C ha pt e r 6 Ac countability Techniques for D r iv in g R e s u lts 119 will also find many positive situations. Use the positive situations to thank employees, congratulate them for a job well done, and then share with others in your organization the best practices that you have discovered. Technique Number 3: Coaching While Technique Numbers 1 and 2 are unconventional, Technique Number 3, coaching, is much more traditional and has a long and solid reputation for success. Let's do a quick overview of coaching, and then we will focus on instilling accountability during the coaching process. The word "coach" comes from a French word that means "to transport a person from one place to another." In management, the role of a coach is to transport a person from one level of performance to another level of performance. If an employee regularly practices unaccountable behavior, the goal of your coaching effort should be to move the employee toward behavior that is consistently accountable. Did you ever wonder why top performers in many fields have coaches? For example, professional athletes, singers, speakers, manag- ers, and executives often have been known to have personal coaches, and the benefits of having one in those fields have become very clear. Coaches help performers by: Keeping them focused Giving them objective, helpful feedback Acting as a sounding board for new approaches Identifying blind spots that may be holding the performer back Reinforcing key values, principles, and behaviors that improve performance