Leader As Coach

Leader as Coach.  It is probably pretty commonly accepted that coaches are also leaders.  However, is it as commonly held that leaders are also coaches?

Even if your initial response to that question is “yes” the concept of leader as coach is one worth exploring.  After all – what is it that coaches do exactly.  There are all of the obvious things such as organizing, strategizing, and planning.  And then there is the most important thing they do – they develop talent.  Great coaches nurture those they are coaching and then, in the right moment, unleash the nurtured talent into a space where greatness can be realized.  In other words, coaches support individuals in becoming the best that they are capable of becoming.

Now, as a leader, imagine if every person on your team was working to their highest and fullest potential.  What if every person was living up to or even exceeding the expectations and hopes that you had when you chose them to join the team?  What does your day look like if that happens?  And just what might be achieved by the team and the organization?

There is a concept that is held in shamanic teachings that all living things have a natural draw toward fruition.  Plants that sprout from seeds will strive – sometimes against all odds – to develop foliage, flowers, fruits, and, ultimately, seeds.  Humans posses this same drive to fruition.  It is that underlying drive that pushes premier athletes to new heights.  And it is that same drive that whispers in the ear of the alcoholic that they can recover and live a different and fuller life.  On the surface or deeply buried, we all possess an inherent drive to become the best version of ourselves.

But us human beings sometimes need an outer force to help us listen to or fully understand that call for fruition.  And even after we hear the call we often need someone who can help us get out of our own way.  This is where the coach steps in.  The coach questions and they inspire.  They support and guide and teach.  In short, the coach taps into that natural drive toward fruition that is within each of us and, in that, supports us in reaching our highest potential.

So again – imagine if your entire team is functioning at their highest potential.  This is the ultimate goal of leader as coach and as such it turns out that coaching is perhaps the most important role we bring to being a leader.  And in accepting this idea everything about what we know about being a leader changes.  The tone, tenor, and intent of our conversations change.  Even our approach to hiring can change as we worry less about the immediate contributions someone might bring and more about the game changing upward potential that someone might bring with the right coaching support.

Learning the skills of coaching and applying them to your teams is the key to everyone -  individual contributors, your team, you, and your organization - achieving exceptional performance.