Successfully coaching your team at work may require you to teach people things in different ways. When it comes to introducing a new idea or providing feedback, we tend to assume others like to learn the same way we do.
This can lead to blank stares, when you expect to see comprehension. People learn in different ways. Some want to:
- Read instructions
- Hear instructions
- Be shown the instructions
- Physically carry out the instructions themselves, step by step
When it comes to coaching your team, you need to keep these learning styles in mind. Some will know, instantly, how they learn best. Others may need to think about it.
A good way to start is to ask people how they buy things, like electronics. Do they:
- Want to read a description and a review?
- Watch a video of the product in action?
- Go to the store to touch the product?
Find out what the top action is in this buying process. This can give you an idea of their learning styles. Consider if you need to adjust your messaging to match their preferred learning.
It’s okay to enlist others to help you with this process. You don’t have to guess how someone different from you learns. For instance, ask a auditory learner how he or she would explain a specific thing, like a new rule, to a fellow auditory learner. The suggestion might point to a slogan or a catchy phrase.
Sometimes, coaching your team is about hitting on multiple learning styles at once. For instance, on the Meeting Planners page of my website, I want meeting planners to know that I enjoy working with them and that I want to be a supportive partner at their event.
On the page, I talk about this through written words. A similar theme is also discussed in a short video. The page also features several pictures of me with smiling meeting planners. The same message is delivered in multiple ways.
Think of the messaging process as a catalyst to comprehension. The ability to connect quickly with people can be very valuable.
Ever see an average athlete become an all-star simple due to better coaching? The same transformation can happen in your organization, if you make it easy for people to learn new things. Your messaging matters.
Time to Bring Ken Okel to Your Next Meeting?
