Most coaches are viewed as great leaders. However, not all leaders are good coaches. It takes a specific set of skills in order to become a great coach – and an effective leader. Discover the essential and effective coaching skills that executive leaders must possess in order to succeed.
Effective Coaching Skills Every Leader Must Possess
As more organizations are seeing the benefits of hiring a coach, they are also realizing the impact of incorporating coaching methodologies in their leadership management style. If you are one of these organizations, it pays to know what effective coaching skills form the core competencies of executive leaders.
1. Empathy
In order to become an effective leader, you must be empathic. Empathy is an important skill possessed by leaders and coaches alike. It is about building personal connections with those you work with (and for) without judgment or bias.
Leaders need to develop this important coaching skill so that even when you make difficult or unpopular decisions, you will still get your team’s support, because they have confidence in your ability to consider the common good.
2. Appreciation
As a coach and a leader, you need to do away with the cliché motivational speeches. While they might be given with good intent, they do not really do much in terms of giving your employees the appreciation they deserve. The best coaches and leaders show appreciation by celebrating any accomplishment made, no matter how small. They celebrate big wins and small wins alike.
It is by recognizing the efforts that your employees have made that you motivate them to do better.
3. Collaborative
The best coaches and leaders do not bark orders. Instead, they get involved and work together with their team. They do not impose their ideas but rather encourage everyone to share theirs in order to develop and implement plans collaboratively.
If leaders take into account their employees in making important decisions, the latter are more likely to be committed to the realization of that plan.
4. Positive
Positivity is an important coaching skill that all executive leaders must possess. If you focus on the negatives, your employees become disengaged. On the other hand, staying positive will validate the hard work that your team has put in, making them more inspired to give it their best.
5. Persistent
A strong coach stays the course no matter how difficult the challenges they are faced with. In a professional setting, leaders will be faced with difficult decisions and obstacles. Your ability to foresee these challenges and come up with an efficient plan to overcome them is going to motivate the rest of your team.
Setting an example of persistence will encourage your team to press on no matter how difficult the obstacles they face.
6. Curious
Curiosity is an essential skill to possess for anyone as it helps continuous learning and development. That’s why leaders must possess this important coaching skill. When you remain curious, you maintain that desire to learn. There is no end to learning, even if you are a leader. This commitment to learn more is what will set you apart from other leaders.
7. Innovative
The best coaches and leaders have a thirst for new ideas. They always ask open-ended questions. They probe for new information. They are never content because they want to find creative ways to solve problems.
Your ability to think in an innovative manner is what will help you become a more effective leader. That’s why it is one of the most effective coaching skills you need to possess and master.
8. Communicator
Good communication is at the heart and soul of an effective leadership and coaching style. Therefore, leaders need to know what it takes to communicate effectively. Communication is not a one-way street though, and leaders know it. They strive to listen as much as they speak. They also exhibit active listening; the way that professional coaches do.
Active listening is an essential skill that cultivates trust and gives your team the assurance that their needs are addressed.
9. Genuine
Effective leaders and coaches demonstrate genuine concern towards their employees. This concern is not just limited to the workplace; it must also encompass the well-being of the employees outside of the work environment.
Therefore, the best coaches and leaders give priority to achieving a healthy work-life balance. They recognize the boundaries and limitations of an employee’s skill and time.
10. Compassionate
Compassion is the final mention on the list of effective coaching skills for executive leaders, but also one of the most important ones. Compassion is when you know how to put yourself in the position of others so you understand how they feel at any given moment.
It is critical for leaders to possess this skill because it demonstrates your commitment to helping your employees reach their individual goals. At the same time, you are also recognizing the contributions they make towards making your organization better.
Can You Develop Coaching Skills?
The short answer is yes. As with any skill, you can effectively develop any of the coaching skills listed above. This is why executive coaching is highly in demand today. They help leaders (and aspiring ones) to identify and develop the skills necessary to succeed.
To develop these skills, it is necessary to assess your existing skills first. This will help you identify which skills you need to acquire or develop. It is also important to seek a good coach that will help you in the process of identifying your strengths and weaknesses. Their objective viewpoint will help you identify a clear and measurable target with which to work with in your quest for personal and professional development. In addition, a coach can also give you more confidence in obtaining the necessary skills you must possess.
Implementing coaching skills in the workplace is easy when you align it with your goals and will set a precedent in the workplace as you commit towards growth and development in the future.