You know the best managers tend to be those who coach their employees to success.  And at no other time of the year do we see more examples of good coaching.

NCAA March Madness is in full swing and, which means 128 examples of excellent coaching on the hardwoods (64 on the men’s side and 64 for the women).

Have you covered all these bases?

Obviously no two coaching styles are going to be exactly the same. But there are some common traits among the best of the best. And they’re ones you as a leader can embrace with your own team.

The best coaches …

• … get their people to believe in themselves. Inspire your staffers to do more than they think they can every day. That doesn’t mean lobbing up false praise or reinforcing mediocre efforts. You want to make it a habit to catch your people doing something right.
• … keep the game in perspective. That goes for every project, meeting, etc., in your office. Not everything is a career make-or-break – be careful not to treat it that way.
• … understand the individual differences in their people. Consider both the strengths and weaknesses each person on your team possesses.
• … walk the talk. Expect your people to be committed to your company, be receptive to feedback and work collaboratively? Make sure they see you doing the same.

Adapted in part from “Special: What Makes a Good Coach?” at competitivedge.com/special-what-makes-good-coach