Coaching, at least in the context of a workplace, is an often-misunderstood concept. It isn’t necessarily mentoring, and it isn’t counseling or offering feedback. Often managers will tell employees they are going to “coach” them on a certain task, and they simply proceed to point out the employees' failures. This is disheartening for employees, and leaves them feeling detached and unmotivated. Thus, coaching gets a bad reputation in some offices, and employees may start to disengage from the practice. However, true coaching involves leading an employee to better practices through supportive action. Instead of criticizing the employee’s past performance, coaching requires a leader to prompt an employee to reflect on this performance and improve. The true coach will lead the employee through the process and provide support every step of the way. This empowers the employee to act with the support of a strong management team. The employee gains confidence and will be more likely to act effectively in the future. This style of management is becoming critically important as engagement levels hit rock bottom. Not only can coaching increase these levels in a workplace, but it can also solve other talent development issues, such as developing soft skills and other competencies.