Elevating Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Coaching Skills

I recently completed my coaching certification as a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) / ACC from the world’s most rigorous, respected, ICF -accredited coach training program at the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI). It was an absolutely life-changing and fulfilling experience that delved deep into the fascinating world of human behaviour.

The most enjoyable part of the Co-Active coaching journey for me as a coach is witnessing the awe-inspiring transformation and growth of my coachees. It's like watching a butterfly emerge from its cocoon! Nothing brings me greater joy than seeing individuals gain crystal-clear clarity, tap into their inner wisdom, and unleash their full potential. As a coach, I have the privilege of facilitating profound moments of self-realization and empowering my coachees to overcome challenges and achieve their wildest dreams. The dynamic and collaborative nature of Co-Active coaching creates a magical connection and trust between me and my coachee, making the journey immensely rewarding and fulfilling. It's the thrill of empowering others and being a catalyst for positive change that fills my heart with sheer delight throughout the Co-Active coaching journey.

Coaching skills are important for performing in leadership roles because they empower leaders to do exceptional work, gain new perspectives on everyday responsibilities, reduce narrow-minded thinking, and improve performance and communication (1, 2, 3, 4). Coaching can also help leaders to better understand their employees, the business, and the company’s overall goals (5). Additionally, coaching skills can directly impact productivity and the ultimate success of a team or company (6).

Some examples of coaching skills include empathy, curiosity, positivity, persistence, innovation, communication, sincerity, and guidance (7). Other critical coaching skills include active listening (8), asking powerful questions, providing feedback, goal setting and action planning.

To develop coaching skills, you can seek out a coach or mentor for yourself (10), attend workshops or training programs , read books on coaching and psychology (11), and practice coaching with others. It's important to never stop learning and to consistently improve your skills to stay relevant and deliver high-quality services (12).

Co-Active Coaching is a model of coaching that focuses on the whole person and emphasises the importance of the relationship between coach and coachee. The term "co-active" refers to the fundamental nature of a coaching relationship in which the coach and the client are active collaborators. In Co-Active Coaching, this relationship is an alliance between two equals for the purpose of meeting the client’s needs (13). It is based on the belief that people are naturally creative, resourceful, and entire and that they have the answers within them (14, 15).

The difference between Co-Active Coaching and other types of coaching is that Co-Active Coaching focuses on the whole person rather than just specific goals or problems. It emphasises connection, mutual empowerment, and respect for the values, emotions, and beliefs of both the client and the coach (16). In Co-Active Coaching, coaches provide a different level of support by listening actively through sensitive communication techniques like understanding body language, showing acceptance of others, and validating feelings which help to develop relationships with people effectively (17).

In a company context, executive coaching refers to a type of coaching that focuses on helping executives develop their leadership skills and achieve their professional goals. Meeting one-on-one with senior managers or leaders within an organization (such as a director, vice president, president, or member of the C-suite), the executive coach provides a safe, structured, and trustworthy environment in which to offer support for the individual (18). The coach also helps the leader understand their current competencies, see how they’re perceived by others, and focus on identifying and clarifying current goals as well as the appropriate action steps to reach those goals (19,20).

The difference between coaching, mentoring and advising is that coaching focuses on helping individuals find their own answers and solutions, while mentoring involves a more experienced individual providing guidance and advice. Advising involves providing expert advice or recommendations (22). Coaches work with clients in a collaborative process to help them maximize their personal and professional potential (23). Mentors offer informal advice to someone with less experience (24). Advisors provide recommendations on what should be done.

A coaching education can add to the personal development of a leader by helping them to improve their skills, gain new insights and perspectives, and develop greater self-awareness. Coaching can help leaders more accurately examine their weak points, and gain a better perspective about their abilities and how to better make use of them. Working with an executive coach can help those in leadership positions learn how to empower themselves and those on their teams (25). This can positively affect their leadership journey by enabling them to lead more effectively (26, 27, 28).

Coaching can positively impact the leadership journey by helping leaders to enhance their performance, gain a fresh perspective, and increase their confidence and job satisfaction. Coaching can help leaders more accurately examine their weak points, and gain a better perspective about their abilities and how to better make use of them. Working with an executive coach can help those in leadership positions learn how to empower themselves and those on their teams (25, 26). Coaching can also help leaders to communicate effectively and lead with empathy (29, 30, 31, 32).

In summary, coaching skills are essential for excelling in leadership roles. They can help leaders to better understand their employees, improve performance and communication, and achieve their goals. Leaders can develop their coaching skills by seeking out a coach or mentor, attending workshops or training programs, reading books on coaching and practising coaching with others.

