COACHING EXPERIENCED TEAM MEMBERS VS.

NEWCOMERS
Sometimes you’ll coach someone who is of a significantly different age or career stage from you. Use these tips to tailor your approach:

COACH EXPERIENCED TEAM MEMBERS ON: COACH NEWCOMERS ON:

SHIFTS IN THE INDUSTRY OR MARKET CONTEXT AND AWARENESS

Institutional knowledge may cloud their Newcomers need to understand how their job fits into
sensitivity to new data and changes. the larger organizational purpose.

DIVERSIFYING THEIR NETWORKS

EXPANDING THEIR NETWORKS
Experienced team members may habitually seek
Newcomers need to cultivate influence and resources
input from only a set group of people and, as a
within the company and the industry as a whole.
result, always get the same information.

EFFICIENCY FOCUS
Are there new, quicker ways to get work done? Have they identified the right priorities and problems
Are any of the processes this person as they work toward a goal?
uses outmoded?

WILLINGNESS TO EXPERIMENT SUCCESSFUL FIRST STEPS

AND SOUND INSTINCTS
Give feedback that reinforces learning and Newcomers benefit by being told they’re on the
continued commitment to growth. right track.

© 2019 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business School Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.