Developing a coaching reflex

more questions, less answers helps your team feel more empowered which often leads to greater effort, enhanced creativity, and demonstrated ownership.

How to get more from your team with a coaching approach to leadership

As a leader, giving definitive direction is a very easy habit to fall into. Obviously, some direction is required and appropriate.

But what are the potential unintended consequences of being too prescriptive in terms of what you want? What is not right about jumping-in to fix things and save the day?

The unintended pitfalls of being too prescriptive

For one, it puts all the pressure on you to have the right plan/process/answer. It also makes it less likely that your team will offer suggestions/propose alternatives once you have already shared your perspective.

“The boss has already declared, so what’s the point in sharing my perspective?”

Moreover, if you are always making things right in the end, will your team ever learn? It’s also possible they may slowly start to deliver just a little bit less in terms of quality

“Hey, the boss will fix things anyway.  No need to seek excellence here as they will fix it”

Less following orders, more independent thinking with coaching

There is another way to leading and it’s called coaching. Coaching is a questions-based approach to personal and professional development that is aimed at helping people evolve.

Asking questions leads to thinking and reflection. It helps people develop – and sustain – new awareness, perspectives, attitudes, skills and behaviours.

Coaching is about holding your team capable of thinking for themselves, taking the work further before you are needed as the leader. So start to shift from giving direction to asking questions.

If your training, coaching or strategy needs are not being met, feel free to connect with us. We can help. Reach out to nathan@spectrumsolutions.com.

#Leadership #Coaching #AskDontTell #Teamwork #EmpoweringStaff #FosteringCreativity #CoachBasedQuestions #GiveAManAFish