ASPIRATIONALLY, AMY
COACHING LEADERSHIP
A coaching leader is someone who can recognize the strengths, weakness, and motivations to help each of their team members improve. Coaching leaders prioritize setting smart goals for their team and providing regular feedback with challenging projects to promote growth. They excel at setting clear expectations and creating a positive, motivating environment to work and learn.
Overall, coaching is a positive leadership style because it encourages the development of new skills, creative thinking, empowerment, and a confident organizational culture. Leaders who coach are often seen as valuable mentors, strong communicators, and inspiring motivators who help their employees acquire the knowledge and skills they need to reach their full potential.
Coaching can be a time consuming approach to leadership, since it requires regular and dedicated 1:1 time between managers and employees. Along with the challenges of balancing teaching time with meeting time-sensitive priorities, coaching leaders may also face employees who are unwilling to be coached or those whose opinions significantly differ from the suggestions they receive.
COACHING LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES
LOOK FOR AREAS OF GROWTH
Ask open-ended questions to learn more about your team's working styles, productivity, and the ways they want to develop. By learning more about their personalities, you'll be more prepared to have productive coaching conversations and to facilitate collaborative goal-setting.
CONNECT WITH YOUR TEAM
Establish a strong, positive and trusting relationship with your teammates that centers respect, professionalism, supportiveness, and open lines of communication. Get to know them personally, including how they work and what they need from you as their leader.
EMBRACE TEACHABLE MOMENTS
Learning can come from a variety of contexts and does not need to be formal. By taking the time to coach someone through a challenging situation or complex process, you help empower them with valuable skills, knowledge, and experiences. Give feedback genuinely and compassionately.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COACHING APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP
Where would you like to go next?
REFERENCES
DeFrank-Cole, L., & Tan, S. J. (2022). Women and leadership: Journey toward equity [eBook edition]. Sage.
Indeed Editorial Team (2023, March 16). 8 common leadership styles (Plus how to find your own). Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/10-common-leadership-styles
Indeed Editorial Team (2022, July 21). What is coaching leadership? (And when to use this style). Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/coaching-leadership
Sandberg, S. (2013). Lean in: Women, work, and the will to lead [eBook edition]. Alfred A. Knopf.