The Project Manager as Coach

In this interview Brenda Hales explains why she is so convinced of the power of coaching for project managers. 

Q. What got you interested in coaching as a way of improving performance?

A. As a Project Manager,  I had the experience of delivering a “successful” project (by all the time cost quality criteria) to a customer who remained resolutely “unhappy”. It made me realise my teams’ performance was not judged objectively but subjectively. It was people dependent. My stakeholders perceptions were as, if not more important, than the “facts”.

With this “Ah-Ha” moment about 15 years ago I became fascinated by the people issues in PM and started on the road of developing my knowledge and skills in emotional intelligence, behaviours and relationships. It was as a Community of Practice leader of a large group of project managers that I first introduced coaching and saw the benefits.

Q. Do you have any examples of how or where coaching worked well for you personally?

A. Loads – mostly about how really listening to what people on my team are actually saying, and doing and then addressing what they are telling me enables them to accelerate their performance and enhance their creativity and commitment.

I’ve never met anyone who wanted to do a bad job – when we listen to what people tell us we can help them to do the great job they’d really like to be doing – “win-win”

Q. What is it that makes some projects a pleasure and others a chore?

A. When people feel engaged and want to work together to fulfil the vision on the project, it’s a pleasure.  Engagement comes from feeling wanted, clear about your role, valued, trusted and trusting. It's the difference between finding it fun to have the 11pm pizza and roll home knowing you’ve done a good job with a bunch of like minded, capable colleagues - to feeling depressed, overworked,  unappreciated done to for all the extra hours you are expected to give for nothing.  It’s the project manager’s job to make sure every member of the team feels connected to the aims of the project.

Q. Coaching sounds a bit touchy feely to some people – how can project managers justify investing their time in developing their coaching skills?

A. It does to some people.   However I strongly believe, from looking at the evidence, that the best and most cost-effective way to lead your team to better performance is to coach them towards it.  Coaching is all about engaging and enthusing your team, so that each member  brings 100% of their talent and commitment to the project. All the latest research proves that we as human beings feel before we think – we just use thinking to justify our feelings – usually without much awareness. Feelings drive behaviour, which create good or bad relationship - the more complex the project the more people involved and inherently the more complex it all becomes.  As a project manager, when you take on board how your team is feeling and behaving, you’re giving yourself a very powerful tool to help them bring out their best performance.

Q. Do team members need to know they are “being coached”?

A. Yes if its real coaching – no if leaders are using a coaching style.

Q. What kind of project problems can coaching help with?

A. Any where people are involved, so pretty much any project problem.  Remember “most people, resist most change, most of the time” anything that involves change and most project do requires a people approach. Team coaching is particularly useful at times of conflict.

Q. Can anyone act as a coach on project team?  Or is just the role of the project manager?

A. Anyone could and should be encouraged to adopt a coaching approach. Some people do this very naturally.  If a PM wants to do less command and control and move into being a leader then a coaching style is essential.

Brenda Hales leads the Team Animation Coaching Practice and is a highly experienced PM, Coach and Mentor. With an MSc in psychotherapy and a coaching supervisors qualification she offers unique insights into translating our knowledge of “soft skills” into PM success. She has had several articles published on this and associated topics and is leading the APMs Mentoring initiative.

Brenda is running a coaching workshop for us on the 13th October.