Leaders don’t need to become coaches! Controversial I know, coming from someone who trains coaches to qualification level, so bear with me on this…
There is a perception among many leaders, organisations and training establishments that coaching in organisations means that their leaders need to be trained and potentially qualified as a coach. There is a certain mindset around the whole organisational coaching picture. The challenge for leaders is they have a ‘1001’ things to do in their roles. Whilst the ability to support and enable the performance and development of their people is a critical one. The ability to coach their people is still amongst these other ‘1001’ things.
A leader’s primary role is to lead. To lead, supported and enabled by a core set of coaching skills. Whilst a coaching qualification is a fantastic achievement and ticket to have, it isn’t a pre-requisite as a leader. Sometimes, as we will see later, working towards a qualification can be counter-productive.
A leader needs a strong set of coaching skills. The ability to understand, use and apply coaching fundamentals within their role for the benefit
So what exactly do leaders need around coaching?
Leaders need several things around coaching, which need to be more holistically considered by L&D teams and organisations.
Coaching skills development
Exposure and investment in quality coaching skills development. Understand what coaching is and how it is diametrically opposite to their traditional ‘telling’ approaches. Practicing effective listening and purposeful questioning, experiencing the power of both. Enabled to bring structure to a coaching conversation. Being able to practically apply it in a range of employee conversations. Within the training, the opportunity to practice and receive feedback on their peer’s experiences is critical. Developing the confidence and competence around their skills. An opportunity to discuss at the very least, how to use their coaching skills in a range of business/employee situations.
Within the skills development, leaders need time to play, practice and reflect on their newly developed skills and behaviours. This can be built into the coaching skills development activity and time frame.
Support
Simply training leaders and putting them out there to coach others is not going to endear leaders to take to coaching like a ‘duck to water’. Support can take a few angles. Regular communications around coaching, check ins with leaders are great and quick but transactional.
The organisation which can incorporate coaching language and reference into strategies, policies and processes is also providing support to these coaching leaders. Making coaching structural and systemic in this way within organisations, means that leaders will need to use their coaching skills more frequently. This usage keeps it present as part of everyday leadership activities.
Accountability
If an organisation invests in coaching skills development for their people, it naturally has the expectation that the investment is realised and the skills are used. Simply letting nature take its course won’t encourage and build accountability around their use.
The creation of competencies, objectives or KPIs for leaders and their use of coaching brings these skills front and centre. It makes coaching a component of organisational behaviour and performance.
Challenges around training to a qualification standard for most leaders as coaches.
Don’t get me wrong, I am an absolute believer in working towards and achieving a coaching qualification, where appropriate. The personal learning curve around it is tremendous. The self-awareness and growth achieved is in many ways unrivalled. A coaching qualification is unlike any other qualification a person will have undertaken, the theory, practice, reflection and the application required is transformational.
As I have written before one of the key challenges is that most candidates and organisations underestimate the amount of time required to complete even a level 3 coaching or mentoring qualification. So, the non-completion rate is high, simply because of this reason.
Also, the developing coach requires the engagement of at least 3 clients to coach and work with to work with over a few months. It requires coordination of multiple calendars and the coaching has to be seen as a priority for all. This sometimes can be challenging, especially where the clients might be external. Otherwise, the process will drag on.
The reality of some coaching development, especially around coaching, is that there is content within it, which the leader will never use within their roles. Indeed, some of the content will be sidelined within days of being trained in it. The development needs to be streamlined and tailored to meet organisational need and focus.
What does all this mean for organisations?
Organisations should and need to train their leaders (and others) in coaching skills. Some people even to qualification level. However, any development should be in the context of a wider plan or even strategy around coaching in the organisation. This will bring structure, meaningfulness and more of an embracing by all concerned. Showing that the organisation is serious around its coaching intentions.
Those implementing coaching in their organisations need to be clear around the purpose and messaging surrounding their initiative. This messaging should be consistent throughout and be seen to be supported by senior leaders. Even better if they can take part in the coaching skills development.
If this holistic approach is not embraced, then coaching will be a failed organisational initiative, and leaders will not prioritise their coaching skills within their ‘1001’ things to do.
Abintus, what we can do for you
- We can help diagnose your organisation’s readiness for coaching, as well as audit your current offerings around coaching to help take them to the next level.
- Abintus can train your coaches to an exceptional standard, building in your localised needs and challenges. Ensuring your coaching content makes a difference to coaches and the organisation
- We can provide coaching CPD and supervision to your coaches. Offering support and a safe place for your coaches to discuss their coaching and experiences.
- We can ‘coach your coaches’ to enhance their confidence and competence in their coaching activities.
- Check out our coaching support and CPD activities we can offer you here.
Nick Howell is a qualified coach, supervisor, facilitator and assessor. Working with organisations across all sectors. He is also the author of best selling book, ‘Great Coaching Questions’.