How can you tailor your coaching approach for new leaders?

While hiring a coach might have many common reasons and goals, there is neither a technique nor a development plan that works for every client. To each their pace, to each their preference, to each a difference frame of work! However, it is safe to say that challenging the coachee is a requirement while checking at the very same time how this challenge is received.

Tailoring coaching for new leaders starts with assessing their readiness. Just as skilled navigators gauge winds before setting sail, coaches discern a leader's openness to change and self-awareness. Some embrace coaching eagerly, ready to chart new growth territories, while others may initially resist, anchored by uncertainties. Using reflective conversations and assessments, coaches unveil the leader's readiness landscape. With clarity, coaches adapt their approach, navigating the coaching journey to match pace, direction, and aspirations. As John F. Kennedy said, "Change is the law of life." Embracing change, new leaders embark on a voyage toward their fullest potential.

Leveraging my experience in coaching and developing leaders, let's delve into my personalized strategies for new leaders: 1?? Know Your Coachees: Drawing from my encounters with diverse leaders, I've learned the importance of deeply understanding each individual's background and aspirations. Love using HBDI as nice ice breaker. 2?? Adapt the Session Format: Through real-life scenarios and hands-on exercises, I've witnessed the transformative power of adjusting coaching formats to suit the unique needs of emerging leaders. No routine. 3?? Real Situational Learning: Incorporating real-world challenges into coaching sessions, I've seen firsthand how this approach accelerates their growth and development. Sharing their success or frustration.

To tailor coaching for new leaders, it's crucial to integrate personalized strategies that consider their unique strengths, challenges, and leadership contexts. This involves fostering a growth mindset, enhancing emotional intelligence, and developing strategic thinking skills. Incorporating evidence-based practices from economics, such as decision-making under uncertainty and resource allocation, can empower them to make informed choices. Building resilience and adaptability through real-world scenarios and feedback is essential, creating leaders equipped to navigate complex economic landscapes effectively.

Leadership is a self-love game. The trap most new leaders fall into - I know from experience - is trying to put on the mask of “leader” and become someone else in order to lead. When working with new leaders, my coaching approach is tailored towards leading with self-love and authenticity: supporting the coachee to see that they can lead as themselves without resorting to the mask. We explore their values in relationship to leadership and their mission, what barriers they face in moving with confidence and break down “imposter syndrome” into its root causes - creating a pathway to leadership that feels light and brings success in their chosen field.

Establishing trust and rapport with new leaders is key to fostering a successful coaching relationship. It's all about showing genuine interest, listening attentively, asking open-ended questions, and offering supportive feedback. By being reliable, respectful of boundaries, and adding a touch of humor or personal stories, you can create a warm and welcoming environment for new leaders to feel comfortable exploring their challenges and goals. Trust and rapport lay the groundwork for a safe space where new leaders can truly shine and grow.

Building "TRUST and RAPPORT" are important aspects for effective "coaching relationships". New leaders may feel uncomfortable or insecure in their new roles. You need to prepare them to repose confidence in you and in your processes. Empathy is very essential for building "TRUST and RAPPORT".

I agree. Coaching requires vulnerability, to do that effectively the coach needs to share about themselves and learn about the coachee as a whole person. Building a relationship and trust is the best start.

Trust is the bedrock of any successful coaching relationship. By creating a safe and supportive environment, new leaders can freely explore their challenges, vulnerabilities, and aspirations. Strong rapport fosters open communication and a willingness to embrace feedback and change.

It is all about chemistry in this world and it isn't any different when it comes to the coaching space. Chemistry is detected right from the first discovery call/meeting yet Trust only starts loading back then and it keeps on building. I have found as a coach that designing the Trust relationship is what works best. Trust can't be left to randomness.

Everyone of us have 'Strengths and Weaknesses'. It calls for courage and committed efforts to admit 'Weaknesses" and to convert most of them into "Strengths". We need to convince the new leaders and motivate and "coach" them to overcome Weaknesses and to convert them into Strengths of the leaders. "SWOT ANALYSIS" is a well proven tool, for the above purpose.

The coaching engagement should begin with a key assumption: Everyone has something they are naturally good at, something that they love to do, and doing this makes an impact. In Japan, it’s called “ikigai”. It’s that special thing that gets you up in the morning, especially during the tough times, it’s a mixture between passion and impact. As a coach, a key objective (or better yet, ‘mission’), is to enable the client (coachee) to look in the mirror & identify their own areas of what I would call, ‘natural brilliance’. While we often lean towards focusing on our weaknesses, the coach should shift the spotlight to helping the client (coachee) to leverage his/her strengths — focus on making the strengths stronger, with an impact.

It's generally good to focus on your strengths as a leader. This may mean delegating certain tasks and areas of responsibility to others, but this doesn't mean not taking responsibility for your own weaknesses. You can still improve those aspects of leadership that might need a boost.

Every leader possesses unique talents and strengths waiting to be harnessed. By identifying and amplifying these qualities, coaching can empower new leaders to leverage their innate abilities, fostering confidence and effectiveness in their roles.

Picture this: I'm not just a coach; I'm a potential detective. ???♂? my mission? To uncover the gold—the unique strengths that make each new leader prosper from their own mine! ??

Typically, the fact that the leader is engaging with a coach suggests the leader has been identified as a high performer/high potential, on track to take on a bigger role. So it would be fair to assume that “what got me here will get me there”. And let’s face it, many of the leader’s skills, knowledge & achievements have indeed been key reasons for success. But growth doesn’t happen when we rely on what we already have. Coaching is about helping to identify the muscles that are missing, and then coming up with an action plan to build these muscles. This requires the leader to question assumptions about what it takes to grow and move forward. For the coach this is the moment to leverage the power of asking “why?” to trigger growth.

