Episode Summary
In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver addresses the practical challenge: How do leaders balance coaching their direct reports with achieving key performance indicators (KPIs) when time is short? Using the relatable analogy of car dashboards, Mike clarifies that KPIs are simply tools to measure the performance and progress of an organization.
Drawing from his coaching experience, Mike reframes the question—not as a matter of balancing coaching and KPIs, but of integrating them. He stresses that coaching should be focused directly on helping team members achieve their KPIs. In practice, this means using coaching sessions to set clear agendas, tie conversations to tangible performance goals, and drive continuous improvement using KPIs as guideposts.
The episode emphasizes that coaching and KPIs are not separate priorities; rather, effective coaching uses KPIs as a mechanism to elevate performance. The real takeaway is that leaders can maximize their limited time by structuring coaching discussions around the metrics that matter most.
Key Takeaways
- Honest communication is only possible when people feel safe expressing their thoughts without fear of embarrassment or retaliation.
- Leaders should validate others’ perspectives, even if they disagree, by recognizing their reality is real to them.
- Respond to honest feedback non-defensively and use curiosity (e.g., “Could there be other explanations?”) to explore issues together.
- Creating psychological safety helps surface hidden problems, like favoritism, that would otherwise go unaddressed.
- Making honesty safe, maintaining openness, and collaboratively seeking solutions are essential for a genuinely transparent culture.
Notable Quotes
- “You encourage more honest communication by doing this very simply: make it really safe to give you honest communication.”
- “A lot of organizations say, ‘We want authentic, transparent communication.’ And then somebody’s authentic and transparent—and they get embarrassed, they get a lecture, they get told they’re wrong. That’s not a safe place to be honest.”
- “We can validate their perspective… I use phrases like, ‘I realize it seems that way, and maybe it is. We need to investigate.’”
- “So make it safe, receive it non-defensively, and then explore alternative explanations or solve for the problem.”
Mike Staver is the CEO and Founder of The Staver Group, a proven leadership development firm dedicated to improving organizational performance by closing the gap between intentions and execution. To learn more about working with Mike and The Staver Group, email info@mikestaver.com.
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