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Home » The Relationship Management Key » 6J. Coach-to-Direct Report Relationships
- 6J1. The coach-to-direct report relationship should be a partnership, based on:
- 6J1i. Mutual respect
- 6J1ii. Shared power
- 6J1iii. Partnership
- 6J1iv. Adult behavior
- 6J1v. Clear accountability
- 6J1vi. Continual feedback and learning by both parties
- 6J2. In the vertical solid-line relationship, both the coach and the direct report have specific roles, rights, and responsibilities.
- 6J3. The role of the coach is:
- 6J3i. To provide direction to the direct report based on organizational priorities and direction from Steering Councils.
- 6J3ii. To provide technical oversight.
- 6J3iii. To be accountable for the performance of the direct report.
- 6J3iv. To resolve conflicts that can’t be resolved in the horizontal dimension.
- 6J3v. To develop the capabilities of the direct report.
- 6J3vi. To act as a coach/mentor.
- 6J3vii. To ensure that the individual, as a resource, is allocated in the best interests of the organization.
- 6J4. The role of the direct report is:
- 6J4i. To provide technical expertise to the teams he sits on.
- 6J4ii. To produce outcomes.
- 6J4iii. To develop his own capabilities.
- 6J4iv. To act in alignment with organizational priorities.
- 6J5. Rights of the direct report include:
- 6J5i. To have accountability assigned by the coach only when needed in order to align with organizational priorities.
- 6J5ii. To be treated like an empowered adult.
- 6J5iii. To have contingency included in his accountability commitments.
- 6J6. Rights of the coach include:
- 6J6i. To be treated as an empowered adult.
- 6J6ii. To be given honest estimates of what will be required to get the work done.
- 6J7. Responsibilities of the direct report include:
- 6J7i. To honor his basic employment contract.
- 6J7ii. To document his available capacity.
- 6J7iii. To understand organizational priorities.
- 6J7iv. To build the relationship with the coach.
- 6J7v. To only accept accountability that can be fulfilled.
- 6J8. Responsibilities of the coach include:
- 6J8i. To treat the direct report as an empowered adult.
- 6J8ii. To provide the direct report with clarity on organizational priorities and align the direct report’s assignments with those priorities.
- 6J8iii. To represent the interests of the organization as his own to the direct report.
- 6J8iv. To be direct and honest and as open as possible.
- 6J8v. To provide the direct report with direction, support, and resources, and run interference when the direct report cannot resolve an issue on his own.
- 6J8vi. To help the direct report develop his capabilities.
- 6J8vii. To help the direct report work more effectively and efficiently.
- 6J8viii. To include sufficient resources so that the direct report can be successful in his accountability.
- 6J8ix. To build the relationship with the direct report.
- 6J8x. To provide feedback to the direct report based on performance feedback from all the people that the direct report has worked with during the year.