So, dear leaders, I urge you to take a bold step forward and elevate your coaching skills to the next level. Invest in your personal development through coaching education. Start today, and witness the profound impact it will have on your leadership journey. Embrace the joy of empowering others, fostering growth, and creating a positive and thriving environment. Your team, your colleagues, and your entire organisation will thank you for it. The time is now. Embark on this incredible journey and unlock the limitless possibilities that are awaiting you!

And what is your experience with coaching in the workplace? I am happy to receive your comments!

#Leadership , #Coaching , #CoActiveCoaching , #ExecutiveCoaching , #PersonalDevelopment , #ProfessionalDevelopment , #LeadershipSkills , #Empowerment , #Growth , #Transformation

Here are some useful references to substantiate the topic:

(1) Why Is Leadership Coaching Important? | Insala Blog. https://www.insala.com/blog/why-is-leadership-coaching-important-the-5-key-benefits

(2) Coaching Skill For Managers: 6 Benefits You Need To Know. https://www.risely.me/coaching-an-important-skill-for-managers-and-leaders/

(3) Essential Coaching Skills for Strong Leadership | Indeed.com. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/coaching-skills

(4) Leaders Need Professional Coaching Now More Than Ever. https://hbr.org/sponsored/2021/03/leaders-need-professional-coaching-now-more-than-ever

(5) Why coaching matters in leadership development. https://www.roffeypark.ac.uk/knowledge-and-learning-resources-hub/why-coaching-matters-in-leadership-development/

(6) Must-Have Coaching Skills for Managers and Leaders - PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/coaching-skills-managers-leaders/

(7) Coaching Skills: Definition, Examples And How To Improve. https://in.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/coaching-skills

(8) 12 Coaching Skills That Make You A Good Coach - CleverMemo. https://clevermemo.com/blog/en/coaching-skills/

(9) 32+ Coaching Skills & Techniques for Successful Life Coaches. https://positivepsychology.com/coaching-skills-techniques/

10(12) Develop Your Coaching Skills - mapconsulting.com. https://www.mapconsulting.com/develop-your-coaching-skills/

(11) 21 Coaching Skills A Coach Needs For Success [Guide For 2023]. https://coachfoundation.com/blog/coaching-skills/

(12) How To Improve Your Coaching Skills: 6 Proven Methods - Thinkific. https://www.thinkific.com/blog/how-to-improve-your-coaching-skills/

(13) What is Co-Active coaching - garyhallcoaching. https://www.garyhallcoaching.com/what-is-co-active-coaching/

(14) Co-Active Coaching Model. https://coachfoundation.com/blog/co-active-coaching-model/

(15) What Is Co-Active? | Coach Training & Leadership Development. https://coactive.com/about/what-is-coactive

(16) Competence - Co-Active Coaching (CTI). https://www.competence.org/de/co-active/ .

(17) Co-Active Coaching is a relationship between client & coach - Sigsoog. https://www.sigsoog.com/Coaching-Co-Active-Coaching.php

(18) Coaching Styles Explained: 4 Different Approaches - PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/coaching-styles/ .

(19) What is Executive Coaching? | ATD. https://www.td.org/talent-development-glossary-terms/what-is-executive-coaching

(20) What is Executive Coaching? - Performance Consultants. https://www.performanceconsultants.com/what-is-executive-coaching

(21) Executive Coaching: Wie Manager an sich arbeiten - Karrierebibel. https://karrierebibel.de/executive-coaching/

(22) What is the difference between a coach, consultant, advisor or mentor?. https://www.assuredstrategy.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-coach-consultant-advisor-or-mentor/

(23) How Do Coaching, Mentoring, and Counseling Differ? - PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/coaching-mentoring-counseling/

(24) Mentoring, coaching, supervising: what’s the difference? - Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02656-7 .

(25) How Leadership Coaching Helps Give Leaders an Edge - BetterUp. https://www.betterup.com/blog/leadership-coaching

(26) Leaders Need Professional Coaching Now More Than Ever. https://hbr.org/sponsored/2021/03/leaders-need-professional-coaching-now-more-than-ever

(27) Effective Global Leaders Need to Be Culturally Competent. https://hbr.org/sponsored/2021/06/effective-global-leaders-need-to-be-culturally-competent

(28) Must-Have Coaching Skills for Managers and Leaders - PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/coaching-skills-managers-leaders/

(29) The Impact of Coaching on Leadership. https://blog.tldgroupinc.com/helm/the-impact-of-coaching-on-leadership

(30) The Leader as Coach - affecting organisational success and growth from .... https://www.thehrdirector.com/features/leadership/leader-coach-affecting-organisational-success-growth-place-curiosity-empathy/

(31) What is Leadership Coaching (And How to Use it For Career ... - Cleverism. https://www.cleverism.com/leadership-coaching-and-career-development/

(32) 4 Benefits of Coaching to Improve Performance | CCL. https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/coaching-to-improve-performance/ .