Athletes and actors have long hired coaches to help prepare for a specific competition or role. But they aren't the only ones who can benefit from expert advice. Coaches are available to help people in any field improve their "game."
If you think leaders don't need coaches because they are already at the top, think again. Professional coach Daniel Pendley says that executives need coaches for the same reasons that high-performing individuals rely on them: "We cannot see our own mistakes, and if we are not getting better, we are getting worse."
Let me add a third reason why leaders need coaches: They are setting examples for and coaching their employees. Leaders need solid professional skills and superior people skills to establish their credibility and position themselves to move their organizations forward.
That puts leaders in a sandwich role: needing help to develop their leadership skills while coaching those they manage to develop in their own roles. We are all leaders, if you think about it. We lead families, teams and organizations.
Experience has taught me that being a respected leader or manager has little to do with relying on titles and everything to do with listening to people.
People love or leave their jobs for many reasons. Volumes of research have been conducted to help companies increase their retention rates. It all seems to boil down to one simple question: How important do people feel in their work?
Leaders who understand that they have a great responsibility in coaching should be able to answer that question easily.
Here are some follow-up questions: When was the last time you, as a leader, made it possible for people to be proud of their work and achievements? What are you as a leader doing to make work satisfying, challenging and interesting?
