#96 – Coaching by Hypothesis

The Managing with Mind and Heart Podcast

In this episode of the Managing with Mind and Heart podcast, host Ethan Nash explores an alternative approach to feedback that goes beyond the traditional “BIR” method (which we talked about back in episode #8 and wrote about here). This framework—where managers identify problematic Behavior, highlight its Impact, and suggest a Replacement—works well when specific behaviors need addressing. But what happens when feedback is based more on intuition or a general feeling about an employee?

Drawing inspiration from the book Scaling People: Tactics for Management and Company Building by Claire Hughes Johnson, Ethan introduces the hypothesis-based coaching approach, which turns potential criticism into open dialogue. By framing intuition-based feedback as a hypothesis rather than a judgment, managers can foster more productive conversations, even when feedback is less clear-cut. Tune in to discover how to navigate these tricky conversations with confidence.

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