Unlocking Potential

This book starts by noting that staff commitment is generally low—and even tends to decrease over time. The author sees a need to train managers to more frequently adopt a coaching approach. They can thus help their staff to more fully utilize their potential and find greater satisfaction in their work. 

The author reviews seven competencies that participate in this approach: developing a climate of trust; uncovering the individual reasoning and the perception of the world held by the person being coached; helping the person to develop a clear idea of his/her assignment; encouraging, or even accompanying, him/her in the implementation of his/her engagements; providing him/her with feedback, without excess; identifying his/her strengths and exploiting them to the greatest possible extent; and finally, focusing on “average” employees, who stand the most chance of improving their performance. Definitely optimistic, the author shows how unsatisfying situations, both for the manager and for the staff, can be transformed into development opportunities.

Coaching is presented as a practice to adopt on an ongoing basis, rather than as a formal event, stated in the agenda: short 20- to 30-minute sessions are sufficient, once the approach is underway. 

Practical and didactic, this book mostly targets managers who have already had their first experience as manager-coaches, but who still feel uneasy about practicing it on a daily basis.