Episode Summary
In this episode of Mondays with Mike, host Mike Staver tackles the question: “How do I coach somebody who’s always overwhelmed?” Drawing on his experience coaching within organizations, Mike emphasizes that the first and most important step is diagnosis—understanding exactly what is causing the overwhelm. He outlines that overwhelm can stem from too much work, lack of organization, an underdeveloped skill, or poor calendar management.
Rather than immediately reaching for more budget or extra staff (a common default response), Mike advises coaches to dig deeper and identify whether the root cause is a process issue, a skill gap, or a resource challenge. Once diagnosed, coaches can direct their support accordingly: streamline processes, train skills, or assess resource needs. He makes it clear that organizations rarely have unlimited resources, so it’s important to address these underlying issues first.
Throughout the episode, Mike Staver encourages listeners to be proactive, get specific about the source of the overwhelm, and focus coaching efforts on targeted solutions. He also extends an invitation to join his coaching community for those interested in helping others thrive.
Key Takeaways
- The first step in coaching someone who is overwhelmed is diagnosis: figure out what is actually driving their overwhelm.
- Potential causes include process problems, skill gaps, or resource shortages—and each requires a distinct coaching approach.
- Avoid defaulting to requests for more budget or people; deeper organizational or individual issues are often the true sources.
- Direct coaching to the identified gap, whether that means improving internal processes, upskilling, or reorganizing resources.
- Organizations commonly feel stretched for resources—so optimize what you can internally before seeking external solutions.
Notable Quotes
- “The first way you coach somebody that’s always overwhelmed is that you diagnose and figure out what are they overwhelmed with.”
- “Before we start throwing budget and people at a problem, I want us to start uncovering the sense of overwhelm.”
- “Let’s get after the source of the overwhelm. Is it a skill problem? Is it a process problem? Is it a resource problem?”
- “I’ve never been in an organization where people didn’t think they needed more budget and more people.”
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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