Coaching is a helping relationship to improve performance, as it brings out positive emotions. It is an increasingly popular approach to building leadership skills. Coaching is the process of giving motivational feedback to maintain and improve performance. As implied in the definition of coaching, feedback is the central part of coaching, and it should be immediate, continuous, and motivational.

When an employee is not performing up to potential, even when acceptable standards are being met, the first step is to determine why, using the performance formula: performance = ability × motivation × resources. When ability is holding back performance, training is needed. When motivation is lacking, motivational techniques may help. Talk to the employee to try to determine why motivation is lacking, and develop a plan together. Coaching should be viewed as a way to provide ongoing feedback to employees about their job performance.