Craig Goodliffe, CEO & Founder of Cyberbacker.
A good leader is someone who can identify outcomes and help people achieve those outcomes by either using their strengths or upskilling their weaknesses. As such, there exists a strong connection between great leadership and coaching.
Over the years, I have found that the best leaders are not just excellent at helping their teams reach the outcomes and driving business success, they understand three important aspects: ownership, partnership and shared success.
Successful leaders value ownership.
One of the key traits of successful leaders is their ability to empower their teams and foster a sense of ownership. This means giving team members the tools, resources and autonomy they need to make their own decisions and take ownership of their work. When people in executive-level positions impose their plans on others, they find little success. When they come in and say, “I’m going to manage everyone,” people tend to push back.
Conversely, when people feel like they have ownership over their work, they are more invested in its success and take pride in their achievements. This sense of ownership is essential in creating a positive and productive workplace culture where everyone is motivated to do their best. When they are 100% responsible, they invest 100% of their time.
Successful leaders understand success is a partnership.
Great leaders recognize that they are not the only ones with strong ideas and actively seek out the input and feedback of their teams. They understand that by working collaboratively with their team members, they can achieve better outcomes than they could on their own.
By building strong partnerships with their mentors and peers, leaders can tap into a wealth of knowledge, experience and guidance that can help them navigate the complexities of their career paths. When we work in partnership with others, we can gain valuable insights and perspectives that we may not have considered on our own, which can help us make better decisions and achieve greater success.
When it comes to organizational hierarchies, leaders will always just be “the boss,” but if there exists a true mentor-mentee partnership, success becomes the norm. With a partnership, most managing issues (e.g., poor teamwork, decreased performance levels, time management, etc.) are nonexistent. Communication is pushed to the forefront of the relationship, making it far easier to broach difficult topics and work through sensitive situations.
Successful leaders want everyone to succeed.
Leaders recognize that their own success is closely tied to the success of their teams and that, by helping others achieve their goals, they are also contributing to the success of the business as a whole. They are committed to providing their teams with the support, resources and guidance they need to succeed, and they celebrate the achievements of their team members as if they were their own.
By working with individuals to identify their strengths, weaknesses and aspirations, leaders can help those they coach to create a roadmap for success and provide them with the support and guidance they need to achieve their goals. By celebrating their successes along the way, coaches can help individuals stay motivated and engaged, which is essential for achieving long-term success.
There is no glass ceiling with good leaders. Leaders who act as coaches want everyone to succeed and surpass their original expectations. When you have someone who is underperforming, it’s crucial to have a conversation with that person—as you would in any partnership—and ask them questions like, “What’s going on?” “Do you want to improve?” “Do you want my advice on how to improve?” When you broach the topic of underperforming with a positive spin on helping them improve, they’re significantly more receptive to it.
Successful leaders make valuable mentors.
Mentoring, as a coach, is also a critical aspect of coaching in the workplace. Mentoring provides team members with access to the knowledge and experience of their mentor, helping them navigate the complexities of their careers and businesses. Successful leaders who mentor their team members create a positive and supportive workplace culture that fosters a sense of community and collaboration.
As with all good coaches, asking a mentee if they want to improve isn’t enough—you have to give them measurable benchmarks with ways to reach them. Sometimes, people don’t perform because they lack a specific skill or set of skills. As their coach and leader, you need to recognize where the deficiency lies and help them achieve it by checking in on them and letting them know you’re watching to help them.
Leaders who take ownership of their team’s successes and failures are better equipped to coach their team members to success. Understanding this nuanced partnership helps leaders tailor their coaching approach to meet each team member’s individual needs, ensuring that they receive the guidance and support they need to succeed. Wanting everyone to succeed creates a positive and supportive workplace culture that encourages team members to seek out opportunities for growth and development.
There’s a phrase I live by: “Those who plan the battle don’t battle the plan.” It means those who normally strategize and plan aren’t the ones executing the plan. I don’t agree with that. I think everyone should know the overarching outcome and plan their own battle and battle out their plan.
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