Wait a minute, isn’t more coaching a good thing?

Yes. More coaching as a leader IS a good thing. Leaders who coach build trust, create stronger teams and grow more leaders. But here’s the thing, all the benefits of coaching go out the window when coaching isn’t the right choice in the moment. Coaching is one option, and in my opinion, coaching is the best option MOST of the time. But not all of the time.

When ISN’T coaching the best leadership choice in the moment?

• When the employee doesn’t have the training to do the work.

• When the employee doesn't have authority to make the decision.

• When the employee does not understand what is expected of them.

• When the employee is deflecting responsibility or blaming others.

• When the employee does not want to be coached.

• When the employee is upset and just needs someone to listen.

Have you tried coaching an employee in one of these situations and it fell flat? For each of these situations there are different choices a leader can make in the moment.  And the real magic is this:  When a leader makes the right choice in the moment, they create more opportunities for coaching in the future.

Coaching is an essential leadership skill, no doubt about it. But coaching as a leader is also a bit tricky. The power dynamic inherent in the supervisor/employee context means coaching isn’t always the best approach. That is why I created Coaching Skills for Leaders: Coaching in Context. So leaders can learn HOW to coach, WHEN to coach, and when NOT to coach.

Interested in learning more?  I look forward to hearing from you.