Do Leaders Need Coaching?
Traditional management no longer works.
The culture of work has drastically changed in the last two decades. Organisations have gone from using top-down approaches to communication and collaboration. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of companies were renovating their offices to become open-plan spaces that facilitate co-working. Tech companies enabled their teams to work agile to develop software and apps efficiently.
During and after the pandemic, companies shifted to work and remote hybrid work setups that allowed individuals and teams to accomplish tasks and projects from the safety and comfort of their homes or other preferred working spaces.
All these changes tell us that the traditional command-and-control approach is obsolete, and that people in the workplace are more empowered than ever. They are no longer looking for people that will instruct them. Instead, they are looking for people who will mentor, coach and guide them. While many new leaders have been immersed in the new culture of work, not all of them know how to communicate effectively, collaborate, and coach people in their teams. There are also new leaders who came from organisations using the top-down approach and were hired to manage teams in forward-thinking organisations – and totally don’t know what to do. Professional coaching can help these new leaders be effective in communicating, collaborating, mentoring, and in changing their organisational culture.
Leaders need coaching to effectively lead in the new era of work culture.
The new culture of work is far better because it gives leaders and their teams a positive space to interact and improve individually and together. It does not assume that leaders are know-it-alls, but curious individuals set to make themselves and their team members better. An approach that can help them is the strengths-based approach grounded in applied positive psychology.
What is strengths-based leadership coaching?
An effective coaching approach towards leadership is based on strengths. Strengths-based coaching is grounded on applied positive psychology principles that focus on building on people’s authentic strengths using a framework for potential rather than a focus on fixing weaknesses.
What are the benefits of leadership coaching?
Strengths-based coaching provides leaders with the help and support they need.
Many organisations assume their leaders are endowed with wisdom and intelligence to manage people. The truth is a lot of them don’t feel this way. As much as 80% of new leaders suffer from imposter syndrome. According to VeryWellMind, imposter syndrome is an “internal experience of believing that you are not as competent as others perceive you to be, as if you are a fraud.” Forbes reported that a staggering 93% of new leaders felt they lacked the guidance and training they needed. And senior leaders are not immune to impostorism either. 4 out of 5 senior leaders struggle with feeling not good enough throughout their careers. Strengths-based coaching equips new and established leaders with the support typically not provided by static organisational learning and development courses. They also don’t get authentic and honest reviews and feedback they need to improve themselves.
Leadership coaching can help leaders discover their authentic strengths and build confidence.
Research tells us that people who use their strengths experience a boost in their confidence and wellbeing and improved their relationships, which are key to leading teams in an ever-changing work culture. Leaders who display their strengths such as Empathy, Change Agent or Esteem Builder are more likely to build a positive, strengths-based organisational culture that will boost team engagement by 73% and employee performance by more than 20% and create a happier workforce. Leading by example will also help their employees become effective coaching leaders themselves.
Of course, there are leaders who don’t suffer from imposter syndrome and have very strong and positive perceptions of themselves. This type of coaching can help these leaders pinpoint what their strengths truly are and use them to benefit their team, the organisation they are part of, and themselves.
Strengths-based coaching helps leaders face challenges in a positive way.
Challenges are often seen as problems or hurdles that we need to get over with. Using applied positive psychology, coaching can help a leader see challenges positively and solve them using their own character strengths. Leaders who can present solutions from a position of strength are able to make work more meaningful and valuable for their team. This is especially important for leaders in fast-paced industries such as tech and climate tech, where new challenges arise with each development and breakthrough.
Coaching helps leaders act.
Effective coaching leads to action. Leaders are action-oriented people, and strengths-based coaching makes the most out of that. A recent interactive strengths-based coaching workshop with Saongroup, a major global online recruitment company, had all of its participants implement one behaviour change, with some creating new resources for future employees to use.
Is leadership coaching just for new leaders?
Strengths-based coaching isn’t only for new leaders in modern, agile organisations. It is for all leaders, including experienced leaders who want to breathe new life into their traditional organisations, or try new approaches to managing their people.
How do you find the right coach for you?
If you’ve gotten this far in the article, then that means you’re looking for someone to provide professional coaching for you or your team or organisation’s leaders.
One of the most important things to look for in a coach is their qualification and background. It’s best to get someone who is both a coaching psychologist and a positive psychologist. Psychologists are trained to understand the psychology behind human behaviour on an individual, team and organisational level and use it to inspire positive change within them. An effective coach uses evidence-based strategies to create an impact on an individual, team, or company.
“Working with Claudia was a great experience. There’s a credibility aspect to her experience. It made me confident that the coach I was working with knew and understood our world, as well as the challenges we face.”
Heather Thompson, Head of Customer Success and Services, Saongroup, Ireland
It's also essential for a coach to have a background in working on a team level and organisational level. You need someone who understands how organisations and teams work, as well as what challenges them. A coach who worked in an organisation knows what an individual and a team would need from a leader.
I might just be the leadership coach you need.
I’m glad that you’re taking steps towards better leadership. As a coach, I can help you become the best leader you can be.
I’m Claudia Geratz and I’m a fully trained coaching psychologist, positive psychologist, and accredited StrengthsProfile coach. I worked in the corporate world for a couple of decades before completing my Masters in Coaching Psychology and Applied Positive Psychology. I’ve received accreditation from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, a premier body in the coaching industry. As an accredited coach, I follow their code of ethics to ensure a safe and ethical practice for my clients. I’m recognised as one of Dublin’s best coaches in 2022, which says a lot about my dedication to the people I’m working with.
Working in the corporate world, specifically in tech, really helped me understand my clients, whether they be individuals, teams, or entire organisations. I’ve worked with companies in the tech industry including Hubspot EMEA, Saongroup in Dublin, EMEA Leadership tech teams, and international women in tech groups. I’ve also worked with organisations outside of tech, including non-profit organisations like the Irish Red Cross, healthcare provider HSE in Ireland and social impact organisations, including Social Entrepreneurs Ireland. I am passionate about helping people, teams, and organisations to be the best versions of themselves.