Ever had an employee with really great technical skills but has self-esteem and other interpersonal issues where he is unable to sell himself or engage with a team in an effective way?
How does a manager work with an employee like this? Do you say: “Jim you need to work on your self-esteem issues”? You may try but this will not get you or Jim very far. You are likely to alienate Jim with this approach, as he will become defensive and claim not to have an issue. He is likely to resist your suggestions to improve or he will not know the first step of where to begin working on his these issues. If Jim is open, you may even suggest a book that he should read and he very well may try all the things written in the book you suggest. However, until Jim has had opportunity to become aware of the way he thinks about his actions and their impact there is very little change that can happen. I see many Jim’s in my work as a workplace wellness expert and coach. In my role, I help Jim to reflect on his current situation, visualize where he wants to go and to identify any thoughts or actions that may be getting in his way. This puts Jim in the driver’s seat for self-awareness to happen. As Jim maps out where he is and where he wants to go, he becomes aware of what else he can or should do to thrive. Jim becomes connected and enthusiastic about his own transformation, leaving me open to help him clarify his thoughts and try on new perspectives that best matches his new outlook. We will look are part II of how coaching allows employees wellness so they thrive next time.
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Joyce Odidison is a Conflict Analyst, Strategist and Workplace Wellness Coach and creator of the Wellness Improvement System (WIS) programs, consisting of Workplace Wellness Improvement Program (WWIP) and the WIS Wellness assessment Instrument. Joyce leads a team of WIS coaches who work with employees in organizations to thrive by improving their well-being and the wellness of their workplaces. To get in touch with Joyce or learn about her wellness improvement coaching work go here: www.interpersonalwellness.com
