Communicating And Coaching During COVID

Managers tell me that one of the side effects of Covid is the loss of communication between management and talent. Many employees are still working remotely, consequently many scheduled coaching sessions are being skipped or forgotten.

Even in normal times, the quantity and quality of communication was already waning in radio stations due to cutbacks and downsizing. Covid has exacerbated communication concerns.

Many people are not dealing well emotionally in this new world. We often tell programmers who are managing talent: you are not managing people, you are managing emotions.

Inc.’s “Must Reads” this week featured Justin Bariso’s article about Bill and Melinda Gates’ secret to success. Melinda described Bill’s communication skills as a perfect example of empathy. It enables him to deal effectively with relationships at home and the workplace:

1. Listen first
2. Identify with the other person’s feelings
3. Don’t judge

Bill Gates would be an outstanding talent coach! The RLC coaching philosophy is to be a facilitator by asking questions, actively listening with empathy, and collaborating with talent to give them ownership of their growth. When talent feels heard and respected, they will likely respond positively to your suggestions.

In times of upheaval, consistent communication is more crucial than ever. If schedules have changed during the lockdown, agree on a new time to meet for coaching sessions either in-person or virtually. Myra Kassim’s quote still applies to radio today, “In the absence of information, we jump to the worst conclusions.”

Develop your emotional intelligence, and you’ll be a more effective communicator as a coach, talent, employee, or manager.