Blackwell Reference Online

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Coaching is an on‐site training method that can be used to increase the knowledge, skills, and abilities ( see ksaos ) of trainees in entry level as well as in managerial positions. A coach or coaches (e.g., supervisor, trainer, peers) provides guidance by setting goals that are difficult, yet attainable ( Locke and Latham, 1990 ), monitoring job performance , and providing feedback regarding ways to improve the trainee's performance. The coaching process usually encompasses organizational socialization regarding the informal “dos and don'ts” that can advance or hurt one's standing in the organization. The benefits of coaching are that it: 1 gives employees feedback on how significant others view their work; 2 enables employees to learn ways to increase their performance; 3 improves communication and collaboration between newcomers and veteran employees; and 4 provides a framework for understanding of and commitment to the organization's goals ( Wexley and Latham, 1991 ). To maximize coaching effectiveness, coaches must learn ways to increase the newcomer's self‐efficacy, namely the conviction that “I will do well” on this task. To do this, coaches must learn how to: 1 sequence tasks in such a way that newcomers experience early successes; 2 model the desired organizational behavior; and 3 persuade the person that he or she has the ability to do well ( Latham and Wexley, ... log in or subscribe to read full text