Five Tactics to Become a Leader Who Coaches

If you’re a leader or manager who wants a team that thinks independently, proactively comes up with solutions to everyday problems, and tackles challenges head-on, then this article is for you.

Below are five quick and easy tactics to help you transition from being someone who manages to a leader who coaches.

 

Five Tactics to Become a Leader Who Coaches

1. Learn to Hold Back

The first tactic is about learning to hold back and not jump straight into telling people what to do and how to do it when they come to you with a problem.

By creating a pause, you give yourself the time and space to step into coaching mode, which is crucial for fostering a coaching mindset.

2. Practise Active Listening

The second tactic is to work on your listening skills and practise active listening.

In many organisations, the listening standard in meetings and one-to-ones is poor. People often listen to respond rather than to understand. By focusing on improving your listening skills, you’ll achieve significantly better results from your team.

3. Get Comfortable with Silence

The third tactic is to get comfortable with silence. When you ask your team members, “What are some potential solutions?” or “What do you think you could do to solve this challenge?” they might go silent. This silence can feel awkward for you, but it won’t be awkward for them. They’re simply thinking and processing your question. Pay attention to their eyes—if they move to one corner, it indicates they’re processing information. Have the courage to hold the silence a little longer.

4. Ask Better Questions

The fourth tactic is to focus on asking better questions.

Good coaching questions are always open-ended, meaning they cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. By asking better questions, you’ll get better ideas from your team.

5. Avoid Adding Too Much Value

The fifth and final tactic is to ensure you’re not trying to add too much value.

You might have a short coaching conversation where your team member comes up with a perfectly workable plan that will deliver great results. With your experience, you might think of an idea to make it slightly better.

As Marshall Goldsmith says, while your addition may improve the plan by 10%, adding your input could reduce their motivation by 50% because their plan becomes your plan. People are always more motivated and engaged to work on their own plans rather than executing someone else’s.

 

Hire Ben to Train Your Managers as Leader-Coaches

 

If you’re an HR Director or Head of Learning and Development looking to transform your leadership team into effective coaches, I invite you to contact me to discuss delivering a comprehensive “Leader as Coach” training programme.

Here’s what Val Proctor, Group HR Director of The Go-Ahead Group plc, had to say about my programme:

“Ben has been the inspirational force behind a coaching programme delivered to our CEO, Group Directors, and their managers. He makes a complex topic easy to understand and fun to engage with, all without any slides. He is engaging and supportive, and the programme has had a huge impact on the way our teams are now working together.”

Email me at chat@ben-morton.com to discuss how I can support you in developing your leaders and managers.

Speak soon,

Your coach

Photo by Jeremy on Unsplash