Great leaders must be great coaches

IF YOU WANT TO BE A GREAT LEADER, YOU MUST BE A GREAT COACH

I read this great article written by Matthew Royse and want to share it today ...

People today want to work for leaders who coach them

“The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they eventually surpass him or her in knowledge and ability.” – Fred A Manske Jr, a business executive, and author.

The best leaders act as coaches.??Influential leaders build trust, put the right people in the right roles, and help people rally around the company and team’s vision.

Leaders who are coaches stretch people, push them outside their comfort one and help their team grow personally and professionally.

Successful leaders are great coaches.??They are more than their job title.??They are more than just a figurehead.??

“Coaching is designed to be the leadership approach of the 21st?century.” – James Belasco, an author.

Just like the best athletes seek out the best coaches, the best employees seek out the best leaders.

People today want to work for leaders who coach them to reach their potential and turn them into leaders.

There are five reasons why the best leaders are the best coaches:?

1. They Encourage their Team to Play to their Strengths

"Coaching is unlocking a person's potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them. - "Timothy Gallwey, an author?

Great leaders know and understand their team member's strengths. They know their team doesn't need things done but apply their strengths.

As a leader, I have found that doing this helps your team stay focused and perform better in their jobs because they are playing to their strengths.

Leaders, who are coaches, help their team manage their time and energy, enabling them to work smarter, not harder, or longer. They know the motivations of their team and organize their team where each team member plays to their strengths.

Great leaders who are great coaches work hard to ensure their people are inspired and energized about their jobs. Coaching leaders put their team in a position where they will succeed in their work. They want their entire team to tap into their strengths and feel empowered to make great decisions.

2. They Build Trust

"Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team."??- John Maxwell, an American author, speaker, and pastor

Coaching leaders care about their team and work hard to build understanding and trust. When a leader cares, employees will fully engage in their work. Great leaders open up to their employees and provide greater access than leaders in earlier generations.??As a result of social media giving people the ability to talk to anyone, employees expect more "face time" with leaders. As a leader, I work hard to ensure I don't miss one-on-one meetings with my team.?

Today, employees can determine if a leader is a phony and are not interested in working for disingenuous leaders. Employees demand that they relate to their leaders. They want leaders who are authentic and genuine.???

Leaders who are coaches care about the employee beyond work and work hard to build trust. Employees know whether their leader cares about them and has their best interests at heart.

3. They Challenge their Team to Perform at a Higher Level

"People don't mind being challenged to do better if they know the request is coming from a caring heart. "Ken Blanchard, an American author, business consultant, and motivational speaker

Great leaders challenge their people to perform at the highest level and provide guidance to improve performance. Just like the best athletes search for coaches that will challenge them to reach their full potential, employees seek out leaders to do the same.?

Coaching leaders work hard to build future leaders?

High-performing employees want to be challenged and seek leaders who don't make it easy for them. Employees want to work for leaders who provide constructive feedback, set high standards and use measurable goals.

Coaching leaders are comfortable pushing their teams past their limits to grow personally and professionally. I have found as a leader that coaching and mentoring go hand and hand.

4. They Unite Their Team Around Vision, Purpose, and Values

"Leadership, like coaching, is fighting for the hearts and souls of people and getting them to believe in you." - Eddie Robinson, an American football coach

Coaching leaders ensure employees align with the company's vision, purpose, and values. In larger organizations, some employees struggle to connect their personal purpose with the company's purpose. They may also feel disconnected from the company's vision and daily duties.?

Leaders who are coaches make purpose, vision, and values relatable to their team and their daily work. They bridge the gaps with transparency, openness, and context. The best leaders know their team will go the extra mile when they work for more than just their paycheck and believe in something greater than themselves.?

5.??They help solve Problems

"Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.” -??John Maxwell

Great leaders help their teams solve problems. They offer up ideas on how to tackle challenges. They help their teams become better problem solvers.?

Coaching leaders have an open mind and are curious about challenges.??They succeed in uncertainty because they know there could be many different probabilities and risks associated with exploring new ideas. Great leaders have an insatiable appetite to ask questions to solve a problem.?

The best leaders know that getting the proper perspective on a problem is critical and that the problem cannot be clearly defining the problem.

As a leader, I have found that sometimes employees try to solve for X when they should be solving for Y.??By guiding them toward identifying the right problem, they can better address an issue that was bothering them.?

Coaching leaders help their teams realize there are many ways to look at a problem. They are also good storytellers; storytelling helps recognize gaps or problems in understanding the problem.?

Bringing It All Together

There are five reasons why great leaders are great coaches.?

Coaching leaders encourage their team to play?to their strengths, build trust, challenge them to perform at a higher level, unite their team around vision, purpose, and values, and help solve problems.

Coaching has become a vital leadership skill. Leaders today must encourage a teamwork-oriented workplace where they have excellent relationships with the people they lead.??The leadership model is changing to where the best leaders are the best coaches. That's today's winning formula.

"Coaching is one of the most effective leadership styles that can transform, empower and unlock people's potential. Ask more, give advice less, and elevate your impact forever."??- Farshad Asl, an author, and speaker

Written by @Matthew Royse

https://matthewroyse.com