Hi,

Below you will find an anonymized excerpt from a coaching session followed by a few reflection questions to consider. 

David: What would be most helpful for you today?

Coachee: I’m new to this company. They hired me because they know our sales motion needs to change (from mainly inbound to mainly outbound), and I know how to transition to that motion. There’s one person on my team who seems resistant to the change. He’s often defensive and won’t listen to feedback. It’s early in the quarter, but he isn’t doing what he needs to do to hit his number.

David: So, what’s the main issue here?

Coachee: I have a number of other direct reports - including some very new people - who I want to spend time with.

David: Okay. I get that he’s not listening to feedback. And I get the desire to spend time with the other direct reports. I’m still not seeing the main issue here, though.

Coachee: I feel guilty. I want to do everything in my power to help him get back on track. He’s got a family at home, and I really don’t want to put him on a performance plan. But I don’t have the time to do it all. I also have a family at home, and I’m already shortchanging them because of how much time I’m spending at work. Sometimes, I wonder if it was a good idea to take this job.

• What do you think the coachee’s main problem is?

• If you were the person’s manager/friend, what would you say next?

• What is your main takeaway?

Change is hard; Not just logistically, tactically and strategically hard. It’s emotionally hard. Make time for it. Make space for it. Honor what has been. And check in with whether you’re really invested in what’s to come.

With Gratitude,

David