LOVE Leadership
Leadership expert Katherine Farnworth explains why it’s important to coach members of your team as opposed to telling them what to do
Don’t you dislike it when someone tells you what to do? Especially if you are pretty experienced. Ironically, most of us can be quite comfortable telling others what to do! In the last column we spoke about Situational Leadership, about managing the right people, at the right time, with the right management style.
We spoke of the importance of directing (telling) and how it is only a valid management style if an individual in your team is a new starter, or they are doing a task for the first time, or there is a non-negotiable or urgent matter. Whilst directing at these times is important to build competence, if we continue to tell, we will demotivate the individual or team. A lot.
Telling others what to do should be kept to a minimum. This is why the next ‘hat’ to wear, and probably the most important one, is to coach. Coaching continues to build competence, to a point where we can empower others to take responsibility for tasks (which happily is also a mark of trust and recognition), but also engages and motivates others.
So, what is coaching? Ask most people and they might say it is guiding, teaching, helping or developing others. All are true in the sense that those things are the outcomes of coaching. However, the actual act of coaching is more straightforward. Coaching is asking open questions in a structured way to achieve a goal. The structure most commonly used is the GROW model by Sir John Whitmore. Conversations start with a Goal, consider the Reality (current status), think about the various Options to take helping to achieve the goal and finally decide upon the Way forward.
The main barrier to coaching is a perceived lack of time. The phrase, ‘I haven’t got time to coach,’ can often be heard. If you are saying that to yourself, then it may be argued you haven’t got time not to coach. Managers who do not coach have not empowered others to step into their shoes should they be called away, transferred or even go on holiday. There is minimum succession planning. They are usually reactive, and stressed taking on too much themselves. Coaching managers have a better work life balance, have a more capable and high performing team and, most importantly, higher levels of engagement.
Managers don’t need to have all the answers, in fact even when they do, allow your team to come up with answers themselves. Just as you are about to give a command, stop. Can you change this into a question to achieve on-the-spot coaching? Ask, what are you going to do next? How long will it take you? Who do you need to speak to? What are the results you are hoping for? Any challenges? How can you overcome those? Involvement creates buy-in. The person who speaks owns the problem. Allow others a voice, give permission for others to speak. As a manager you are accountable, but the team is responsible for achieving objectives. So share the load. Your team will thank you for it.
