How to Coach Yourself and Others How To Perform On The Job Coaching

3. Creating Learning Organizations Narrative of a good OJT: "It's important to start with the philosophy — what our business is all about, how we treat customers, how we work together. And to give them a big picture of their job, to show them how what they do affects the job others do, and to show them what they'll be learning during training. But, when I show them what they'll be learning, I'm careful not to overwhelm them with too much at one time—I watch their eyes to be sure they 're not glazing over. And, I don't want to scare them or have them lose their confidence that they will be able to master the job." Contrast: "You just have to throw them in the pool and see if they swim. I tell them to watch me — to watch the others. They'll pick it up. 4. How People Learn Narrative of a good OJT: "If you're not careful, you'll set up a situation where they'll 'yes' you to death. You'11 be going on about how to operate the register or how to do color balancing — there's a lot of detail in these things, a lot of procedures, and you have to do them right. You'll be asking as you go if they understand and they'll be nodding. But how can they know if they understand? After you show them, you have to let them try it, and you need to be there to help. They stay more interested and they learn better if you set things up so most of the time they're asking you the questions." Contrast #1 "I just find myself repeating and repeating myself. That's one of the things I really dislike about this job. People take such a long time to learn things. You just have to keep telling them over and over." Contrast #2: “I try not to yell at them." 5. Ask, Don’t Tell Narrative of a good OJT: "Sometimes they get stuck. I try to give hints. Like when Jerry was learning the register. He couldn't figure out what to do next. I said: 'Was it on the menu? 'No.' 'Was it the repeat key?' no answer. 'Well, what is on the repeat key?' 7 don't know.' 'OK, then, what's left?' 'Oh yeah, the help key' Now, I could have just hit the help key, but by not having him think about it, he wouldn't learn as well. But I'll tell you, I've had supervisors do this sort of thing, and when it feels like they're grilling you or they're disappointed in you, that’s awful. That's when my mind would freeze and I couldn't do anything. See, it's not the technique per se. It's your attitude while you 're doing it. If you 're thereto help someone learn, they feel it. That's what counts." 24

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