Stop working more hours

I know for so many of you reading these emails you are highly capable and aspire to progress in your roles and careers. So, I think you probably relate to the fact that, as we get promoted and take on more responsibilities, it can be hard to know how to step up into these new roles. It can be hard to make the leadership leap! Especially as we become more senior, when your productivity as a manager relies on the productivity of your whole team or influencing those around you.??It’s not like anyone gives us the blueprint that says ‘STOP’ doing this and ‘START’ doing this!?

Working more hours isn’t the solution?

In my experience, what then plays out is we add more hours in. We keep doing some of the things from our old role (as we know how to do those things, we may get meaning from them, they give us results), and we start getting busy with new tasks we think we should be doing, and we throw ourselves into ‘supporting the team’...sound familiar?? As tempting as it may be, working more hours isn't the solution! ? Full disclosure here, as I began my leadership journey, I fell into this trap. The trap of putting out fires and stepping in and picking up the slack of those around me when I could see they were struggling. Originally this worked, I felt good about supporting them and I thought that’s what a good leader did… but ultimately, I taught them to be too reliant on me. The result? Increased hours, pressure, and in my case burnout that ultimately had me step away from my career and if I’m honest with you, it limited them. It didn’t teach them to do their own thinking and be confident in themselves and their own ability.???

Let my long road be your short road??

If you recognise some of the traits above in you or, have ever found yourself jumping in and fixing something when it’s not where it needs to be because “it’s just easier”...but deep down you know that you are eroding accountability. You know that you should be playing the long game of teaching and coaching others to re-do the work for their own growth…?? What I know now is that the only way to lead from a place of energy, in a way that lights you up and makes you excited for your career progression vs dreading it is to empower others.???

Becoming a great leader vs burnt-out manager / do-er ?

It's about not getting stuck in the doing. You need to be able to manage your team without feeling the need to jump in and do everything for them. It's about releasing some control, trusting your team, delegating effectively and leading them through the process. ??

And the most effective way to do this is by coaching your team. According to the ICF Global Coaching Study 70% of those who received workplace coaching had a noticeable increase in work performance, with 72% showing improved communication skills and 67% had improved work-life balance. It also had the added benefit of higher levels of collaboration and accountability.???? ??

Whether you are looking to create a cultural shift, to performance manage, or to create team driven accountability so you aren't running around putting out fires, coaching is the one skill you need to master. ?? It truly is the skill that separates a manager from a leader and is needed more than ever in the workplace.???

So, what are the skills that will help you coach your employees????

3-Critical Skills That Will Help You Become A Great Coach: ??

1. Creating Psychological Safety??? To help lead your team through any situation you need to understand what's really going on for them. Being the person that they can come to about anything whether they are struggling to meet a deadline or have factors outside of work that might be impacting their performance requires one crucial thing, confidentiality. We must make sure what is talked about in the room stays in the room. By creating this kind of trusting connection your team are more likely to come to you early allowing you to work together to spot any roadblocks and effectively remove them before they become an issue.?? ?
2. Learn to listen beyond the words??I’m channelling my good friend, listening expert, and fellow coach Oscar Trimboli who said, “Leaders who are able to transform everyone’s thinking are listening for the gaps – what’s absent and what’s not being said”. He goes on to say “Most people speak at 125 words per minute and our mind can process 400 words per minute. The simplest way to close the gap between the two during a dialogue is by regularly exploring the space or the gap between what they want to say and what they actually said”. This opens new ideas and ways of thinking that can stretch and grow your team or those around you beyond what they thought was possible.??? ?
3. Behavioural Flexibility is King!??? Coaching requires not just effective communication but also an ability to meet an individual where they are at. It’s about shifting your attention from yourself and focusing whole-heartedly on the other person. It’s about getting curious about their preferred communication style and adapting your style to meet them where they are at. The whole game is supporting others to fire up their own thinking and make sense of what they need to achieve in their own mind and in their own way. With this clarity comes true empowerment of others. Not only is this skill good for leading your team, but also for engaging a more complex range of stakeholders which becomes an increase priority as you climb further in your career.???

The final skill of course is to actually learn the process of coaching. It’s not just about asking good quality questions it’s about guiding an individual to define the real challenge they face and author their own solution to get there. And it’s like anything, it requires practice.??

These are just a few steps you can take to start leading by coaching and I hope this has proven helpful and thought-provoking today.?? If you are still reading and you want to go deeper…then please see my invitation to you below.?

Come and join me for our latest Luminous Coffee Conversation!?

This is the session open to all managers and leaders who need a safe space to talk?about the hot topics and challenges you're facing right now.?

It’s part coaching conversation, part wisdom share, and importantly tools to make real changes in your life and work.?

And right now, it’s that time of year when things speed up and we get stuck in the cycle of busy. Our north star or sense of purpose tends to disappear only to be replaced with the grind! And spoiler alert, in my experience, if we are not feeling purposeful and talking about it regularly with our teams, chances are they are not feeling it either...?

Do you relate to this? Could you do with a moment to get re-connected to you and back to what you love? If you are a ‘hell yes’ on this then you won’t want to miss this latest Luminous Coffee conversation where I’ll be sparking the conversation around:??

Purpose: What it is and how to create more of it in our day to day.?

We’ll be talking about;?

• Why purpose can feel hard to find and difficult to retain?
• Why having a sense of leadership purpose is crucial to build engaged and happy teams?
• What I believe purpose really is hint: little ‘p’ vs big ‘P’?
• The 4-steps that can hold the key to unlocking more day-to-day purpose for you (and your team)?
• How to start a purpose-led conversation to re-connect your team ?

So please do come and join me and the fabulous, like-minded leaders who follow our work, for a thought-provoking and open conversation designed to leave you with practical tools and feeling inspired and energized.?

When: 13th of October, 8:30 to 9:30 AM AEST, live via Zoom?

What to bring: BYO tea or coffee of your choice and an open mind!?

RSVP HERE

Love to see you there!?