Coaching Supportive conversations

If some employees are not sure of the safe way to perform a certain job, behavioral direction is needed. A global "percent safe score" is not sufficient. When the CBC is reviewed during a one-on-one coaching session, behavioral direction is provided. The worker sees what critical behaviors were observed as "safe" and "at-risk." A constructive conversation with the coach provides support for safe behavior and corrective feedback for behavior that could be safer. Often this includes suggestions for making the safe behavior more convenient, comfortable, and easier to remember. It might also include tire removal of barriers (physical and social) that inhibit safe behavior. 

Football coaches, for instance, spend hours and hours analyzing film. Then they deliver specific and constructive feedback to team members to instruct, support, or motivate desirable behavior and/or to decrease imdesirable behavior. Sometimes the feedback is given in a group session, perhaps by critiquing videotapes of team competition. At other times, the feedback is given individually in a personal one-on-one conversation. Usually, the one-to-one format has greater impact on individual performance. 

Safety coaching is a critically important intervention approach, but keep in mind the many other ways you can contribute to the health and safety of a work culture, hi other words, safety coaching is one type of intervention for the "1" stage of the DO IT process. Any variety of activator and consequence strategies explained in Chapters 10 and 11, respectively, can be used as a behavior-based intervention. These steps require people to go beyond their normal routine to help another person. The next chapter shows how we can support and, thereby, improve safety with everyday interpersonal conversations and informal coaching. 

This chapter is also about interpersonal conversation and coaching, but the emphasis is on brief informal communication to support safe behavior and help it become more fluent. How we talk with others (interpersonal communication) influences their attitude and ongoing behavior, and how we talk to ourselves (intrapersonal communication) influences our own behavior and attitude. Therefore, this chapter also addresses self-talk—the mental scripts we carry around in our heads before, during, and after our behaviors. 

Now you can proceed to talk about how that commitment can be supported or how to hold the individual accountable. For example, one person might offer to help a coworker meef an obligation through verbal reminders or an individual might agree to honor a commitment by showing a coach behavioral records that indicate improvement. This is, of course, the kind of follow-up conversation fhat facilitates personal achievement. 

This type of conversation should also be the approach at most athletic events. Individuals and teams in a sports contest do not typically need motivation. The situation itself, from fan support to peer pressure, often provides plenty of extrinsic motivation. Such competitors need directional focus for their motivation. They need to know what specific behaviors are needed to win in various situations. This said, my personal experience with athletic coaches is not consistent with this analysis. For example, are the half-time speeches of team coaches more likely to be directional or motivational ... 

Consider, for example, the new employee who needs specific direction at first. Then, as he or she becomes familiar with the routine, more support than instruction is called for. Later, you decide to expand this individual s work assignment with no increase in financial compensation. This situation will likely benefit most with a coaching conversation whereby both direction and support are given, at least at first. 

Coaching conversations are needed when a person s competence and commitment regarding safety are relatively low. You can improve competence through specific direction and feedback, and increase commitment by sincerely giving appreciahon and support. Anything that increases a person s perception of importance or self-worth on the job can enhance commitment. What makes that happen It is not always obvious, but if you listen, observe, and ask questions, you will find out. 

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