Buzzfeed asked their community of readers to share stories of their best bosses and what made them so great. In the article, there was a common thread. Many of the submissions included how their boss supported them, played to their strengths, answered their questions, listened to them, gave advice, and took the time to teach them. In these stories, it was apparent that the leaders they were speaking of were not only great bosses but also great coaches.
Given the positive sentiments for leaders that are great coaches, employees and organizations alike are embracing leaders who use a coaching style of management. In this blog, we will explore what this style is, the benefits of a coaching leadership style, and how you can develop and hone this style of leadership, as well as provide you with a number of free resources.
Leaders who use a coaching style of leadership are laser-focused on supporting their direct report’s development through two-way discussions, giving feedback, and providing support. They can unlock their people’s potential through their supportive guidance, actively listening to their needs and aspirations, and taking a genuine interest in helping them achieve their goals.
Through their coaching style, these leaders actively engage in conversations with their people, where they ask probing questions and encourage them to think critically for themselves, test and explore new ideas, and find their solutions with the goal that their team will develop and grow in their capabilities at work.
Individuals and organizations alike can experience many benefits when their managers use a coaching leadership style. Here are six reasons why people love the coaching leadership style.
Engagement
Employees are 3x more likely to be engaged if they receive daily feedback from their managers vs. those who only receive feedback once a year in a performance review.
Retention
Employees with a direct leader who is an effective coach are 20% more likely to stay at their company.
Productivity
Employees who report to managers who use a coaching leadership style exhibit 38% more discretionary effort (i.e., give more than what is required) than their peers who report to ineffective coaches.
Collaboration
70% of individuals who received coaching reported improved collaboration at work
Employee Performance
Leaders who used a coaching style that focused on their employee's development tripled the likelihood that their direct reports are considered high performers.
Organizational Performance
Organizations where their leaders develop their coaching skills are 130% more likely to see stronger business results.
Employees crave frequent coaching and feedback, and the demand for their direct leaders to provide this type of leadership is ever-increasing as newer generations enter the workforce. It was found that 60% of Gen Z employees expect multiple check-ins from their direct leader throughout the week, with 40% expecting it daily.
Despite the desire for this type of boss, Gartner uncovered that only about 25% of the managers they surveyed were actually great coaches. Not helping the situation, many leaders think they’re great coaches, but their employees claim otherwise. In a study where over 3,000 leaders self-assessed their coaching skills, and then the assessment was compared with what their direct reports said, it found that 24% of leaders significantly overestimated their abilities, rating themselves above average, when their people ranked them in the bottom third of the group.
Given the importance employees place on receiving coaching and leaders needing the skills to do so, individuals and organizations reach out to the Niagara Institute to help them build this critical leadership competency. Here are four ways we can help you to become the coach your team wants and needs.
The first step to becoming a great coach is understanding the style of leadership you naturally gravitate towards. Each style has its pros and cons, which will guide you to uncover the areas you will need to develop to be able to coach your people effectively. Here are a few resources to help you along your journey to discovering your leadership style.
If you’re looking for free resources that include coaching templates, questions to ask, and models to follow, we’ve got you covered. In the Beginner’s Guide to Coaching Employees, you’ll learn practical tips and receive valuable tools to help you level up your coaching skills.
If you’re like most professionals, you’re over boring lectures and endless video libraries that are dated and don’t leave you with the skills you need to be a great leader now. You want practical, applicable, and useful courses built to help you succeed today. That’s where we come in. With a variety of coaching and leadership programs for individuals and organizations alike, we have a number of options to help you be a great coach today. Here are a few:
If you’re looking for an individualized development opportunity to increase your coaching skills, you’ll want to check out our coaching packages. When you work with a professional coach, everything from assessments to lengths to topics is crafted to your specific needs. In addition, coaching is available for individuals and groups of leaders.