This highlights the transformative role of executive coaching in challenging the assumptions and beliefs that may limit a new leader's growth. It resonates with the idea that leadership is not a one-size-fits-all role, especially in sectors like education where the transition from teaching to leadership demands a significant shift in skill sets. In my experience as a coach, I've observed a crucial aspect of leadership development is for leaders, particularly new ones, to cultivate and lead with their own unique style. The word "should" (which can sometimes come up when listening to a client) often carries the weight of traditional expectations and stereotypes about leadership, but it's essential for leaders to break free from these molds.

New leaders have new standards of behavior, focus and conversation. In moments of stress new leaders, like all humans, revert to the behaviors that have brought them success in the past. New leaders working well with a coach who helps them assess their new growth areas and gaps relative to their new position. Then works with them to make changes. We all work with assumptions in order to make sense and make our way in the world. New leaders carry the leadership burden of being the guide+ for their team and organization. Old assumptions must be challenged to better serve.

As a coach, challenging the new leader's assumptions can help them expand their thinking frames and decision abilities. This has a significant role in helping them shift their mindset and help them feel more resourceful in their new role. It also helps them discover their blindspots and biases. Using the power of questions can help to lead the leader to reflective thinking and to take perspective to expand their viewpoints.

One approach I’ve taken in challenging assumptions is specifically related to asking questions about the client’s views on whether stakeholder relationships may change and whether overt conversations would be beneficial. In some cases the assumption that such conversations would not be useful uncovers some interesting beliefs about to what degree the client values interpersonal skills and relationships.

Together with the new leader, we set clear and specific goals that are aligned with their role and the organization's expectations. These goals are often framed within the SMART goal framework to ensure they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. I also work with new leaders to create accountability structures, ensuring they follow through on their commitments and take responsibility for their growth and the outcomes of their teams. Eventually, I like to work with the client to establish support systems within the organization, such as mentors or peer networks, to provide additional perspectives and guidance.

Support new leaders in their successes, but also their failures. Help them to understand that mistakes and mis-steps are *part* of their development, not outside of it.

Theory without practice is like a compass without a map. Effective coaching doesn't just end with insights; it extends to actionable strategies and support for implementation. Encouraging new leaders to translate learning into tangible actions fosters skill mastery and real-world impact.

I will always be clear with my clients - 100% expect Tough Goals & Tender Guidance. Adopting a mindset of continuous progress is essential. ?? By encouraging my clients to see action as an iterative process. Mistakes are merely feedback, not setbacks. My support will be as dynamic as their action plan, adapting to their needs and the lessons learned along the way.

Sometimes new leaders need permission to make mistakes. They might get stuck with "analysis paralysis", or fear that they will make an error. One of a leader's most crucial jobs is to give cover for their team to operate and learn with psychological safety.

As any seasoned leader knows, the “why”(mission and purpose) should not be compromised. But the “how” is bendable, and requires agility. Similarly, the coach begins the journey with a plan on how to enable the client (coachee) to unlock their true potential, to grow and achieve their goals. But sometimes the coach needs to pivot on how to get there. Teachers call this the ‘teachable moment’, where a question is asked or a comment made by a student, causing an ‘aha moment’. The teacher pushes aside the lesson plan and leverages the moment. And often the learnings that follow are remarkable! Coaches need to be prepared to push the agenda aside and pivot during those “coachable moments”. The growth that can follow is game-changing.

The review phase in executive coaching is not just a formality; it's a pivotal moment of growth for both the coach and the leader. By actively engaging in this reflective practice, we unlock a deeper understanding of our impact and areas for refinement. It's akin to what John Dewey once said, "We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience." This process is critical not only for the leader's development but also for the coach's evolution.

Continuous improvement is the hallmark of great leadership. Regularly revisiting goals, outcomes, and strategies allows new leaders to reflect on progress, celebrate successes, and recalibrate as needed. This iterative process cultivates a growth mindset and ensures sustained development.

Actually I don't.. I meet each coachee (new, midlevel or senior) on their own terms, in their current reality.. Help them identify where they are and where they wish to go. I also ensure they can personalise their plan for their persónality and contextualise it for their reality

As most new leaders have never worked with an executive coach before, they are very often not really familiar with how the process works...and where the responsibilities for success begin and end. So, I always make sure that they understand this important insight: In an executive coaching engagement, the greatest growth occurs not IN the sessions...but IN BETWEEN the sessions. In other words...it's up to THEM to do their homework and apply on the job the learnings from the coaching sessions. Just as working with a personal trainer once a week will not get you in shape if you continue to eat poorly and don't work out in between sessions, it is up to the coachee to take ownership of and drive their own personal and professional development.

In leadership coaching, the shift from standardized programs to customized pathways is not just a trend but a fundamental approach to fostering authentic, impactful leadership. Embracing the wisdom of Bruce Lee, who advocated for the personalization of knowledge—"Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own"—this philosophy resonates deeply within the realm of executive coaching.

Coaching involves transferring knowledge and skills from one person to another to bridge the gap. However, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. To effectively coach someone, you must first assess their current state and tailor a coaching plan that meets their specific needs. It is crucial to maintain constant communication with them throughout the coaching process to ensure they reach their desired goals.

To further customize coaching for new leaders, incorporate immersive experiences such as shadowing seasoned executives, participating in leadership simulations, or engaging in peer mentoring circles to provide diverse perspectives and hands-on learning opportunities tailored to their unique leadership journey.