From leading to coaching: how businesses are improving

In all types of businesses, management is a very important piece that keeps the organization intact, disciplined and out of chaos. We are used to saying the “boss” did this, the “boss” said that and people were so shaped into the idea that orders come strictly from the boss and they shall obey it to keep the business successful and to keep their job. Yet it also affected employees as a whole mentally, because they are in a daily challenge against themselves and the working field to keep on going through stressful commands and decisions made for them and obliged to be accepted. 

In today’s workplace, a new style of management is being adapted in organizations simply called “leadership coaching”. Let’s break down each word: leadership or leading is about creating the vision, setting direction, being the example, and focuses on top-down decision making. All of this comes from one person and it isn’t open to discussion or change. Coaching, on the other hand, is a collaborative partnership centered on achieving goals, mentoring, helping, supporting and building the skills and competencies that are needed to be successful on the job. So put together we have “leadership coaching” which means collaboration, support and guidance. It focuses on bringing out the best in their teams by guiding them through goals and obstacles. It also helps developing individuals, nurturing the learning process and focusing on long term improvements.

Companies are recognizing the value of this approach and investing more into training leaders to be coaches.

What traits make a leader a good coach?

• Coach leaders should display emotional intelligence (EQ) meaning they are able to manage their own feelings, accurately observing the feelings of others and tactfully respond in ways that minimizes a person’s defensiveness. The higher the Emotional Intelligence the more trusting is the partnership.

• They place high value on honesty: they are able to tell the truth while remaining completely constructive. Complete honesty makes the leader professional while cutting straight to the point in a debate.

• Just like in sports, coaches don’t wait until the end of the season to provide feedback; they do it all the time of action when the feedback is most meaningful. Same goes to workplaces, if feedback and motivation isn’t present throughout the whole process, work is done unprofessionally.

Employees are number one benefactors

Leadership coaching encourages two-way communication

As a coaching leader, they are able to ask good questions. They don’t tell people what to do, instead, they guide them to come to the right decisions and answers on their own.

Involves lots of constructive feedback

Employees receive feedback in a way that’s both clear and actionable. It facilitates the personal and professional development of individuals because it simply focuses on being supportive and not judgmental.

Creates growth and creative thinking

They don’t reprimand individuals for short-term failures or mistakes, they focus on long-term success. So as a coaching leader it’s critical to adopt a growth mindset because it helps individuals to think more creatively, and teaches them to not be afraid to make mistakes and feel supported instead of judged.

How can businesses put “leadership coaching” to good use?

1. Company culture

Culture is common beliefs, practices and values of an organization. It’s one of the leading indicators of employee satisfaction and one of the main reasons they stay with an organization. So leading coaching shapes companies’ culture: it helps business leaders establish and reinforce positive behaviors that support the culture.

2. Team performance 

The success of a business depends on team performance. Supporting your team leaders with professional coaching can help your teams work more effectively and efficiently. Set clear, measurable goals to help develop project management skills. It also Improves communication and unlocks innovation.

3. Multiplicity, value and involvement 

Leadership coaching helps companies build a more diverse talent pipeline providing valuable development opportunities for underrepresented populations to gain leadership values. It assists individuals to develop empathy which encourages examining more biases and considering different perspectives. 

In all cases, this type of management is getting adapted more and more in today’s workplace as it truly shows how it helps mentally and professionally the individual in his academic or career field without putting them in unnecessary stress and that can ensure 100% of development and success. All leaders can receive coaching and also be coaches themselves.