By Solomon Thimothy, founder of OneIMS, a growth agency, as well as Clickx, a digital marketing analytics platform for agencies and businesses
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In the early days of starting my business, it was just me. I was responsible for making sure everything got done in a day. I was a one-man show keeping everything afloat.
When I was able to hire employees to help me tackle the work, I needed to learn how to handle more than just myself. After spending so much time being in full control of all parts of my business, it was hard to let some of that control go.
I tried to manage my teams to do things my way. I had processes for getting things done and wanted my new employees to follow those exact steps. Unfortunately, this created more stress than was necessary for all parties. I was overly involved in the work my employees were doing, and they were unable to do their jobs as efficiently as possible.
This was when I learned one of my biggest lessons as an entrepreneur: to be a coach, not a manager.
What’s the difference between a coach and a manager?
Think for a minute about the coach of a professional sports team. It’s the coach’s job to make sure not only that each member of the team has the appropriate skills training and practice, but also that they are able to work with the other members of the team.
They use their knowledge of each individual team member’s abilities and weaknesses to ensure others on the team are able to pick up the slack. In the end, the entire team functions together properly and achieves the goal of (hopefully) winning the game.
Now, think about a manager you’ve had at some time during your career. Rather than helping you refine and strengthen your skills, they tell you what to do. They make demands or orders and expect you to follow them. As an employee, you often have little say in your day-to-day activities.
Which one would you rather work for? Probably the coach, right?
A coach, as opposed to a manager, works alongside the team to achieve the results they’re after, rather than trying to force the outcomes they want through control and demands. Instead, they lead their teams to the end goals and let their employees do their jobs.
How can you be a coach instead of a manager?
When it comes to your business, it’s hard to let go of the control and trust your employees to do their jobs the “right” way. However, if you want your team to be successful and happy in their positions, you need to let them do things their own way.
Here are some tips to help you be a coach instead of a manager.
1. Know your employees’ skills. You shouldn’t expect every team member to have the exact same abilities and weaknesses. Knowing where each team member excels and where they might need a bit more training ensures everyone gets appropriate attention and each person is in the right position for them.
2. Know how those skills work together. Just like a sports team, your employees need to be able to work together to get the job done. As their coach, you need to know how those skills and abilities overlap. If one team member struggles in one area, make sure someone else on your team is strong in that skill.
3. Train regularly. You can’t expect your team to develop new skills if they’re not given the proper training and practice. Create ample opportunities for your team to grow and learn new things.
4. Trust your team. You hired your team members for a reason, so let them do their jobs. When you trust your team to perform their duties to the best of their abilities, you can grow and scale your company.
Remember, things can change. An employee might no longer be the best fit for a role, or they might advance into another position. Your team’s needs might change — and that’s OK. As a coach, be on the lookout for these shifts, and work with your team to ensure you’re meeting their expectations.
