Coaching Associates on How to Work with Their Coworkers

Study the following table. Consider the questions provided for each situation. As a group, discuss the benefits of asking open-ended questions when compared to yes or no questions.

Then discuss the following questions as a group:

• How can open-ended questions facilitate communication between job coach trainers and their associates? How do they help associates receive feedback and correction?
• How can open-ended questions promote positive work behavior in associates? Give a few examples from your own experiences.
• What are some examples of how to use open-ended questions to promote an AWARE behavior? How could you use open-ended questions to help your associates learn how to work with their coworkers?
• In what situations would it be more appropriate for you to use yes or no questions?
• When should you use open-ended questions?
• How can open-ended questions help you coach your associates to better work with others?

Take a few minutes to think individually about an associate who needs help working with coworkers. In your learner's journal write possible open-ended questions you could use to help this associate.

Assisting others to change their behavior is not easy. However, you can facilitate change by doing some of the following:

• Addressing the issue promptly.
• Helping people become more conscious of others.
• Helping people see positive and negative consequences of their behavior.
• Speaking out of love or concern rather than just correcting.
• Asking open-ended questions to help you understand what associates are thinking and feeling.

Divide into pairs and discuss the following:

• How can these techniques facilitate change in associates?

After this discussion, role-play both of the following scenarios with your partner. Take turns playing the job coach trainer and the associate. Try to apply the techniques you discussed earlier in this activity during each scenario.

Scenario 1:

You notice that one of your associates had to clean up the store on his own while another associate, Krista, chose not to do anything. Talk to Krista about the importance of contributing to the workload and find a way to help her be more conscious of others in the future.

Scenario 2:

A few of your associates have told you that Tony, one of your other associates, has refused to help the lead associate with extra jobs that need to be done. Work with Tony to help him understand the situation and help him improve his behavior. Ask open-ended questions to help him.

After completing each role-play, discuss the following questions:

• What went well during the role-play?
• What did the job coach trainer do and say to facilitate change?
• What other options could the job coach trainer try in this situation?
• What could the job coach trainer improve in how he or she addressed this situation?

Searching questions invite people to act. They help associates to see the value of their work, feel motivated to contribute to a greater cause, and to believe in their potential. Divide into small groups and take turns reading the following table aloud:

With your group members, discuss the following:

• Have you ever used searching questions with your associates? If so, what were the results of your conversation?
• What are some of the benefits of searching questions?
• What are some of the downsides of using searching questions?
• How often should you use this approach?
• What type of personality would respond well to this approach?

Each class member could take two minutes to think about an associate who might be struggling to work well with others. Write two to three questions you could ask next time you see this behavior. You could also share your questions with the rest of the group when you finish.

Having a quick, truthful, and memorable response to certain situations can help people change their behavior. Read the situations in the table below. Divide into pairs and come up with a one-liner response for each of the poor behaviors.

Share your one-liners with the rest of the attendees. Then discuss the following questions:

• How can you use one-liners to coach associates when they are displaying poor behavior?
• Have you heard associates use one-liners appropriately at work? If so, what were the results?
• How can helping associates use one-liners increase their ability to work well with others?
• How would you teach associates to use one-liners? How would you help them understand why, how, when, and with whom they should use them?

Read the following statement by Jean B. Bingham, former first counselor in the Primary General Presidency: “How like that glorious wind can be the sincere compliment of a friend, the cheerful greeting of a parent, the approving nod of a sibling, or the helpful smile of a co-worker or classmate, all supplying fresh ‘wind in our sails’ as we battle the challenges of life! President Thomas S. Monson put it this way: ‘We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude’” (“I Will Bring the Light of the Gospel into My Home,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 7).

This activity is comparable to speed dating (for instructions, please see the Facilitator’s Guide and Resource 1 of the “Lesson Resources” section). All class members will sit opposite one another along the length of a table. Each person should have a strip of paper in front of them on the table. One person will read what is written on the paper to his or her partner across the table. The partner will have 30 seconds to complete the sentence with a genuine compliment. After 30 seconds, pass the slip of paper down to the next pair and repeat the activity with a new sentence. After one side of the table is done reading the scenarios, switch roles and resume the activity.

As a group, discuss the following questions:

• How can a sincere compliment assure, motivate, and help associates keep working toward improving their behavior?
• How does Jean B. Bingham’s statement apply to your work with associates?
• What positive experiences have you had with complimenting associates for their improved behavior?

There are several ways to help associates recognize their good and bad behavior. The following activity is one such resource for job coach trainers to use with associates. Practice using the activity by following the instructions. One class member will play the job coach trainer, with the rest of the class acting as associates.

The job coach trainer will read each of the scenarios and ask the associates to give a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” assessment of whether the people in the scenario are showing good or poor behavior.

Assess each scenario with a “thumbs up” or a “thumbs down” for behavior.

• Adam often leaves his area to talk to Julia at her work area.
• Marcy thinks it is fun to hide Emma’s papers.
• Kirk leaves his cell phone in his locker and checks it at break time and during lunch.
• Aaron wants to stop and talk to every associate while he is cleaning.
• Hannah smiles when someone talks to her, but she keeps working.
• Manuel likes to use his earbuds to listen to music and dance while he is working.
• Shannon goes to the bathroom every half hour because it makes the day go by faster.
• Alex whistles at Julie when she walks by.
• Elise pulls Osman’s hat off his head during lunch.
• Judy asks her friend if they can talk about a problem during break or during lunch.
• Sylvia tells other associates that she wants to finish her job, but that she can talk with them after work.

As a group, discuss the following questions:

• What are some of the positive aspects of this activity?
• What adjustments can you make to increase its effectiveness when using it with your associates?
• What else have you done to help associates recognize when they are behaving well or behaving poorly?