Can you lead others without coaching them?

Colleagues,
 
I was listening to a podcast last year in which the guest, an organizational development guru, stated that leaders should focus 90% of their time on developing people!
 
If you have been a regular reader, you know that I continually advocate for the role of leadership in developing people. People over process/paper is one of the four components of strategic leadership.
 
Leaders develop people through multiple paths, including structuring the organization for learning, which is the main theme this week. However, leaders also have a huge impact on individuals through direct coaching.
 
Coaching has the following features:

1. Intentionality
2. Focused on specific outcomes
3. Structured coaching sessions
4. Consistent contact
5. Mutual accountability

 
Coaching has three general forms:

• Directive in which the leader leads the focus and discussions
• Collaborative in which the leader and coachee lead at different times
• Reflective in which the coachee leads

 
The form a leader chooses is based on the knowledge, skills, and reflective abilities of the coachee.
 
In addition to actual coaching, leaders can adopt coaching practices like asking reflective questions. These practices can be easily applied outside of a formal coaching arrangement. An example of this is 5-minute coaching in which a leader asks these three questions:

1. What’s going well?
2. What has surprised you?
3. What would you do differently?

 
Another great benefit of coaching is that it leads to the most powerful form of development, self-reflection. More on that tomorrow. 
 
I’m considering putting together a 1-2 week online workshop to build leaders’ coaching skills. There would be a modest cost. Please let me know if you are interested.

Do good and be well,
 
Frederick