leadingtoday.org

Leadership Tip of the Month

January 2002

Copyright 2002 ã weLEAD, Inc.

Being a Leader and a Coach

One of the most important roles of a modern leader is to be that of a coach. By definition a coach is a tutor who trains and motivates others to reach their greatest potential. In the past, many leaders acted more like athletics coaches by shouting and intimidating others into action. This began to change in the late 20^th century as it became evident that autocratic leadership no longer works in today’s society and culture. It is true that autocratic leadership is effective and still valued in emergency or crisis situations. A recent example of this is the former mayor of New York City who was vilified for his autocratic leadership before September 11^th, 2001 and lauded for it during a time of national crisis. But the fact remains that autocratic leadership is no longer effective for the day-to-day activities of a healthy organization. People will simply not respond in effective or productive ways. The type of coaching required by today’s leader is more like that of an orchestra conductor or an acting coach. The goal is to recognize and respect the individual skills inherent within each person. This is done by a combination of mutual respect, personal example, valuable tutoring, tactful correction, generous praise, continuous improvement and positive motivation skills.

This type of coaching is only possible from a leader who has the right approach and understanding of what it now means to be in a leadership position. This is a leader who desires to build their subordinates and considers the development and success of others as their greatest achievement. This type of coaching is based on a philosophy of teaching and imparting knowledge and skills to others. There is no room for the need to control, manipulate, intimidate or demean others. Here is how you can become a coaching leader…

Serve as a model – People will want to emulate you if they truly respect you. On the other hand they will withdraw emotionally if your persona or actions lack credibility. Be approachable and earn a reputation as one who is always willing to supportively listen and help others to grow and develop.

Prompt others to analyze their performance – Begin by inviting others to do their own self-assessment before you comment. They may be aware of some of their own personal weaknesses and will be less defensive if they can express them rather than being told by you. In circumstances where they are not aware of perceived weaknesses, don’t focus only on the weakness, but on helping them diagnose the reasons for mistakes and problems.

Build up their confidence and self-reliance – It is far better to influence others to finds ways to improve themselves rather than dictating what you feel needs to be done. Ask the individual to explain what they have determined needs to be improved in themselves. Reinforce what they have discovered with positive comments and support. As a final task point out a single area of weakness they may not have discovered. Diplomatically provide an recent example of how this weakness was demonstrated and ask them how the same situation could be handled differently in the future. Take a few minutes to “role play” and model how the same situation can produce better results. Encourage them by explaining how you have struggled with similar difficulties and eventually mastered the problem. Finish the discussion by letting them know you have confidence in their ability to overcome a problem or learn a new skill.

Be there – Be more than “the boss” or a mentor. Also become a friend by allowing others to communicate with you in confidence without fear of reprisal or ridicule. Be patient as they vent their frustrations or criticisms. As an active listener hear them out and gently point out the flaws in their reasoning. Inspire them to become part of the solution to any difficulty and not part of the problem. Finally, remind them that their personal success is one of your most important goals.

For weLEAD, this is Greg Thomas reminding you that it was Margaret Fuller who wrote, “If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it.”

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