How can you create a safe and supportive environment that encourages leaders to explore new ideas?

As an executive coach I would usually try to ingest humor and light-heartedness. Why? Integrating humor into the dynamic between the leader and the coach can significantly lower barriers, foster a more relaxed atmosphere, and enhance creativity. This often-overlooked aspect can deepen trust, encourage more open communication, and make the process of growth and change more enjoyable and less stressful for everyone involved.

By definition coaching provides that sacrosanct space to leaders and executives where they can bring their authentic self and explore and play around with ideas and perspectives that may challenge the standards. Creating a safe space primarily through dropping A-B- Cs are crucial both for the coach and the client. A- Assumptions B- Beliefs C - Certainties Dropping these three makes space for discoveries and learnings to step into the conversation creating an opportunity for the client to build awareness and progress on his or her goals.

As leaders, we are responsible for creating psychological safety. Humans are inherently social beings and we thrive in groups where we feel connected, supported, seen, and respected. Here are some “hacks” - Express appreciation regularly. - Demonstrate humility and share your imperfections; this encourages others to be authentic. - Embrace feed-forward (vs feedback) as a tool to promote efficiency and a growth mindset and shift emphasis away from comparison and shame.

Un entorno seguro se apoya en la confianza, la autenticidad y la sinceridad y, el coach, debe ser el primero en ofrecerla. Solo si el coachee está seguro de que cuenta con la confidencialidad del coach estará dispuesto a abrirse a y mantener una comunicación real que le permita abrirse a nuevos aprendizajes.

As an executive coach, I believe it is imperative to create an environment that moves the client to feel they are, as Amy Edmonson reveals in her work: “psychologically safe.” The client is not mentally prepared for coaching if this does not exist. The sacred space that should exist evaporates, eliminating the ability to go deep with the client. One technique is to build rapport with the client in EACH session. Also important is to stay in the role of coach rather than expert or consultant. Marcia Reynolds stresses the power of reflective listening. When coaches fully receive and graciously give back the client's own words, gestures, and emotions, all judgment is removed, allowing clients to see themselves in us reflected like a mirror.

One of the most effective ways to build rapport and trust with the leader is to mirror keywords used by the leader and smile. This might sound basic but it reflects that you have understood and acknowledged their viewpoints. I often see coaches and leaders paraphrasing what they heard, which results in misunderstanding.

Rapport and trust start when judgment stops. My close friend and executive coach Kathryn she says to leaders that she coaches, "I'm not here to be your guilt partner. If you don't accomplish something you say you're going to work on, I'm not going to say, 'what happened? why didn't you do it?' I'm going to sit by you and have us explore what worked about that goal and what didn't. What do you want to chose as goals next time?" Coaching is a partnership with a leader to bring them towards their goals. Rapport and trust start with removing judgment about the leader's actions. An effective coach will meet the client where they are and ask questions so that the client decides where they need to go. Trust starts when the client leads.

Trust is the foundation of any coaching relationship, and confidentiality is paramount. The leader should feel comfortable discussing any subject with their coach knowing the coach has their back. Trust promotes honesty and vulnerability, which makes it easier to get to the core issues and come up with relevant solutions to challenges and problems.

Actively listen to them. Don't fix. Don't problem solve. Just reflect back what you are hearing. When a client feels that they are being heard and understood, they begin to relax and trust you as their coach. From a neuroscience perspective, you are stimulating the positive emotional attractor state which is important to activate their parasympathetic state, the state in which they relax. If you are fixing the problem, they are remaining in a triggered state.

The foundation of leadership coaching is a psychologically safe and affirming space for reflection, vulnerability with the support of a trusted partner. This empowers leaders to dive deeper into their own thinking giving them ample time to reflect and affirm what they desire to accomplish. By being fully present, you create a connection. When we listen with curiosity, using their language, we show a genuine interest and this helps to even normalise failures. Leaders need some assurance that they are not being judged and encourages self-compassion. When we also acknowledge the emotional connection, the leader feels we are seeing them for who they are as an individual and this helps deepen the bond.

"People say they want feedback, but they really don't," Instead of “feedback”, I prefer the term “feedforward” An executive coach can navigate this change in paradigm to feedforward by fostering an environment where it is seen as a tool for development, not criticism. By setting clear expectations around feedforward’ S role and ensuring it's tied to specific behaviors and outcomes, a coach can mitigate defensiveness. It shows caring and interest in the development of the leader. Balancing positive reinforcement, highlighting areas for growth while acknowledging strengths, encourages receptivity. Engaging leaders in self-reflection and active participation in the feedforward process empowers them to own their development journey

Offer training on effective feedback, equipping team members with skills to communicate constructively and empathetically. And cultivate a culture where team members feel empowered to exchange peer feedback, fostering valuable insights for professional development.

The best form of feedback is sharing the behavior that has been observed without any interpretation of the intent behind that behavior. That makes feedback non-judgmental and allows the receiver to look at it objectively and sparks their curiosity in turn about the genesis of it. The more coaches have in mind a 'desired' behavior in their mind which they consider as 'right' / 'proper' / 'appropriate', it eventually finds a way and starts reflecting in their feedback drawing defensiveness from the leader which makes it lose the 'constructive' nature of it.

In Adam Grant’s recent book “Hidden Potential” he encourages asking for advice from others rather than feedback. That way there’s more productive and honest responses from the giver. I appreciated how practical the steps were in his book!

