Leadership style based on Coaching

Inspire, lead, guide ...

"The demand for business practices to change has never been greater than it is now. Almost no one questions the need for a traditional business culture to change" [John Whitmore].

Organizations need to adopt different ways of doing things, we are facing changing environments in which the classic response "we have always done it that way" no longer works. And here coaching plays a key role. New leaders will have to develop a high-performance leadership style that allows people to unlock their potential and maximize it.

The managerial styles are led to a change without turning back, the "order and command" no longer works, not only because of the landscape we face but also because people are moving their aspirations and motivation towards a different model.
Collaborative leadership styles open up, in which the teams responsible for certain decision-making are empowered, in which it is no longer necessary to constantly ask the boss, nor should the boss give instructions at all times.

It is an open style, in which people have the capacity for movement, opinion, acting. And the boss is precisely looking for that freedom to have a direct reflection on a better way of doing things, on greater performance, efficiency and results.
And what do we mean with coaching-based leadership style? We start from this premise: Coaching focuses on the possibilities of the future, not the mistakes of the past. People, through the coaching process, will discover and develop new skills and behaviors.
And the leader should contribute to this development, changing the hierarchy models of the past and replacing them with "a new form of delegated leadership and collective responsibility." Any new culture will have to offer a higher level of performance, but also greater social responsibility.

"Coaching is a way of leading and managing, a way of treating people, a way of thinking and a way of being."
It involves a comprehensive change in the organization, requires empowerment and support from senior management. It is the abandonment of the culture of dependence, and the step towards trust and inter-dependence.

Companies such as Michelin have adopted it as part of a global plan in more than 17 countries to streamline the relationship with customers. Some leaders recognize that replacing orders with a collaborative style may mistakenly lead to the belief that there is some loss of control, but the teams performance increases exponentially.
"Coaching is the leadership style of a transformed culture" towards fellowship and collaboration, continuous learning and responsibility, challenges, and strategic behaviors.

How to start the change to a coaching model?
We are used to a traditional managerial style, we have lived it in all areas of our lives. Giving orders is fast and gives a sense of control. And in addition many leaders admit that they do not have enough time for long-term planning, nor the development of their teams. In addition, those who receive the orders are also accustomed to receiving them, so the change must be executed in a double direction.
Even with all these apparent obstacles, if we want to convert our style there is only one option: to initiate change. The first step does not take you where you want to go, but it takes you from where you are.
In this process of change, it will be essential to have high doses of emotional intelligence.
Daniel Goleman discovered that emotional intelligence is twice as important as knowledge for success at work. And in cases of responsibility, the proportion is even greater.

Coaching does not consist in stating what needs to be done, but in getting people to discover the path for themselves, it is a deeper change with long-term results.

And as the change begins with oneself, we take an example so you can take the first step towards this style:
Visualize a situation in which, as a boss, you had to give orders, or in which a person in your teams requested your advice. You have probably thought of a possible solution, and have turned it into a direct order to this person.
Well, and now think about what your answer would have been if, instead of being you who thought the solution, you would have made that person participate, giving the space to think, and create for himself a range of options; and going one step further, if you also give the option to choose the most appropriate one, we will not only increase the level of motivation, but this person will also feel fully responsible for the outcome of your choice.
The next time you find yourself in a similar situation, what would you think of doing this exercise? Surely the person accustomed to receiving orders will feel a little lost, or at least, surprised. But you will check the results quickly. So, go ahead!

Is coaching leadership style applicable in any decision making situation?
The most advisable is to apply it to decisions or projects depending on the level of urgency and strategy. At least initially and until we have a mature enough coaching culture.
It is very effective at the individual level, as in the case of example, or in multidisciplinary projects in which a team of people have to participate with a common goal and the leader assumes a sponsor role to carry out the project.