Traditional interventions of training and organisational development are no longer enough to support the leaders of today. In order to sustain high levels of performance and meet the demands of a highly disruptive market place, transforming leaders from being commanders to serving their teams and developing a coaching culture at work will be essential.
What is a coaching culture?
Developing coaching cultures in workplaces involves input from everyone in the team. Managers and team leaders begin by adopting a coaching style when managing and communicating. This style of being more open and curious in the conversations that take place, enables team members to think for themselves and empowers them to find solutions they believe in. Traditionally work was a place where staff were advised what to do by their manager and expected to get on with it. Directing employees to reproduce past successes is no longer enough. Instead leaders need to create a safe space at work for their employees to be themselves, give their opinion and share their ideas. For this to work, team members need to be heard without the fear of being ridiculed, misunderstood or dismissed.
This new way of working enables everyone in the team to harness their power, help each other and get the job done.
When the leader stands back and gives the team space and the freedom to go outside their comfort zone, it allows the collective energy, talents and skills within the group to flow and individuals within the team to flourish. In other words, when leaders listen and resource their teams to figure out the best way forward, they are optimising the strengths within the team and empowering them to collectively achieve the organisational objectives. A leader who leads in this way will be non-directive and focuses on co-creating trusting and equal partnerships with team members and within the team. Facilitating this new way of working to develop and embed will require on-going support for leaders and their teams.
What supports do leaders and their teams need to implement a coaching culture at work?
Transforming managers into internal coaches who facilitate coaching conversations at work, will require skills development in the areas of self –awareness, listening, rapport, non-directive enquiry, encouragement, accountability and the ability to create the space for team members to think for themselves and take ownership of their actions.
As a result, more openness and inclusivity will happen naturally, and as people get real, continuous learning and an insatiable growth mind-set will become the norm.
Responding quickly to change in innovative and creative ways and staying relevant and useful to customers has never been more important for organisations. This new approach to managing and communicating will develop genuine connections within teams and bring fresh energy into the organisation. As everyone cuts ties with the reliance of being told what to do, and instead partnering with their colleagues and taking the reins of their own contribution and output, individuals and teams will become far more courageous and creative, and organisations will be propelled towards something better than previously ever thought possible.
To learn how to gain the skills for developing a coaching culture at work, contact [email protected]
