Historically, successful leaders were evaluated and measured by how much they GOT DONE.
As a manager, YOU were the EXPERT. YOU got the RESULT. YOU solved the problems. YOU instructed others. That is how you were successful.
BUT…today…that’s not enough anymore.
With the complexity we live in today, in our world and in business environment, change is DISRUPTIVE and CONSTANT. Social and economic challenges layer on to that complexity.
What was needed in the past to succeed as a leader is different now.
21st-century leaders simply DON’T and CAN’T have all the answers.
To navigate this reality and do it effectively, LEADERS must become COACHES—GREAT COACHES.
The process for a leader who has used a traditional style of leadership to move toward becoming a COACH LEADER can feel soft and psychologically uncomfortable because they are most familiar with asserting their authority, telling people what to do, and relying on their ego.
Coaching requires a paradigm shift – to ASKING and LISTENING more than TELLING and SELLING.
Leadership really is a conversation.
A lot of times, the conversation unfolds by leaders just checking in and asking how things are going. Often, when they don’t like the answer they get back, they’ll ask the question again differently to get the answer they want, or they’ll just argue their point.
But again, that’s NOT what COACH LEADERS do.
A COACH LEADER practices:
* questioning and being open to whatever answers their team members give
* rather than being directive or defensive, they become more CURIOUS
* asks questions that are more judgment-free (instead of “don’t you think…,” they say “tell me more…”)
* listening for deeper meaning, helping employees come up with their own conclusions rather than prescribing answers or fixing it for them
This is the kind of leader who will THRIVE in the COMPLEXITY we’re all facing today. And YOU can be that kind of leader.
To learn more about how to become a coach-leader who thrives in complexity, click here.
