Each book comes with assessments and journal based coaching pages where they document what they've learned and what they've applied. In addition each book comes with the self analysis link that prompts them to share what they've learned and what they've put into action leading to greater learner application a Progress Coaching 360 is a dynamic leadership development system that equips managers and teams with powerful coaching skills through a blend of training, real-time practice, peer learning, and feedback. It combines expert-led instruction, a train-the-trainer model, group coaching certification, and monthly coaching pods where leaders practice, share wins, and tackle challenges. With built-in accountability and hands-on application using Coaching Cards and best practice sessions, Progress Coaching 360 turns coaching from theory into action—building a sustainable culture of growth, feedback, and performance. Progress Coaching 360 teaches leaders how to coach and employees how to develop coachability skills. This unique combination helps build great workplace cultures. Get More Info Here: https://form.jotform.com/251187914739165