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Coaches have been with us for many years.

In athletics, drama and debate, the notion of coaching someone is old hat. Organizational-development specialists and consultants also have a history of helping employees understand what to do differently and helping them to learn how to do it. The target of these efforts typically has been executives and CEOs, but all managers are now expected to take on the responsibilities of the coach.

Managers have been the target of much fallout from the re- engineering/downsizing excesses of the '80s and '90s.

For surviving managers, the fallout meant: 'Manage, but develop your employees, address performance problems, prepare people for possible succession, and field any number of interpersonal issues such as conflict, failure to adapt to the culture and so on.'

Managers are now expected to mentor, to advise, to coach and to otherwise get maximum accomplishment from each employee. It is a heavy agenda.

Of the many such expectations le...