Great Reminders: Master High-Performance Skills with Simple, Structured Frameworks
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How Great Leaders Coach: 3 Moves
[5 min. read]
Your #1 job is to make work winnable: set clear expectations, reinforce what works, and correct poor performance. Don’t keep expectations in your head. Say them out loud, write them down, and make the first win achievable.
Say the standard • Create an early win • Coach performance
Why expectations must be said out loud
Unspoken standards create rework, anxiety, and “hidden tests.”
People self-correct when the target is visible; they stall when it isn’t.
Early wins compound → confidence, speed, ownership, results.
Leadership pitfall #1: having clear expectations in your head but not communicating them.
Memory Blueprint
When to use which Coaching Move: Before work starts → Set expectations. When you see a win → Celebrate it. After ramp-up + a miss → Correct it.
1) Set Clear Expectations & Goals
Agree on what good looks like in observable terms. Start small so early wins are possible. Imagine playing bowling without the pins—who would keep playing? Work is the same; when people see the target, they stay motivated.
2) Celebrate Good Performance
Recognize wins on the spot. Name the exact behavior, link it to the impact, and invite more—what you recognize grows.
The "Puppy Principle" (for Humans)
Metaphor: When teaching a puppy to sit, you don’t lecture it for jumping—you reward within seconds of the correct sit. The brain links this action → this reward, so the behavior repeats. If you mostly scold, you create anxiety and attention-seeking instead.
Human translation: People wire habits the same way. Constant correction creates defensive energy and negative momentum. Spot the helpful behavior, name it, and reward it quickly; you create a positive loop that spreads.
Note: We’re not equating people with pets—the learning principle is the same: immediacy + specificity = behavior that sticks.
3-Step Positive Loop
Spot: Look for the behavior you want more of (e.g., proactive update, clear scope question).
Name: “When you [specific action], it [positive impact]…”
Reward: Public thank-you, quick shout-out in chat/stand-up, small autonomy perk, or micro-bonus.
Why not lead with corrections?
Corrections have their place, but if they dominate, teams play not to lose: less initiative, slower learning, more silence. Positive reinforcement builds confidence, speed, and repeatability.
“When you clarified scope before estimating, we avoided rework and saved a day. That’s the standard—please keep doing that.”
3) Correct Poor Performance
After ramp-up only: use this when the person is trained and has had time to practice.
Principle: keep it quick, calm, specific, and fair.
Start with the goal: “Our standard is [goal].”
State the fact: “Today we had [what happened].”
Say why it matters: “This affects [impact].”
Listen: pause and hear their view.
Agree one fix + date: “Let’s do [one action] by [date].”
End with belief: “I know you can do this. I’m here to help.”
Private setting, short conversation. Value the person, correct the behavior, and praise improvement fast.
Simple script: “Our standard is [goal]. Today we saw [fact], which affects [impact]. Let’s fix it by doing [one action] by [date]. I’m confident you’ll make it.”
Focus Sections
Why: Most leadership failures start with unspoken expectations. People want to win; if they don’t know the target, they guess. Clear goals reduce rework, anxiety, and micromanagement.
Make it Winnable (First-Goal Rule)
Agree 1–3 outcomes, stated as what will exist when done.
Make them observable/measurable (date, metric, demo criteria).
Right-size the first goal so quick wins are possible. Momentum > perfection.
Scope to days, not weeks: pick the next visible proof of progress (demo, metric, draft). If it’s too big, split and choose the first proof.
Confirm ownership and the first visible step today.
Schedule a short checkpoint.
Example: “By 30 Jun, publish pricing page v1 (3 tiers, FAQ, mobile-ready). Ana owns. First step today: outline sections.”
Copy-Ready Goal Card
Outcome
One-sentence result (what exists when done)
Measure
Metric / acceptance criteria / due date
Owner
Name • First step: action within 24h
Risks
Dependencies / blockers
Script: “By DATE we will have OUTCOME. You own it. What’s the first step today?”
Story — The Bowling Alley
Playing without pins is pointless. Work is the same. When people can see the targets, they naturally self-correct toward them.
Weekly Meeting Flow (Keeps Goals Alive)
Manager listens; team reviews last week’s goals, wins, and gaps.
Co-create the plan for this week; decisions are binding.
End with owners, first steps, and dates. The team is here to ship results.
Common Pitfalls
Keeping expectations in your head.
Setting goals too big for a first win.
Assigning tasks without a clear owner and first step.
Why: Recognition turns good behavior into habits. Don’t wait for perfect—reinforce the first sign of progress to build confidence and speed.
How to Praise (SBI + Encourage)
Situation — where/when it happened.
Behavior — the specific action you saw.
Impact — why it mattered to goals/customers.
Encourage — invite more of it.
Script: “In S, you B, which led to I. Keep doing that—this is exactly how we win.”
Example: “In today’s demo, you paused to confirm the client’s security need, which unlocked legal sign-off. Keep doing that.”
Daily Habit
Praise one specific behavior before lunch.
Make wins visible in public channels when appropriate.
Story — The Canoe
Constant correction killed the fun and didn’t help us move. Once we praised small, correct strokes, the team’s energy and skill surged. Strengths create momentum.
Mistakes to Avoid
Generic “great job.” Be concrete.
Praising only when everything is perfect.
Waiting days; praise loses power with delay.
Use rarely: for experienced people where a miss is unusual. A true leader spots poor behavior, acknowledges it, and ensures it’s corrected to keep standards high—while caring for the person.
Acknowledge: state the standard, the specific behavior, and the impact (one line each).
Care check-in: “Is everything okay? Anything I should know that’s getting in the way?” (listen briefly; don’t pry).
Correct: name the replacement behavior for next time.
Commit: agree one fix + date and any support needed.
Respect: close by affirming trust and value.
Simple Script
“Our standard is [goal/standard]. Today we saw [specific behavior], which affects [impact]. First—are you okay? Anything I should know? Next time, do [replacement behavior]. For now, please [one action] by [date]. I value your work and trust you to get this back on track—I’m here if you need me.”
Do / Don’t
Do: keep it brief, factual, and kind; confirm one action + date; follow up once.
Don’t: label the person, pile on history, or correct in public.
If life is in the way
Offer short-term support or adjust the plan—while keeping the standard clear and a new date agreed.
Always value the person: separate the human from the behavior; end by reaffirming respect and confidence.
Expectation Card
“By DATE we will have OUTCOME. You own it. First step today?”
Praise Card
“In S, you B, which led to I. Keep doing that.”
Redirect Card — Skill
“We missed STANDARD because FACT. Let’s walk it; you try; checkpoint at TIME.”
Redirect Card — Will
“We agreed to STANDARD; it was missed on FACTS. What support do you need? Review on DATE; consequences if not met.”
Review last week’s outcomes: 1–3 goals → win/gap/lesson.
Decide this week’s 1–3 outcomes; owners + first steps today.
Recognize one concrete behavior per person.
Redirect any drift within 48h (skill → train; will → standard).
Decisions are binding; people commit their own actions.
% teammates with 1–3 active goals
Praises per person this week (aim ≥ 3)
Redirect latency (issue → feedback; aim < 48h)
Outcome hit-rate for goals
Bottom line: Say the standard, design an early win, praise progress immediately, and redirect drift while it’s small. That’s the coaching heartbeat of modern leadership.
Ready to put this framework into practice?
Save it to your Playbook and start your path to mastery.
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