3 Steps for Coaching Authentic Contribution

If there is one thing I’ve discovered in the time I’ve worked with multi-national, cross-cultural teams, it’s that people have their own way of making a contribution- asking questions, sharing ideas, giving a perspective, expressing a concern, and making a request.  

For some, this doesn’t come easy. What some of us may consider to be an easy opportunity to make a contribution, such as a team meeting, may actually be incredibly uncomfortable for others. For purpose-driven teams, when this happens, it can be challenging for everyone. So what do you do when you’re facing a colleague who is struggling to contribute and bring their best expertise and effort to the team?

Understanding how to get the best from a colleague starts with building a trusting relationship and understanding their communication preferences, while also coaching them to step out of their comfort zone in an authentic way.

Here are 3 steps for managers to use to get the best from team members:

1. Start the conversation and set the tone.

   • Share with your colleague what you are currently noticing and how it impacts the team. This can be simply, “I notice you haven’t been sharing your ideas during our virtual team meetings. You are uniquely positioned to comment on the work we discuss. When you don’t contribute, the team misses the opportunity to learn from you and incorporate your expertise into our solution.”

   • Share your expectation and interest in supporting the colleague to make a contribution in a way that makes sense to them. For example, “I want to learn more about how you want to contribute and find a way to support you so that our project benefits from your expertise.”

2. Ask your colleague the following questions to unpack their preferences, get a genuine commitment, and plan for accountability.

   • What is the impact of your contribution? How does our team benefit from your contribution? It’s important for your colleague to articulate what they have to offer the team so they remember their “why” and what’s important to them.

   • What are all the ways you can make a contribution? Ask your colleague to start listing these and make some suggestions yourself. Get creative.  Maybe the team’s weekly stand-up meeting is the first idea to come to mind, but there are other ways to share ideas, respond, give critique, and ask questions.

   • What options stand out to you? This response should be based on how your colleague prefers to communicate.

   • What are 1-2 options you can implement within the next week? Discuss when, where, and how they plan to make a contribution.

   • What support do you need to see this through? This is an opportunity for your colleague to ask for the help they need. They may not need anything, having heard your expectation and putting a plan in place may be enough.

   • How do you want to be held accountable for this commitment? This step is important, if your colleague isn’t sure, offer to check in with them at the end of the week to see how it went (or didn’t go).

3. Remind your colleague of the value they bring to the team and how the team will benefit from their ongoing contribution.

As a manager, you already know the importance of valuing your colleague’s style while also being clear with them about your expectations. This person was hired because they have the skills, knowledge, and experience to help you solve a problem. Through coaching, your colleague can develop and sustain an approach for contributing to the team.