Managing academic staff can be challenging, particularly if you’re a first-time line manager navigating the delicate balance between fostering autonomy and ensuring adherence to deadlines.
Academics, driven by intellectual freedom and creativity, sometimes do not prioritise administrative tasks and institutional deadlines, in favour of their research or teaching priorities.
This can leave you feeling hesitant or even frustrated, especially when faced with seemingly uncooperative (awkward) staff.
However, there’s an approach that can transform the situation: coaching techniques.
By adopting a coaching mindset, you can guide academics to develop accountability, recognise their potential, and make sustainable behavioural changes.
This article will explore coaching strategies, alongside practical management tools, in the higher education environment, to help your academic staff meet deadlines without resentment or resistance.
1. Understand the Context and Build Trust
Before attempting to transform behaviour, invest time in understanding the pressures academics face.
Coaching is built on trust, rapport, and the belief that individuals have the capacity to find their own solutions.
Begin by exploring the challenges that prevent staff from meeting deadlines and address any misalignment between their priorities and institutional goals.
Coaching Technique: Active Listening
Active listening is foundational to coaching. It involves:
- Giving full attention to what the academic is saying without interrupting.
- Asking open-ended questions to encourage deeper reflection.
- Paraphrasing or summarising what you’ve heard to clarify understanding.
Example:
Imagine Dr. Smith repeatedly misses module outline deadlines. In your meeting, instead of reprimanding, you use active listening:
- “Dr. Smith, I’ve noticed that module outlines have been delayed. Can you tell me what’s happening?”
- Allow Dr. Smith to share concerns (e.g., heavy research load).
- Follow up with reflective prompts: “What steps could help balance your priorities?”
Positive Effects: Active listening makes staff feel heard and valued, fostering trust. It shifts the conversation from blame to collaboration, empowering them to identify solutions themselves.
2. Use Coaching to Align Goals and Expectations
Ambiguity can often lead to missed deadlines. By aligning goals through coaching, you clarify expectations while helping staff connect their tasks to the bigger picture.
A coaching approach emphasises collaboration, so staff feel ownership over the commitments they make.
Coaching Technique: The GROW Model
The GROW Model is a structured coaching method that stands for:
– Goal: What do you want to achieve?
– Reality: Where are you now in relation to that goal?
– Options: What can you do to move forward?
– Will: What will you commit to? (Or “What next?”)
Example:
If Dr. Patel struggles to meet deadlines for grant submissions, use the GROW model:
- Goal: “What’s your goal for this grant submission?”
- Reality: “How far along are you, and what’s holding you back?”
- Options: “What options do you have to ensure the application is ready in time?”
- Will: “What specific actions will you take, and when will you complete them?”
Positive Effects: The GROW model enables academics to break overwhelming tasks into manageable steps.
It also reinforces accountability because commitments come from the individual, not the manager.
3. Create Accountability Through Structured Check-Ins
Coaching focuses on progress rather than punishment.
By establishing structured yet supportive check-ins, you can provide staff with ongoing encouragement, feedback, and accountability.
Regular coaching conversations ensure deadlines remain a priority while providing a forum to troubleshoot challenges.
Coaching Technique: Reflective Questions
Reflective questions encourage staff to evaluate their own behaviour and identify areas for improvement.
Examples include:
- “What progress have you made since our last check-in?”
- “What challenges did you encounter, and how did you overcome them?”
- “What will you do differently next time to stay on track?”
Example:
Dr. Jones, who struggles to submit lecture materials on time, attends weekly 15-minute check-ins.
You ask:
- “What progress have you made with the materials this week?”
- “What got in the way of meeting last week’s deadline?”
- “How can you adjust your schedule to finish this week’s tasks on time?”
Positive Effects: Reflective questioning promotes self-awareness and problem-solving.
Staff begin to anticipate challenges, plan ahead, and take ownership of their work.
4. Help Staff Identify and Overcome Barriers
Sometimes staff miss deadlines because they feel overwhelmed or lack the tools to manage competing priorities.
Coaching can help uncover these barriers and identify practical solutions to overcome them.
Coaching Technique: Problem-Solving Together
Adopt a collaborative stance where you explore solutions together. Encourage staff to identify small, actionable steps to move forward.
Example:
Dr. Green is overwhelmed with marking and avoids it until the last minute. Through coaching, you uncover time management issues and help brainstorm strategies:
- Blocking out specific time slots for marking.
- Reducing distractions during work hours.
- Delegating other tasks to focus on priorities.
Positive Effects: This collaborative approach builds confidence and equips staff with tools to tackle their challenges proactively.
5. Recognise and Reinforce Positive Changes
Positive reinforcement is a cornerstone of coaching.
Acknowledging progress—no matter how small—can boost motivation, build momentum, and transform behaviours over time.
Coaching Technique: Praise with Specificity
When recognising achievements, be specific about what was done well and why it matters.
Example:
Dr. Brown, who struggled to submit research progress reports, now submits them consistently. You praise them during a team meeting:
- “I want to acknowledge Dr. Brown for consistently meeting the reporting deadlines. Your updates have been incredibly helpful for the team, and I appreciate your hard work.”
Positive Effects: Specific praise reinforces desired behaviours and helps staff feel valued and motivated. Over time, meeting deadlines becomes a habit.
6. Encourage Self-Reflection for Sustainable Change
The goal of coaching is to foster lasting behavioural change, not temporary compliance.
Self-reflection helps staff evaluate their own actions and commit to continuous improvement.
Coaching Technique: Self-Evaluation Prompts
At the end of each project or semester, encourage staff to reflect on their performance with questions such as:
- “What went well, and what contributed to your success?”
- “What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?”
- “What changes will you make next time to be even more effective?”
Example:
Dr. White, who improved their consistency with administrative tasks, reflects on the semester:
- “I realised that setting weekly milestones kept me focused. Next semester, I’ll block time at the start of each week for admin tasks.”
Positive Effects: Self-reflection embeds accountability and helps staff take ownership of their professional growth.
Conclusion: Lead with Coaching to Transform Behaviours
Managing academics shouldn’t require coercion or micromanagement, so don’t resort to this.
By adopting coaching techniques: active listening, the GROW model, reflective questions, and positive reinforcement, you can transform staff behaviours, build trust, and cultivate a culture of accountability.
Remember, coaching is about enabling staff to find their own solutions.
It shifts the focus from managing performance to empowering individuals to succeed.
When implemented thoughtfully and consistently, coaching doesn’t just help staff meet deadlines—it helps them thrive.
As a first-time manager, embracing this approach will not only address immediate challenges but will also establish you as a supportive and effective leader.
By guiding academics to achieve their best, you’ll strengthen both their performance and the success of your department.