The Uncoachable: The Manager’s Nightmare

Here’s an idea that most managers refuse to accept: Not all employees are coachable.

I have worked with managers who strongly believed that they can change those who are unchangeable. Even more than that, they felt blame, shame and held themselves responsible for the shortcomings of the few team members who refused to step in line. And what was their response? You guessed it, they went all-in on the coaching.

But here’s the thing, self-blame and overcoaching aren’t the magic solutions to fixing low performance. To provide more insight into this topic, let’s go over some facts.

1. You can only influence outcomes, not control them.

Think about it this way: can you “command” someone to turn into a top performer? No. As a manager, you can only set the proper environment, coach them and respond to their performance transactionally: you did well, here’s your reward; you did poorly, here’s what you lose.

Those leaders who believe that their team’s failure is identical with their own performance as managers, suffer from a common condition among managers: Hubris. 

2. Overcoaching, just like any other behavior that starts with “over” indicates excess, therefore waste.

You are a leader, so your most important task is to achieve the best results with the minimum amount of effort. Why is that important? Because your energy is a depletable resource – if you are overdoing something, that translates into you not doing something else, something else that is probably more important.

3. People only change when they’re intrinsically motivated to do so.

Change is effortful. People are more likely to make an effort if they see a big payoff at the end. If there aren’t meaningful consequences (positive or negative) tied to their work, they will be reluctant to put in extra effort.

4. Top performers produce most of the work, so focus on them instead.

Your top performing team members are the pillars of your team. They are the ones who work more and produce higher quality results. If you obsess over coaching the uncoachable, then you are most likely neglecting the team members who matter the most. Remember that even top performers require your support and attention. And what happens if you neglect them? They will find another job with a better boss who actually invests in their professional growth. And then you’ll be left with average contributors and the uncoachable, so your team’s productivity will plummet.

To wrap it up, you have to strike a balance. Don’t just turn a blind eye to poor performance; tackle it head-on with a well-structured performance improvement plan and consequences that make sense. And don’t forget about your shining stars, your top performers. They’re the real backbone of your team. So, while you’re sorting out the underperformers, make sure you’re giving your stars the attention and appreciation they deserve.