Another thought provoking item from the excellent ecustomerserviceworld newletter. It's well worth subscribing.

Fast Guide: Coach or Manager

So, which are you? Twelve clues to help you decide…

1. Managers believe that their job is to push people or drive them; coaches believe that they are there to lift and support people.

2. Managers believe that they should talk at people by telling, directing, and lecturing; coaches believe in engaging in dialogue with people by asking, requesting, and listening.

3. Managers believe in controlling others through the decisions they make; coaches believe in facilitating others to make decisions and empowering them to implement their own decisions.

4. Managers believe they know the answers; coaches believe they must seek the answers.

5. A manager triggers insecurity through administering a healthy dose of fear as an effective way to achieve compliance; a coach believes in using purpose to inspire commitment and stimulate creativity.

6. Managers believe that their job is to point out errors; coaches believe that their job is to celebrate learning.

7. A manager believes in solving problems and making decisions; a coach believes in facilitating others to solve problems and make decisions.

8. A manager believes in delegating responsibility; a coach believes in modelling accountability.

9. Managers believe in creating structure and procedures for people to follow; coaches believe in creating a vision and promoting flexibility through values as guidelines for behaviour.

10. A manager believes in doing things right; a coach believes in doing the right things.

11. Managers believe that their power lies in their knowledge; coaches believe that their power lies in their vulnerability.

12. A manager believes in focusing on the bottom line; a coach believes in focusing on the process that creates the bottom-line result.

SOURCE: “Becoming a Coach for the Teams You Lead”; Thomas G. Crane. Quoted by Kevin Moyer, Director, Annuity Service Center, Prudential Financial, in his track session titled ‘Coaching vs Managing in a Contact Centre’ at our 2003 North American Conference on Customer Management

Mind you, I realise I've railed against lists recently. This one is a bit long. It's as well they call these "clues" not rules, because it tends to set up an ideal of coaching that's unattainable for us mere mortals. It's in danger of breaking its own rules, sorry clues, specifically numbers 4 and 11.

Overall I like the drift of this piece as long we can allow ourselves lots of freedom to get it wrong!