Short on Supervisors? 10 Tips for Creating a Peer Coaching Program

There’s got to be a better way. At a recent conference I overheard a manager lament the fact that since she was prohibited from replacing supervisors who leave, they now have a ratio of 25 reps to one supervisor. Yikes! It’s difficult enough to provide the right blend of coaching and support to keep a team of 12 employee engaged and performing at their best.

Although it’s not the perfect solution, if you are faced with ratio-creep, consider implementing a peer coaching program to fill the void.

10 Tips
for creating an awesome
Peer Coaching Program

1. Select the right people.
Make sure you select individuals who are self-starters, have a positive attitude, are great communicators and really know their stuff.
2.  Create an application process.
Generate a positive buzz right away by asking reps to apply to be considered to be a Peer Coach.
3. Encourage good people to apply. The best people don’t always step forward. If you think a rep has what it takes, invite him or her to apply.
4. Avoid selecting the “usual suspects.” Keep an open mind. Resist the temptation to play favorites.
5. Role play. Role play. And role play some more. Don’t skimp on training. The more prepared your Peer Coaches are, the more effective they will be.
6. Training is a process. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that just because they went through a training class that they are “trained.” Debrief the Peer Coaches throughout the process, particularly in the crucial first week after training.
7. Schedule Peer Coach meetings. The most successful Peer Coach teams are those that take ownership. These teams learn to listen to each other and take the initiative to solve problems on their own.
8. Capture lessons learned. The first round of Peer Coaching is often a learning experience. It’s the perfect time to get the team involved in documenting “best practices.”
9. Success can be measured in two ways. Consider your Peer Coaching program a success when they make a measurable difference in performance and other reps are asking how they can join the program.
10. Celebrate success. Give the Peer Coaches the recognition they deserve. It took an enormous amount of courage for some of them to move out of their comfort zone and to try something new.