How do today’s leaders fare in a rapidly changing and increasingly complex environment? How can they surpass themselves, and find new ways to adapt to this new reality? Currently, those who choose to assume a role of influence and a position of leadership, whether they are managers or not, need support, and privileged moments of reflection, to put themselves into action in spheres never explored. One of the tools available to them is coaching. Whether it’s for an experienced leader or an emerging leader, calling on a coach means bringing in a partner for success.
What is coaching?
But what is it exactly? How do you define it in a leadership development context? Let’s first look at these few definitions, gleaned from the literature available on the subject.
Executive coaching is a collaboration that stresses the actions our customers intend to take to get their desires, goals, and vision. Coaching boosts issues leading customers to uncover themselves, which enhances their level of responsibility and awareness. They benefit from an accompaniment structure, support, and a valuable source of feedback. The coaching process helps clients set and achieve their professional and personal goals faster and easier than would be possible without the intervention of a coach.
The training workshop aims to announce the possibility to bring it to its optimum level of performance. It is a question of teaching the client to learn by himself, rather than having him integrate external knowledge.
The coaching process is based on a partnership and a relationship of trust between the coach and his coach. The coach is responsible for his development and the achievement of his objectives. The coach is essentially a trigger who, thanks to his training and experience, leads the coach to exploit his full potential and undertake actions that will promote his development. It is a rational approach borrowing its foundations from psychology as well as from the sciences of communication, from the systemic approach or the psycho-sociology of organizations.
What are the types of coaching?
There are several types of coaching. Among those that are mainly used in a professional context, we find:
- executive coaching (senior executives) which is aimed at senior leaders of organizations.
- management coaching, used with mid-level managers, particularly those with high potential.
- integration (first 90-100 days).
- career for people facing a professional situation that requires a new look at their career.
- team coaching targets the performance of the team and its proper functioning.
- group coaching, halfway between individual and team, is aimed at developing shared solutions for similar individual objectives.
- business coaching for entrepreneurs.
What are the benefits of coaching?
Although it is difficult to accurately calculate the return on investment (ROI) of coaching. There are tangible and observable benefits to be gained from it. According to a study carried out by the ICF with people.
The establishment of SMART2 coaching objectives with specific indicators contributes concretely to the materialization of these benefits.
Why hire a coach?
A person may want to be coached for different reasons, for example when they are not satisfied with the status quo or when they want to change something or develop new habits. The coaching support allows the coach to obtain lasting results efficiently and quickly.
Just like the sports coach, the professional coach sees the areas for improvement in his coach. He highlights them by showing them to the coach. Through bold questions, constructive feedback, and requests that encourage reflection and action as well as attentive listening, the coach arouses reflections and insights leading his coach to self-discovery and enhancing as well as its level of awareness and responsibility.
How can coaching be a lever in leadership development?
Leadership, simply defined, is the ability to influence. The best leaders know themselves well and are aware of the effect they have on others. They know their strengths and weaknesses. They know how to surround themselves well in order to complement. Their strengths with those of other people in the company. They show great openness. And know how to adapt their leadership style according to the situations they face or according to the people they wish to influence.
Coaching is mainly based on the awareness of the executive coach which allows him to question his modes of operation, know his strengths, accept his weak points, and adapt. As a result, coaching directly targets the qualities of a good leader. This is why coaching, made available to leaders, is a very powerful development tool.
