This is a guest post by Dana Peck. Dana serves as a professional learning consultant and is owner of Vantage Point Inc., a company that provides a full spectrum of learning, consulting and coaching solutions to assist organizations in achieving their goals aimed at excellent internal and external customer relations, sales and employee development. You can contact Dana via email
Leader, Coach and Catalyst
Coaching has many definitions. The term can describe both skill and process:
• The skill of providing any information that will make another person more productive and successful
• The process of equipping people with the tools, knowledge and opportunities they need to develop themselves and become more effective
Think about successful coaches within the world of professional sports. Those coaches have the mindset, skill set and processes in place to focus their coaching efforts toward equipping their players for self-development. Just like you in your leadership role, professional coaches don’t always have enough hours in the day to involve themselves with every aspect of each player’s development. Rarely will they possess all of the information, skills and wisdom that someone might need to ensure their development. Fortunately, there is no need to be perfect or know all the answers to be an effective coach. Instead, learn to view your role as that of being a catalyst for development.
Development left to random chance is unreliable and inconsistent. It provides little if no enlightenment. On the other hand, purposeful coaching and development directs energy where it is needed. Coaching with a purpose acts as a conduit for increasing competencies in those areas providing value to the individual, the team and the organization.
In your role as leader and catalyst for development, you are assisting others in channeling their energy and focus toward desired behavior, positive results and growth. Your consistent attention to the coaching process is vital to your employee’s success. Coaching is an ongoing and continuous process which can be planned in advance or delivered with immediacy.
Partner for trust and growth
Leadership expert, Ken Blanchard suggests that today’s leaders “partner for performance” with their people. They develop high trust leadership focusing on people and results.
• Stop, ask and really listen to people so you can learn more about what truly matters to them.
• Encourage and engage them in their own learning and growth.
• Make coaching specific—not a vague statement such as, “You’re doing a great job.”
• Ensure that the coaching you deliver is truly developmental. This means telling someone what they did well by citing a specific action or identifying a particular attribute they displayed that resulted in a positive outcome. If constructive feedback is in order, then focus on the specific action or behavior that needs to be changed and identify the negative consequences of the inappropriate action. Discuss what would work better and redirect energy toward future positive outcomes.
Inspire commitment and focus
• Assist employees in honestly highlighting their personal strengths that can be leveraged for success now and in the future.
• Help people to become more aware of their development needs and assist them in an improvement plan.
• Help others honestly assess their development barriers—both real and imagined. Work with them to see which barriers may be reduced or eliminated.
• Look for opportunities to assist others in identifying areas where they can focus their energy toward successful outcomes and create successful momentum. Success generates success.
Foster adaptability and increased capacity
• Help people gain learning tips and strategies from coworkers who have successfully worked through similar challenges.
• Encourage others to seek out a mentor or help them locate one.
• Assist employees to identify where they are currently, what a stretch goal might look like and how to fill the gap between.
• Share with employees courses, books and other learning resources you have found particularly helpful.
Bob Nelson—former NFL linebacker has been quoted as saying, “You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within.” I believe these are words well worth considering for those who serve the important role of leader and coach—catalysts for development.
