LEADERSHIP COACHING services

Transforming Leaders and Managers Through Leadership Coaching

Most leaders would be capable of so much more if they had access to coaching and support at the right time.

A coach in sports seems imperative. A coach in the working world whispers of incompetence. Why is there such a difference? And, what if we viewed leadership coaches with the same inherent value as we do in sports? Every manager could potentially flourish with a coach that pushes them to improve and make a more positive impact in the workplace. Typically, though, it’s struggling leaders who are asked (mandated?) to get a coach.

Importance of Leadership Coaching

The benefits of leadership coaching go far beyond the leader at hand. By improving one person, a company gets a ripple effect of that person’s improved leadership influence on an entire team. From better communication to improved productivity to higher employee engagement levels to stronger retention rates, leadership coaching can be one of the most important investments a company can make. See a more comprehensive list of benefits and outcomes further down the page.

Definition of Leadership Coaching

Leadership coaching is focused support with the sole goal of developing skills and competencies within managers so they can work more effectively with others (who doesn’t want that?!). Coaching typically centers around strengthening communication skills, growing in self-awareness, and understanding the impact of leadership style on the greater team. 

Why a Manager Would Need a Leadership Coach?

When deciding if your manager needs a leadership coach, jump back to my blog post HERE that digs into the question, “Does my struggling manager need a coach? Essentially, if there is strife or disruption on a team where the indicators point to a leadership concern or deficiency, coaching may be a good next step.

As well, leadership coaches are often engaged not when a manager is struggling but when they are on a high-potential track. A company may want to invest in its brightest stars to ensure they’re learning leadership competencies to foster a strong carer trajectory.

In either case, a leadership coach is a great option. Coaching is a highly effective development strategy that helps engage and develop competencies in leaders that are imperative for optimal team performance and continued company success.

Essential Skills for Effective Leadership

Can’t we just say “ALL”?

The list of skills required of strong leaders is endless. And, very difficult to rank. Is being a strong communicator more important than being empathetic? Is critical thinking more essential than problem-solving? It would be easiest to say ALL SKILLS are essential for effective leadership, but then we’d run out of room to list them here. That said, this is a partial and non-ranked list (and biased by my personal opinion!).

Positivity. A great leader injects positivity into their team, which acts like a contagion, spreading it to others and, in turn, uplifting the employees and encouraging them to perform better.

Empathy. Empathetic leadership focuses on identifying with others and understanding their perspective. Leaders who show empathy are successful because they listen and show concern which helps them better understand how the employees feel about their work environment.

Strong communication. A good leader is a great communicator. Every minute of every workday is spent communicating in a variety of modes. Clarity, brevity, directness, kindness, curiosity, compassion, objectivity, and flexibility are a few of the key skills wrapped up in being a strong communicator. It’s no wonder employees want a person who communicates well leading their team!

Delegation. Nobody wants a micromanager for a boss. Sometimes, it's difficult for leaders to let go of the projects and relinquish control. However, a great leader empowers their employee with the right amount of oversight and guidance.

Reliability. A strong leader is dependable and one that people can count on to fulfill commitments and meet deadlines. Reliability shows that a leader is trustworthy and committed to the team at large.

Too many more to list. Creativity, flexibility, critical thinking, decision-making, motivating, mentoring…

READY TO CHAT ABOUT LEADERSHIP COACHING NEEDS? CLICK HERE TO REACH CECILIA

MORE ON LEADERSHIP COACHING

What are the different types of Leadership Coaching?

Whether it’s one-on-one, in a group setting, coaching to impact potential, or coaching to improve performance, this goal remains the same. That said, there are different formats in how that coaching gets done and it may be worth knowing about them.

TEAM OR GROUP COACHING:

Cohesive groups of peers, managers or senior leaders may find it incredibly beneficial to partake in team coaching. As well, a department or project team may also benefit from participating in coaching programs together. Team coaching facilitates discussion, encourages alignment, unites individuals around shared vision and purpose, and further develops productive working relationships. All of which ultimately lead to more productive and collaborative outcomes.

ONE-ONE-ONE COACHING:

Partnering an individual with a coach creates a powerful and highly focused dynamic. A coach can provide insights and tools to help develop stronger skills, provide situational advice, and act as an objective sounding board. As such, this type of coaching can be just as beneficial for an employee who wants to optimize their potential as it is for one who is struggling.

INFORMAL COACHING:

Don’t discount the power of mentoring or informal coaching. Sometimes the most effective help comes from a less formal relationship. Whether it’s a company-driven mentorship program or a casual friendship at work, there’s opportunity all around in the workplace for employees to be coached. Creating an environment that fosters trust, rapport and communication is one where employees may be more likely to share feedback with one another and informally coach their peers.

TRIAGE COACHING:

The negative impact of incompetent leaders can ripple into an organization and undermine immediate and long-term results. Triage coaching provides an immediate, focused solution to leaders who are exhibiting non-productive behaviors at work. Often structured similarly to a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan), triage coaching focuses on specific performance pillars while providing objective guidance and actionable tools. The goal is an immediate and marked improvement. Read more about our triage coaching program HERE.

The Benefits & Outcomes of Leadership Coaching

The impact of leadership coaching is not only on the employee being coached; it also greatly impacts the team they work with. This is especially true if the coachee is the manager of a team. Managers influence so many facets of the team dynamic that when a manager is coached to improve, the entire team sees and feels the benefits.

Benefits of leadership coaching include:

• Becoming more self-aware and taking greater responsibility for words and actions

• Communicating in more effective ways

• Working more easily and productively with others (boss, direct reports, peers)

• Impacting team engagement and retention

• Contributing more effectively to the team dynamic and work at hand

• (The entire team) Gaining more job and life satisfaction

  About Our Leadership Coaching Services

  Cecilia Gorman and her team of management coaches provide leadership coaching services in a few capacities.

  One-on-one coaching is included with every Manager Boot Camp course enrollment. Managers of all levels receive targeted advice and support in these 30-minute sessions. Read more about Boot Camp HERE.

  Group coaching is offered as a supplement to a company’s enrollment in Manager Boot Camp. Facilitated roundtable sessions provide a forum for course participants to discuss the lessons in they are learning, share their unique experiences, and learn from others in the group. Typically, roundtables happen halfway through the 8-week program and once again at the end. Read more about Boot Camp HERE.

  Triage coaching is offered to more senior-level leaders who are struggling in one capacity or another. Typically, these engagements are initiated by HR who seek to resolve specific performance challenges. Otherwise, individual leaders may reach out of their own accord to engage our coaches to help with driving performance and impact. Read more about this service HERE.

Meet Our Leadership Coach

Cecilia Gorman is a former advertising pro turned consultant who specializes in helping leaders in fast-paced, high-volume creative environments (e.g., advertising, PR and branding) grow their skills and confidence to better communicate with and lead their team.

She is certified by the John C. Maxwell Team, meaning her coaching work is supported by one of the industry’s top leadership gurus. Any member of our coaching staff is equally committed to the success of the leaders we work with.

In a hiring client’s words: “The reason I initially selected Cecilia for this coaching engagement after speaking with her is it was clear she was direct, forthright, and was going to be deeply engaged in the success of this mission.”

Simply put, Cecilia cares about the growth and development of every leader we coach. With the right support, tools, and objective guidance, a leader can begin a transformation within just a few sessions.

READY TO CHAT ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP COACHING NEEDS? CLICK HERE TO REACH CECILIA