It is simple - provide a listening ear, give a helping hand, earn trust and engage the team. Feedback loop is valuable only when it works unconditionally.

Fostering a leader's creativity and curiosity goes hand in hand with cultivating a psychologically safe environment. It is crucial to provide leaders with the assurance that their ideas, questions, and experiments are welcomed without judgment creates a foundation for risk-taking and exploration. When leaders feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to venture into unfamiliar territories, share unconventional thoughts, and push the boundaries of innovation. Encouraging open communication, valuing diverse perspectives, and acknowledging that failures are opportunities for growth contribute to a culture where leaders feel secure to express their curiosity.

Allow a safe space for leaders to develop their creativity. Present them with the issue or problem to resolve and step away. Allow them to use their team resources to solve problems or generate new methods or strategies. Step back and observe the team dynamics. Developing or finding a “war-room” or “dream-room” filled with bean bags and Post-it notes is usually very conducive for the development of creativity.

Good developmental leadership comes from being behind the leaders you manage and pushing them forward, guiding but not giving solutions/answers before your team develops ideas - then probing/challenging their proposals to develop their learning on pushing through to reach the best outcomes and maximum impact. This ensures that they have ownership of what they implement, but being 110% clear that you have their back and that, although success will be theirs, you will be the first to accept responsibility in case of issues (and being clear that their trust for this will be based on what you did in the past and not what you say now).

Introduce structured 'innovation breaks' where leaders can engage in activities unrelated to their direct responsibilities. Whether learning a new skill, exploring a new hobby, or engaging in cross-disciplinary research, these breaks can rejuvenate thinking and spur creative insights applicable to their primary role.

One of the key ways leaders can think more creatively is to keep them away from "How" initially. So often, we have an idea and before it is fully explored, our brains jump to feasibility and practicalities. This cuts short the creative process as we get lost in the details and reach a mental dead-end. Many solutions are lost as a result. Create specific opportunities to imagine, vision, daydream and explore. Don't worry about "how" yet. Allow yourself to imagine what could be possible and stay in curiosity. This is a vital step in working out what you truly want to create.

El coach debe creer en la capacidad del líder incluso cuando el líder dude. Crear un escenario motivante, analizar el riesgo que implica no asumir riesgos, y repasar éxitos anteriores son tres pasos para ayudarle a aumentar la confianza en sí mismo y reducir el miedo a avanzar.

In Clifton Strengths, there is a talent theme, Deliberative. This talent theme is very sensitive to risk. When it is developing, a leader with this talent theme will face indecision under pressure and form a negative label. So how to develop this talent theme and turn it into a strength? Permit yourself to withhold your opinion until you get all the facts and have an opportunity to ponder your stance. As a leader, you inspire trust because you are cautious and considerate about sensitive topics. Use these talents by taking on opportunities to handle delicate issues and conflicts. In short, you need to buy time to consider the pros and cons.

Embrace a fail-friendly mentality. Communicate that experimentation is welcomed, and failures are viewed as learning opportunities. When leaders perceive failure as a stepping stone to success, they become more willing to explore uncharted territories.

To support the leader's risk-taking and learning, a coach needs to create an environment where it is safe to take risks and learn from failures. The coach must empower the leader to take responsibility for their successes and failures, instead of trying to control every situation. The coach should promote a growth mindset that encourages the leader to learn from every experience and use feedback to improve their approach next time.

Eu gosto de sempre concluir um papo sintetizando com aprendizados e descobertas feitas pelo líder. Por menores que sejam e criar uma ponte para a próxima conversa, convidando a pensar e se comprometer com a??es que podem ser desencadeadas e experimentadas até nosso próximo papo. Assim, damos uma cadencia entre o pensar, o sentir e o querer. Acho importante num ambiente de Coaching, introduzir a a??o, pois, ela cristaliza aprendizados ou traz novos elementos que enriquecem o processo.

Ingest some fun: In one of my coaching assignments, I invited a leader to embark on what we called “idea safaris”. These sessions were designed as a journey through the untamed wilderness of imagination, with the safety net of trust and rapport we had built. In these adventures, we set a rule that no idea was too wild, allowing free reign to the leader's creative potential. This approach not only unearthed innovative ideas but also fostered a newfound confidence in the leader to explore uncharted territories, all within the secure and supportive boundaries of our coaching relationship.

A coach empathizes with the leader's perspective and appreciates the leader for being expressive. He creates a space for the leader to openly express his emotions. The leader feels heard, understood and valued when his emotions are validated by his coach. He feels trusted and secured. This helps the leaders to come out of their shell and explore their strengths more.

It's important to remember that leaders have diverse styles, preferences, and comfort levels. Coaches need to personalise their approach to build rapport and tailor their methods to individual needs.

Promote a robust mentorship ecosystem within the organization. Encourage leaders to engage in dual roles—acting as mentors while also seeking mentorship. This reciprocal approach nurtures a supportive environment, enriches the leadership pipeline, and fosters a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing.

I have found the following approaches helpful as well in creating a safe space for leaders to explore new ideas - - Meeting them where they are, understanding their context, and respecting their backgrounds and experiences. When leaders feel that you trust them, they get the courage to be curious and exploratory. - Connecting leaders with their strengths increases their confidence to deal with what they think they need to figure out and opens them to possibilities they had not considered before. - Coaching is an equal partnership between the coach and the leader where they do not fear judgment.