3 ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES TO BECOMING A GREAT COACHING LEADER
At the moment, I have an intense focus on putting coaching skills into the hands of as many leaders as I can. I am a firm believer that coaching and adopting a coaching approach as part of your leadership is integral to you being as effective as possible in your role as a leader.
Becoming a coach is one of the keys to unlocking not only your own potential, but the potential of all of the people around you. In a world of dynamic change where the expectations of leadership are growing every day, equipping yourself with some of the universal leadership skills that set you up for success is critical.
Adopting a coaching approach means you can move from ‘being the expert’ to ‘being the leader’. From ‘doing’ to ‘leading’. It means you can release the burden of having to know the answer to everything.
Rather, it is about tapping into the expertise around you, the knowledge around you, the experience around you, in all the people in your team, in your peers, in your industry colleagues, even in your own leaders.
Adopting a coaching approach means you create the opportunity to scale your leadership impact, moving from a focus of one to one, to a focus of one to many. You can release and activate the capacity and contribution of the people around you.
In particular today, I want to reflect on one of the questions that I get asked quite consistently. Both from leaders who want to adopt a coaching approach, and also from people who are considering pursuing a professional coaching career or business.
The question is ‘What does it take to become a great coach?’
There are numerous factors that contribute to becoming a great coach. Let me touch on a few.
Firstly, there are what I call the hygiene factors. Things like undertaking some coach training, being part of a professional coaching industry body, signing up to a code of ethics. You might even consider getting coaching qualifications. Then there is the practice required to become an even better coach. And so on.
The areas I want to specifically focus on today are what I believe are some of the real differentiators between being someone who knows coaching skills and someone becoming a good or even great coach.
It’s like the difference between playing musical notes on an instrument and playing music with heart and soul.
I believe that coaching is a being. It is not just something you do, it is something you become. It is someone you become.
Here are three essential attributes I have observed for leaders who coach, to become coaches.
1. SELF REFLECTION
The focus on self. Self-leadership, self-awareness, the ability to hold the mirror up and have a really good look. Then to reflect on what you discover.
▸ What do you like?
▸ What don’t you like so much?
▸ What is missing?
▸ What is your opportunity?
And so on.
This is not a one-off activity. This is something that needs to happen on an ongoing basis, because you change and adapt over time. So you need to continue this reflection, this looking in the mirror, on an ongoing basis.
2. LEARNING
The second thing that I believe is critical is being focused on your learning. Coaching, like any part of leadership, is an ongoing process of learning and applying. It is not about being stagnant or getting stuck in status quo because it feels quite comfortable.
It Is about always learning so you have something to give. Continuously being under development, if you like.
What is critical here is that many people who believe they are coaching, are not coaching. They are doing something else. Coaching is not mentoring, consulting or advising. It is different. And is used in different situations.
In their study reported in HBR, Julie Milner and Trenton Milner found that ‘when initially asked to coach, many managers instead demonstrated a form of consulting. Essentially, giving advice or a solution.’
So having this ongoing capacity, interest in learning and developing yourself, sets you up to always having something to offer the people you lead and coach.
3. SERVICE
The final, and I believe fundamental, foundation attribute for leaders who coach, is that leaders who are great coaches have a genuine desire to help other people. They are always in service. The agenda is the coachee’s agenda, not their own. The outcome is based on what the coachee is trying to achieve. This is a big distinction from many people in leadership roles, who are not in service.
Coaching is not just going through a process. True coaching is based on this genuine interest in supporting other people to achieve the things that are important to them.
“The best coaches really care about people.
They have a sincere interest in people”
~ Byron and Catherine Pulsifer, Authors
You can see that all of these elements interact with each other. Holding the mirror up and having a good look, continuing to develop, and being in service. With these essential elements you can develop a coaching being that has authenticity, capability and capacity.
The people you work with can sense this ‘being a coach’. It makes a great basis for the coaching relationship between you and your coachee or team member. This foundation supports you to become a coaching leader.
I encourage you to reflect on these key attributes and see where there might be an opportunity for you to elevate your coaching being.
I’d love to know your thoughts.
The Coaching Leader™ — Origin is an interactive workshop that offers you insight into the essential coaching skills you need to turn everyday conversations into coaching moments, while building accountability and developing the people around you.
This is the first time in almost 2 years that I have offered a public program of The Coaching Leader™ — Origin. Don’t miss your opportunity to develop your coaching leadership!
SYDNEY PROGRAM 14th AUGUST
BRISBANE PROGRAM 21st AUGUST
ONLINE PROGRAM 27th — 28th AUGUST
