Manager as Coach OR: Leading with Coaching III

What skills did you focus on last week???What helped you to keep the morale high in your team? What helped you in developing a more coachlike approach to your leadership style? What worked for you, and with what have you struggled??What tips could you share with others to improve employee engagement and retention??

After focusing on the topic of Manager as Coach at the beginning of this month and getting more evident on the difference between leading and coaching, learning techniques and tips on how to inspire and motivate as a leader, we continued after that?with people-focused reasons like increased engagement, improved morale, and retention for using coaching skills to be a great leader. And this week, we continue?with some?“typical” coaching skills such as communication, accountability, and problem-solving.?

These are the core skills for me where I could write hours and hours, essay after essay, so this is the biggest challenge here for me to give you good content in a good enough depth without losing myself in writing half a thesis…

Let’s dive right into?Communication:?Coaches who listen actively and provide feedback can help employees better understand their own communication style and improve their ability to communicate effectively with others.

We often hear that communication is a vital leadership skill. What do we mean by this???Communication is how leaders connect with their teams and convey their vision, goals, and expectations.

And please remember:?You cannot not communicate!

Effective communication:

·???????enables leaders to inspire and motivate their employees,?

·???????build trust,?

·???????resolve conflicts, and?

·???????establish clear expectations.

By listening actively, speaking clearly, and using appropriate nonverbal cues, leaders can ensure that their message is understood and that their team members feel valued and heard.?

Good communication also fosters?

·???????a positive work culture?

·???????encourages feedback, and?

·???????promotes collaboration,?

All of which are essential for achieving shared goals and driving organizational success.

Let me share with you an example of how one leader showed effective communication:?

During a team meeting, Sharon, their leader, notices that one of her team members, John, seems disengaged and not participating in the discussion. After the meeting, Sharon approaches John and asks if everything is all right, and John responds that he's been overwhelmed with his workload and struggling to keep up.

Sharon listens actively to John's concerns, acknowledges the difficulty of the situation, and expresses empathy for him and his situation. Sharon then asks questions to understand better the specific challenges John is facing and offers support and resources to help him manage his workload. Sharon also makes a plan with John to follow up regularly and check in on his progress.

Why is this an example of effective communication??

??Sharon used a couple of coaching skills – actually, the two pillars of coaching, and I’d say of every good conversation: she listened actively and followed up with meaningful questions.?

??She was attentive to her team members' needs and willing to take action to support them.?

??She acknowledged his concerns and offered support and resources.?

??And with this, Sharon built trust and showed that she cares about their team members' well-being, which, as we saw last week, will lead to improved team morale, increased productivity, and better overall performance.

??If she had not communicated effectively, the chances are high that this could lead to misunderstandings,?

??decreased productivity,?

??negative work culture,?

??high turnover rates,?

??conflicts,?

??delays in decision-making, and?

??ultimately harm the organization's bottom line and the well-being of its employees.

??Isn’t this a good enough reason to work on your communication skills?

Let’s see why?accountability?is a good reason to use coaching skills as a leader. In general, we see accountability as a critical leadership skill because?

·???????it helps to establish trust and credibility with team members, customers, and stakeholders.?

·???????When leaders take responsibility for their actions and decisions, they demonstrate their commitment to transparency and integrity, which can improve their reputation and help build strong relationships with others.?

·???????Being accountable also involves setting clear expectations and following through on commitments, which can help to establish a culture of reliability and trust within the organization.?

·???????Additionally, holding others accountable can help promote a sense of ownership and responsibility among team members, leading to improved performance and better outcomes.?

Accountability is essential for effective leadership, as it promotes transparency, trust, and a culture of excellence.

Let me share with you an example of how one leader showed great accountability:?

Julia, CEO of a company, announces an ambitious revenue target for the year. However, midway through the year, it becomes apparent that the company will not meet this target. Julia takes responsibility for the missed target and acknowledges that they may have been too optimistic about the company's performance. Julia then communicates a revised plan to address the shortfall, which includes making tough decisions about expenses and reallocating resources.

How is this an example of great accountability???

??Julia acknowledged the missed target and took responsibility for it.?

??She could have blamed external factors, such as market conditions or unexpected events, but instead chose to take ownership of the situation.?

??By doing so, Julia demonstrates leadership and builds trust and credibility with stakeholders, who are more likely to view her as a responsible and reliable leader.

??Her willingness to communicate a revised plan also shows that she is committed to finding a solution to the problem and is not simply trying to avoid responsibility.?

??This can help build confidence in Julia’s leadership and improve the organization's overall performance.

??If she would not take accountability in this situation as a leader, chances are high that this can lead to a lack of trust, respect, and motivation among team members.?

??A lack of clear direction, goals, and expectations, can lead to confusion, missed opportunities, and poor performance.?

??also, without accountability, there may be a lack of consequences for poor performance or unethical behavior, which can create a toxic work environment and damage the organization's reputation.?

??Therefore, leaders need to prioritize accountability and set an example for their team members to follow.

And with this, we come to the third skill of today:?Problem-Solving, and the question of why this is a good skill.

Problem-solving better enables leaders to?identify and address complex challenges?effectively. Leaders who are skilled at problem-solving can?make sound decisions?that are?based on critical thinking, analysis, and creativity. Effective problem-solving also involves considering multiple perspectives, gathering and evaluating information, and developing and implementing practical and sustainable solutions.?

By improving their problem-solving skills, leaders can?

·???????enhance their ability to navigate uncertainty,?

·???????respond to changing circumstances, and?

·???????overcome obstacles that may arise.?

Moreover, better problem-solving can improve organizational performance by enabling leaders to address issues before they become major problems,?

·???????reduce inefficiencies, and?

·???????enhance innovation and creativity.?

Effective problem-solving is a critical leadership skill that can help organizations succeed in a fast-paced, complex, and competitive environment.?

Let me share with you an example of how one leader demonstrated how he did solve a problem:

Peter, a team lead in a software development company, is struggling to meet project deadlines. He is known for his good problem-solving skills and takes a proactive approach to addressing the issue. How does he do this? He begins by analyzing the project timeline and identifying areas where the team falls behind.

After identifying the problem areas, Peter develops a plan to address the issue. The plan involves reallocating resources, breaking down complex tasks into smaller ones, and implementing a more collaborative work process. And finally, Peter communicates the plan to the team, outlining the steps that will be taken and soliciting feedback.

In what ways was Peter a good example of a leader who demonstrated good problem-solving skills??

??He started with a methodical approach to problem-solving and?

??addressed the root causes of the problem, which helped him to be able to meet project deadlines effectively.

??The new plan not only helps the team to complete the project on time but?

??also enhances the quality of the product.?

??Moreover, Peter’s willingness to involve team members in the solution helps to build trust and respect, leading to a more positive and productive work environment.

The risks of Peter being unable to problem solve as a leader can have significant consequences for both him and the organization. The inability to solve problems can lead to?

??missed opportunities,?

??decreased productivity,?

??reduced morale,?

??lack of innovation,?

??poor decision-making,?

??indecisiveness, and?

??lack of action, all of which can?

??Ultimately, the inability to solve problems can hinder organizational performance and lead to negative outcomes, both in the short and long term.

Another week of Leading with Coaching is over, and I’m curious: what skills will you focus on this week? How do you communicate effectively? What qualifies you as a good problem-solver? What helped you this week in being even more accountable in your leadership style? What worked for you, and with what have you struggled??

“Great leaders lead with questions, not answers.”

And next week,?we will end this series with improved performance – how you as a leader can help your team to develop - and organizational success while building high-performing teams.?