EFFECTIVE COACHING – How does this add value to Managers and Leaders?
Historically, managers have had a directive and authoritative role, (Command & Control) overseeing, and driving employees towards specific results and success. However, with the various commercial pressures being placed on organisations globally, there is a need for twenty-first-century managers to move away from traditional management styles and adopt more efficient approaches; the main one being that of a coaching approach. This was corroborated in 2015, when a CIPD Learning, and Development Survey identified and reported that 80% of organisations in the UK expected their managers to coach. However, if asked to do so, many managers will say that they do not have time to coach their employees which, is not only born from a skills issue, but also based around misconceptions and having a true understanding of coaching and its long-term benefits to both managers and organisations.
All too often managers find themselves daily firefighting and battling to produce the results required by their senior leadership (ring any bells?), placing them under unwanted pressure, which inevitably will find its way down the ranks, culminating in a negative effect on morale, productivity, and subsequent retention. We’ve all heard the saying, “people don’t leave bad companies, they leave bad bosses.”
There are, of course, times where many hands will make light work, especially in moments of crisis. However, managers should also ask themselves how much of their involvement was really needed? Maybe their involvement is a quick ‘time saver’ but, other than being a short-term fix, if that involvement becomes regular, the long-term effect is the reinforcement of a dependency culture for employees. The long-term effect on businesses using this approach can be stifling. Effective management and leadership are about generating an environment which allows the strengths of all team members to thrive, in turn enabling the organisation to succeed. The behaviour described above does not promote this. Speaking as an experienced manager with military and civilian involvement, managers who abstain from ‘telling’ will witness their business performance increase and employee happiness and retention grow.
How Coaching Skills for Managers & Leaders can help?
Coaching works two-fold for managers; it not only gets the job done efficiently and effectively but will simultaneously develop your employees. Being empowered and encouraged to be curious and identify solutions themselves will not only develop employees own problem-solving skills but will ensure they are better equipped for the future, allowing them to become more creative, motivated and feel more valued and fulfilled.
If coached correctly, employees will relish the added responsibility and trust, freeing up managers to address other responsibilities of their role with a lot less firefighting!
Have a look at our Athena blog, ‘Why Adopt a Coaching Culture‘
Through our Effective Management Course, we help to equip managers with a fundamental understanding and appreciation of the skills of coaching, enabling them to integrate these principles into their roles and responsibilities.
Using the principles of coaching, we work with small groups, and on a 1-2-1 basis, with managers & leaders to help create the optimal conditions for employees to thrive, develop, increase productivity and to enable a happy and motivated team.