Leadership isn't necessarily an innate skill. There are many experiences in life that mold us into what we believe is effective leadership.  Some of our "mentors" often influence our style and perhaps they weren't the best at it.  Then we have our natural tendencies and basic personality characteristics and sometimes we get a "bull in a china shop"!  So when do we know Coaching is a good option?  Think about it....
  • How do you know what type of leader you are?
  • How open are you to listening to the "leadership needs" of your staff?
  • Have you been told your style if "direct" (nice way to saying, overbearing and offensive)
  • How much do you show you value employee perspectives?
  • How about performance management...are you good at it?  Be honest..do you even do evaluations on staff?
  • How often do you solicit and actively "listen" to employee input and feedback?
  • Are you avoiding the difficult HR related discussions due to avoiding conflict or "hurting" someone's feelings?
  • Do you have certain colleagues that trigger the "worst" in you and it shows?
  • Do you have consistently high staff turnover?
These are just some of the questions that can begin to help identify basic leadership tendencies.  Behaviors in the workplace have become more important than technical skills.  There is no question, when people want to work with others because they "like" them, loyalty and performance increases significantly.

As a Leadership Coach some of the common "errors" I see in leaders are the following:
  • Not taking the time to recognize the value of effective and regular staff meetings
  • Not having a mechanism to obtain good employee input
  • Not able or willing to "see themselves" as others do
  • Rarely evaluating the performance of staff and if so, not taking the time and effort necessary to be a good mentor and seek opportunities to develop staff
  • Don't appreciate the full value of relationship building among colleagues and staff
  • Often weak communicators either by style or simply not having regular meetings to speak face to face; not understanding the value of communication methods and style
  • Easily offended and defensive making their responses ineffective
  • Lack ability to effectively collaborate
  • Have many blind spots, displacing "blame" on others
  • Fail to understand the importance of making changes to their "style"
  • While many are technically competent, they lack in some personal attributes that are adversely effecting the performance of their team

Being a "super worker" does not necessarily translate to an effective leader.   

What is Coaching?

 

Unlike consulting, a coach works with individuals to facilitate their own assessment of their challenges and then work with them to identify their own solutions.  Such solutions that will work given their personality and those changes they have identified and are willing to make.  Coaches do not tell you what to do, they guide you to determining those changes that are the focus.  There is no one size fits all, Coaches need to be flexible in style and approach. Just as we are all different, different approaches need to be considered to optimize effectiveness as a Coach.  Great Coaches ask probing questions, the client comes to answer on their own. 

 

Value of Coaching 

  • One to one
  • Focus on personality and behaviors..Personal and behavior oriented
  • Facilitates learning
  • Skills learned are immediately effective
  • Improved interpersonal relationships
  • Improved respect, value to an organization
  • Improved individual and team performance
  • Improved self-confidence
  • Work/Life balance
  • Career opportunities

Who are good candidates for Coaching?

"Coaching is most effective for executives (professionals) who are preparing for a promotion, moving into a new role or who have hit a wall in their development" (K. Tyler)  

  

 
What does Coaching entail?
  Duration: typically 3 to 6 months, meeting a few times a month; followup intervals are often established
  Options:  In person, face to face; telephone; "face time" through technology
  Time commitment:  Typically 1 or 2 hours each session; meeting frequency depends on the nature of challenges identified
Assessment - If a current personality profile is unavailable, it is likely that one will be given that will assist in identifying innate strengths and areas that could be developed.
Fact finding - utilizing performance evaluations, input from leaders, staff and other constituents as appropriate
Measurement of results - given that it is behaviors that are being addressed, often the key form of measurement is feedback from those that would know best as to the changes that have occurred and how well they are working.
Coaching allows you to not only gain valuable insight into yourself but also recognizing triats in others and how to effectively interact accordingly.  The return on investment is invaluable.  Coaching has positive impact on all interactions in the workplace and in your personal life.  Take the time to assess your own needs as well as those around you and consider this to improve interpersonal relationships,  build strong teams and become highly effective leaders!

More info online related to Leadership Coaching.

Warmest Regards,
 

Jeannine Brown Miller, MA, SPHR President, Organization Development Consultant/Leadership Coach
JBM HR Consulting Inc.