Stoicism vs Helping Hand - Knowing When to Seek Help As A Leader

In many of the businesses that I work with, May has seen large volumes of people struggle with cold/flu/ COVID and needing to take some time off to recover. I also have a 'friend' who took some time off and tried to deal with their illness all by themselves, not seeking the help of a doctor. Only after 2 weeks of feeling crappy and working through at half pace did they seek out help and - guess what - symptoms started to dissipate and they started feeling better.

What is it about some leaders that understand the need for help, assistance and time off for their people, but not themselves? I - I mean my 'friend' - can be just as susceptible to trying to struggle through things by myself, when help is easily at hand - if only I put my hand up to ask for it.

The same can be said for seeking out an Executive or Leadership coach when your performance has hit a plateau - or you just don't know what to do with a given situation. Leaders of small and medium sized businesses often find themselves wearing multiple hats, juggling myriad responsibilities to ensure success. As a small business expert and leadership coach, I understand the challenges that come with leading your business through difficult times - as well as the desire to want to be able to do it all yourself. After all, you are the leader and it is your responsibility - right?

So,

“How do I know if I need a leadership coach?”

Let's look at some of the signs that may suggest it is the right time to invest in a leadership coach for you (and your small business).

1. Feeling Stuck or Overwhelmed:

If you’re finding it challenging to move your business forward or are constantly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of decisions on your plate, it might be time for a leadership coach. A coach can provide fresh perspectives, helping you identify and overcome obstacles that may be holding back your progress. It can be incredibly hard to analysis your own strengths, weaknesses and blind spots on your own; a leadership coach can work with you on all three and help you work out where you are getting in your own way.

Often, just having to present your idea / argument / perspective to someone else can iron out that 'stuck point' you couldn't get past on your own.

2. Lack of Clarity in Vision and Strategy:

Successful leaders have a clear vision and strategy for their business and for themselves. If you’re struggling to articulate your vision or are unsure about the strategic direction of your company (or yourself), a leadership coach can guide you in clarifying your goals and developing a roadmap for success.

A good coach will challenge and foster discussion as you 'blow up the balloon' of a new idea in its embrionic stage, rather than 'bursting the balloon' with everything that could go wrong before it has fully formed. Sometimes you need someone to work with you wearing a yellow or a green hat before the black hat cuts it all down.

3. Communication Challenges:

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful leadership. If you’re facing challenges in conveying your ideas to your team, experiencing breakdowns in team communication, or grappling with how to have difficult conversations with others, a leadership coach can provide valuable insights, communication strategies and opportunities to learn, practice and deliver effective communication with your team.

In difficult conversations, one activity I ask my clients to do is to write down 'their 50%' of the difficult conversation they want to have with someone. Just the act of writing it down clarifies a few things. Having to read it out and share it just with me - before the real conversation - not only provides practice in delivery, but also allows us both to listen for any 'verbal landmines' that might be there. Verbal landmines - the things that make sense to you in your head, but when you say them out loud just sound judgemental, combative or more harsh than you intended, which could then blow up in your face if you actually said them.

4. High Employee Turnover:

A revolving door of employees can be a red flag for leadership issues. A hard question to ask (and answer) on your own is – is my leadership style part of the problem?? If your team is experiencing high turnover, it’s crucial to assess your leadership style and effectiveness. A leadership coach can be open, candid, empathetic and non-judgmental – in a way that your team or peers may not be - and help you identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to foster a positive and engaging workplace culture.

5. Struggling with Delegation:

Many small business owners find it difficult to delegate tasks, through fear of losing of control or just never having had to focus on it before. However, effective delegation is key to scaling a business. If you’re struggling with letting go or finding the right balance in delegation, a leadership coach can provide guidance on building a high-performing team and help you (and the team) perform more efficiently and effectively. Sometimes it just takes someone to share an alternative way of doing things - that has either worked for them or for other clients going through exactly the same thing.

Knowing where you should best spend your time - rather than where you enjoy spending your time - can be very hard to determine on your own. Knowing also what plays to your strengths and adds value, rather than what plays to your weaknesses and sucks valuable time and energy, is also hard to do on your own.

The funny part of this problem is - so many of the leaders that can assess and provide very good solutions for their team members fail to do it for themselves.

6. Lack of Personal and Professional Development:

Leadership is an ongoing journey of growth and learning. If you feel stagnant in your personal and professional development, a coach can help you set goals, uncover your strengths and weaknesses, and create a plan for continuous improvement that invigorates both you and the team that you lead.

A good leadership coach should not only love what they do, they should live, eat and breath leadership discussions, fresh leadership ideas and new content.

Happily (or sadly - depending on your perspective) I love reading, listening and talking about leadership. Sharing the highlights of a John Maxwell podcast with several clients last week - discussing the pro's and con's of the statement 'We do hard things so we can do harder things' - had leaders and executives thinking about various aspects of their business and their leadership that they certainly wouldn't have without the stimulus of the discussion. (More on that in another post - there is quite a lot to unpack when it comes to hard and harder things!)

7. Performance Plateau:

Did you start 2024 flatter than you ended 2023? Are you cruising or flailing as we get closer to the end of the financial year? If you or your business has hit a performance plateau or is experiencing a decline, it’s time to reassess your leadership strategies. A leadership coach can help you identify areas for improvement, develop innovative solutions, and reignite the momentum needed for growth.

Is It Time To Question?

Maybe it is a conversation. Maybe it is looking for a different perspective on a problem. Maybe it is looking for suggestions on how to manage the much larger team than you had last year. Recognising the signs that you need a leadership coach is the first step toward actually having an impact on you and your performance. But - coming back to my 'friend' I mentioned at the start of this article - how long are you willing to wait before you simply put up your hand and say 'can we have a look at this together'?

The more uncomfortable question you may also ask - are your team members willing to wait as long as you before you do something about it? Leadership action - and inaction - isn't all about you. As a leader though - it does start with you, and the difference being stoic or seeking a helping hand may make a big difference for you and your team.

This Sounds Like Me and My Business – What Next?

Did any of the 7 points listed above sound like you? If so, you don’t have to work through it alone! You also don’t have to jump in feet first and hire a leadership coach before you know if it will be useful (or cost effective). There are two simple and easy options to get started without a financial commitment:

1. Book in a short strategy call with a coach. Every good leadership coach will take a call to discuss a problem. If their approach to dealing with the problem feels right for you, discuss what a coaching program can look like with them. You don't have to leap in without
2. Complete a leadership assessment. I use the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint as a way of determining a leader’s strengths and areas of development. It can help you work out what specific areas you might need some help with, and whether a leadership coach is the right option to address it. It is free, easy and people say the debrief alone was worth completing to get started on addressing some leadership deficiencies.
3. Try a coaching session! Many people have opinions about coaching, and just as many don't know what they don't know. If one or more of the 7 issues above is impacting you or your business, investigate whether this is one way to address it.

Leading a small business is hard enough – there is no need to do it all on your own.