The photo below is from a recent half marathon that I ran with the intention of finishing under two hours.
Afterwards my running partner looked at my data and said “Wow, your heart rate was high! You were really working!” And while it was not easy, she gave me confidence to the point that I wasn’t even aware of my heart rate. How did she (and we!) do it?
- She gave me the data, checking in our pace and finish time. This was helpful to know that mile by mile we were closer to accomplishing the goal.
- She did not question whether I could reach my goal: we focused on how much I could beat my goal by.
- We had a lot of missteps leading up to the race. I forgot my bib and had to turn around, she wore the wrong shoes… and yet we laughed, didn’t panic, and kept our focus on a strong finish.
As a leader, you are a performance coach, and in order to get your team to exceed expectations, you will need to make a decision about what kind of running partner you want to be for your team: Are you panicking them or building confidence?
Not all coaching is created equal
Your team will need you based on what you see in their behavior and output.
- Someone slipping in performance? They might need performance coaching. “I am seeing behavior that is unlike your usual output. What can I help you with?”
- Is someone ready to grow in their role? They will need development coaching. “What do you want to work on?”
- Is someone ready to grow in the company? They will need career coaching. “Where do you want to be in 1-3 years and how can we get you there?”
By coaching your people based on what you observe and what they actually need, you create an environment where they feel seen, supported, and valued. When leaders choose confidence over panic and clarity over pressure, performance becomes a byproduct of trust rather than fear.