How Can Leaders Become Coaches? 
Or at the very least, adopt a coaching-leadership style in their day to day conversations?In 2005, Daniel Goleman, psychologist & journalist, wrote in HBR article Leadership That Get Results suggesting that there are six essential leadership styles. COACHING is one of them and it was shown to have a markedly positive impact on performance, culture and the bottom line.By building the Coaching Habit, you can break the 3 vicious cycles that plague the workplaces. Creating Overdependence. Getting Overwhelmed. Becoming Disconnected.

Question?
With all this positive impact, why do leaders rank Coaching as the least favorite style?  From “it just doesn’t work here!” “I’m too busy”, “This isn’t the best use of my time!” Or even this “The people I’m saddled with aren’t coachable!”

My experience as an Executive Coach coaching 500 Leaders & delivering 100+ Coaching for Leaders workshops, my view is that Leaders do not have the skills to coach so they decided to take the command and control method or avoid engaging in coaching conversations altogether.

The good news is that all is not lost. Leaders who have humility and believe in growing their people can certainly seek to equip themselves with basic coaching skills to be better at leading people..

Let’s explore some of the key skills that Leaders can acquire to be great Coaching Leaders.

– Trust and Rapport – the foundation of Coaching
– Listening – to what you do not want to hear. 
– Silence & Pause – meant to be uncomfortable  
– Powerful Questions – that can transform your life
– Feedback – not just giving but receiving As Well
– Validation – the easiest thing you can do as a Boss
– Self Awareness – know thyself 
– Learn – with a beginners mindset
– Empathy – putting yourself in other people’s shoes

Which one would you like me to explore together?
Watch this space in the coming weeks.

#leadership #coaching #leadershipdevelopment #mindset