Diving into the customer's reality
Kick-off meeting to align teams
Arrived at the client's site early that morning, Angélique greets us as she answers a few emails before starting her day: "I always try to arrive for the morning kick-off. It's a routine we've implemented with managers, like a 10 to 15-minute meeting to kick off the day with employees."
We make our way to the assembly point for the day's first meeting. Angélique's eyes light up with pride as soon as we ask her about the Moderco project: "I developed the entire project with them. We spend a lot of time together and I love working with them."
Denis, the Production Coordinator, leads the kick-off meeting with his team. Angélique stays in the background and observes, taking notes so that she can give him feedback after the meeting.
As we will see throughout the day, observation at the point of execution – through Gemba Walks for example – is one of the key aspects of field coaching. Here, it enables Angélique to observe Denis in his work environment and witness in real-time his interactions with employees.
The consultant explains the difference between field coaching and executive coaching:
Executive coaching mainly works on leadership stance and mindset. It's focused on decision-making, global vision, and objectives. As for field coaching, it requires much more connection with technical control points and adaptation to the operational reality. It focuses on supporting frontline managers to help them adopt proactive behaviors for performance management, develop the ability to solve gaps, and become themselves coaches for their employees.
Floor tours to drive progress and performance
The production day is launched once the kick-off is over and the employees' priorities have been set. Angélique can carry out a first active supervision tour with Vicky, Moderco's Production Supervisor. Both have done their homework beforehand.
"Both coaches and coached managers need to prepare for the day, but not in the same way. Coaches and internal coaches* go into the UTrakk performance management system to identify potential issues, challenges, and priorities of the shop floor. These items are communicated to managers, who will then monitor them throughout their tours. Preparing and briefing managers before floor tours is very important, as it allows them to start off on the right foot rather than proceeding haphazardly," explains Angélique.
*Internal coaches are in-house employees trained by our consultants to take over once the mandate is over, perpetuating learnings and best practices.
Vicky and Angélique enter the factory and begin their tour. In the field, the coach observes all aspects of technical and relational interaction between the manager and her team members. Between each workspace, the coach checks in with the coachee to inform her of any areas of improvement.
This approach, known as "shadowing," can seem invasive and take some time to get used to.
Some people don't like to be shadowed and will say it in a straightforward way. But as soon as they get the hang of it and understand the added value of coaching, it doesn't bother them anymore. Some even like it and ask to be accompanied during their tours because they see how it benefits them. Hence the importance of giving positive feedback to motivate players and encourage them to improve.
"It's also important to remember that we're working with people. Sometimes, it's not the right time to start addressing specific issues. As a coach, it's essential to be discerning and open-minded. If it's not a good day for the person being coached, we must be flexible and postpone the session. Coachees appreciate that. Coaching is meant to provide support, not be a burden."
After the floor tour, the coach provides feedback to highlight the manager's strengths and areas of improvement. After this conversation, they should clearly understand what they did well and what can be improved.
Vicky, who has been working at Moderco for five years and has recently been promoted to a management role, loves having this outside view:
I'd never been coached before. This approach enabled me to stop running around to put out fires on the shop floor. I'm more organized and structured now. I find it reassuring to be accompanied by an external person. This brings a different vision, a different point of view. We can't see ourselves in the heat of the moment, when we're working. The coach allows us to know what's going well and what's not.
Management meetings to quickly escalate and solve problems
As we leave Vicky to continue her work in the factory, we head with Angélique to Denis' office, which we saw earlier during the kick-off. A Moderco employee for 20 years, he is now Production Coordinator and oversees production planning – a key position in any manufacturing company.
It is time for the active supervision review (ASR). During this meeting, the coach and the team of supervisors go over issues, line statuses, and work progress observed during the floor tours carried out in the morning. The escalation of this information is crucial.
Then, it's the production review, during which the Director of Operations, helped by the Coordinator, escalates production issues to support teams (maintenance, supply, reception, quality, etc.) and informs them of department statuses. The meeting triggers the escalation of problems from the shop floor to all plant departments, and the creation of coordinated actions.
Later, Angélique tours again and coaches the internal coach. Several other ASRs and floor tours follow. If time allows it, the consultant also collaborates with the Moderco team on planning activities. She forms intervention groups to refine cadences, which enables her to improve the content of shop floor tours.
Practice makes perfect
A comprehensive field coaching approach typically takes six months to complete. This gives sufficient time for in-depth work and for the acquired skills to become reflexes. It also gives managers time to note significant improvements in their daily work. Not only do they have to adapt, but they also have to experience what is known as the "emotional curve."
"At first, coachees are open and enthusiastic about implementing a new approach. However, their motivation often drops when they realize they are the ones being coached and that change is expected of them. This can lead to discouragement. They need to move through the different phases of the curve before they can fully adapt, accept the approach, and change their behavior," says Angélique.
Measuring progress with KBIs
Key behavioral indicators (KBIs) are not limited to assessing the results of a coaching plan; they play a key role in the manager's development journey, enabling the coach to monitor the progression of management skills day after day. They make it easier to observe and measure progress in the behaviors, skills, and managerial practices of the players involved. By providing a clear view of strengths and areas of improvement, KBIs help adjust strategies to get optimal results.
UTrakk Daily Management System (DMS) takes this further by supporting managers in planning and executing key management activities, while offering coaching and KBI tracking functionalities.
Supporting managers' development through field coaching
Field coaching is a key success factor in the manufacturing industry. The coach observes, advises, and guides the manager throughout their work day, providing personalized support to help them develop their operational and managerial skills.
The benefits of field coaching apply not only to frontline managers and their teams but also to the whole organization.
There's no denying that we're helping people grow. I hear managers talking about it and I can see the results. The coacheesbecome aware of their progress, their evolution;it truly transforms them. It's not just the process we're changing – it's the workers, too.
