by Jorge Covacs, Consultant (Brazil) Research has found that the satisfaction of basic human needs in the workplace can increase the chance of success for the organization. Engaged employees result in increased productivity, and this engagement depends on the existence of emotions such as joy, interest and care, good relationships among employees, and appreciation for their jobs. The presentation discusses what it takes to have a committed team with optimized performance: support of the manager, clarity on job tasks, diversity of tasks, and autonomy. All of these elements depend largely on the manager, who should treat their staff fairly and with dignity. From the climate dimensions as developed by Kolb and the social motives, proposed by McClelland, key guidelines will be presented for managers in order to provide suitable support for team members.

1. The Leader as a Coach
-
Impacting on Employee’s
Commitment
Jorge M. Covacs
2014

2. “Why should we care about human needs?”
“There’s no time to waste… the need for survival is our key
motivator!”
Human Needs

3. “Administrators who deny their
employees dignity and self-esteem
drown out any intrinsic motivation.“
“People are born needing to relate to,
needing to be loved by and to be
cherished by others.“
"People are different from one
another. A leader must be aware of
these differences and use them to
optimize the abilities and inclinations
of all.”
Human Needs
Edward Deming

4. Human Needs
- Achievement
- Affiliation
- Power
Social
- Food
- Water
- Breathing
Physiological
- Autonomy
- Relationship
- Competence
Psychological

5. Motivation – Social Needs
They are acquired through:
- experience
- development
- socialization
Social Needs
(McClelland)
ACHIEVEMENT
POWER
AFFILIATON

6. Motivation – Social Needs
POWER

7. High motivation
Hygienical
Factors
Motivational
Factors
Low motivation
High insatisfaction
Low insatisfaction
ACHIEVEMENTPOWER
AFFILIATION
Human Needs: Hygienical & Motivational Factors

8. Organizational Climate
RESULTS
TEAM CLIMATE
Climate:
Refers to how the organizational
environment is perceived and
interpreted by employees.
Up to 30% of results
can be explained by
the organizational
climate.

9. Organizational Climate and Social Motives
DIMENSIONS MOTIVES
CLARITY (clear goals, clear tasks) (Achievement)
RESPONSABILITY (autonomy) (Achievement)
STANDARDS (excellence, high goals) (Achievement)

10. Organizational Climate and Social Motives
DIMENSIONS MOTIVES
REWARDS (recognition) (Affiliation)
WARMTH & SUPPORT (resources) (Affiliation)

11. Organizational Climate and Social Motives
DIMENSIONS MOTIVES
CONFORMITY (no unnecessary rules) (Power)
LEADERSHIP (by the team members) (Power)

12. Leader impact on Team Climate
COMMITMENT
PERFORMANCE
TEAM CLIMATE
LEADER
50-70% of the team climate
depends on the actions the
leader"

13. Leader as a Coach
Coaching means:
- Helping employees to become aware of how well s/he is
doing and where they need improvement;
- Identifying gaps that need to be addressed;
- Using any situation that arises in the workplace as a
learning opportunity;
- Providing guidance on specific tasks, with emphasis on
helping employees in their learning process, rather than
trying to instruct him/her on what to do.

14. LEADER
SUPPORT - COACHING
Performance Cycle
SUPPORT
FEEDBACK
GOALS
PERFORMANCE
APPRAISAL
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
ACHIEVEMENT
• CLARITY
• RESPONSIBILITY
• STANDARDS
AFFILIATION
• WARMTH
• SUPPORT
• REWARDS
POWER
• (LOW) CONFORMITY
• LEADERSHIP

15. HIGH
HIGHLOW
LOW
CHALLENGES
SKILLS
EUSTRESS (good stress)
BOREDOM
DISTRESS ( bad stress)
DEPRESSION
ANXIETY
DISTRESS (bad stress)
Optimized Performance
OPTIMAL
FUNCTIONING

16. • Organization and clearly defined goals – communi-
cation is a critical element (clarity);
• Challenging goals (standards);
• Emphasis on quality performance and high
production (standards).
Coaching / Achievement Motive
SUPPORT
FEEDBACK
GOALS
PERFORMANCE
APPRAISAL
DEVELOPMENT
PLAN

17. • To set clear boundaries for autonomous action
by people (Responsibility);
• Authority to the members of an organization to
carry out their part in organizational goals.
Supervisors should not have to check each step of
their work (Responsibility).
Coaching / Achievement Motive
SUPPORT
FEEDBACK
GOALS
PERFORMANCE
APPRAISAL
DEVELOPMENT
PLAN

18. • Recognizing good work, rather than only focusing
on ignoring or criticizing failures (Rewards).
Coaching / Affiliation Motive
SUPPORT
FEEDBACK
GOALS
PERFORMANCE
APPRAISAL
DEVELOPMENT
PLAN

19. • Providing training on how the employee can make
decisions in his work environment. (Clarity)
Coaching / Achievement Motive
SUPPORT
FEEDBACK
GOALS
PERFORMANCE
APPRAISAL
DEVELOPMENT
PLAN

20. • Fostering friendship as a value in the organization
where members trust each other and offer mutual
support (warmth and support).
Coaching / Affiliation Motive

21. • Observing team dynamics by being attentive to the
quality of relationships in the workplace (warmth
and support).
Coaching / Affiliation Motive

22. • Provide room for people to express ideas,
suggestions and constructive criticism.
Coaching / Power Motive
“This is an innovative approach, but I’m afraid we
can’t consider it. It’s never been done before.”

23. • Participation in decisions, allowing the emergence
of natural leaders (leadership).
Coaching / Power

24. Commitment and Performance
COMMITMENT
PERFORMANCE
TEAM CLIMATE
LEADER

25. Commitment
• Identification with the organization;
• Internalization of values;
• Acceptance of organizational goals;
• Willingness to invest efforts in the job;
• Desire to remain a member of the organization.
Antecedents:
- Leader Support
- Justice Perception
- Team Climate

26. • Providing support and acknowledging achievements;
• Listening empathically to doubts and anxieties;
• Providing clear feedback;
• Fostering a culture of PDCA – learning orientation through
task execution (teaching how to learn by oneself);
• Structuring the process of analysis and decision, i.e. Lean
Approaches and Continuous Improvement Tools;
• Removing barriers that may inhibit employees to fulfill
his/her responsibilities and expected performance levels.
• Promote justice in the workplace.
Leader as Coach – Final Remarks

27. T H A N K YOU!

28. Speaker
Jorge M. Covacs
Executive Coach
Director at JCovacs HR Consultancy
- M.Sc. Psychology – Sao Paulo Methodist University (Brazil)
- M.Eng. Mechanical Engineering – Brigham Young University (USA)
- B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering – Aeronautical Institute of Technology
(Brazil)
jcovacs.com.br

29. • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2003) Good Business – Leadership, Flow and the
Making of Meaning. London: Coronet Books, Hodder & Stoughton eds
• Deming, W. E. (1986) Out of the Crisis. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Center for Advanced Engineering Study,
Cambridge, 1986
• Goleman, D.; Boyatzis, R.; McKee, A. (2002) Primal Leadership: Realizing
the Power of Emotional Intelligence. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School
Press.
• Kolb, D; Rubin, I.M.; McIntyre, J.M. (1974) Organizational Psychology – An
Experimental Approach. USA: Prentice-Hall
• McClelland, D. C. (1987) Human Motivation. USA: Cambridge University
Press
• Reeve, J. (2005) Understanding Motivation and Emotion. USA: John Wiley
& Sons Inc.
• Siqueira, M.M.M (2008) Medidas do Comportamento Organizacional.
Porto Alegre: Artmed.
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