Enhance Your Leadership Skills through Coaching
By Cheryl Jensen, Founder and Managing PartnerWhen it comes to investing in the future of the nonprofit sector we often hear, “Our employees are our biggest asset.” On the flip side, there are two concerns: 1) there is a shortage of employees who want to seek leadership roles and 2) employees aren’t prepared for taking on leadership roles.
How many of you have experienced—or know someone who has experienced—being placed in a management or leadership role without receiving any training or additional support? It’s likely far too many!
When I ask emerging leaders to name the three top qualities of their best leaders, none of the answers are about leaders’ technical skills or how intelligent they are. It always comes back to the soft skills or emotional intelligence: The leader’s level of self-awareness, authenticity, communication style, transparency, and integrity are just a few of the qualities they rattle off.
A leader’s behavior is crucial for employees, teams, and organizational success. Leaders often try to lead by example and by using a combination of their personality and behavior. Employees measure leaders by how well they communicate ideas, influence those around them, their approachability, ability to share recognition, make decisions, and to coach and develop and lead teams. The other leadership attributes highly valued by emerging leaders are the ability to be present, open, and authentic.
The Benefits of Leadership Coaching
Leadership coaching has many benefits. Coaching provides a fresh perspective on personal and professional challenges, enhanced decision-making skills, greater interpersonal effectiveness, and increased confidence. According to the International Coach Federation, those who undertake coaching can expect appreciable improvement in productivity, satisfaction with life and work, and the attainment of relevant goals.
Here are some of the results from the International Coach Federation client study:
Increased Productivity
Professional coaching maximizes potential and, therefore, unlocks latent sources of productivity The study revealed that those who received leadership coaching saw:
70% improved work performance
81% improved business management
57% improved time management
51 % improved team effectiveness
Positive People
Building the self-confidence of employees to face challenges is critical in meeting organizational demands:
80% improved self confidence
73% improved relationships
72% improved communication skills
67% improved life/work balance
Return on Investment
Coaching generates learning and clarity for forward action with a commitment to measurable outcomes. The vast majority of companies (86%) say they at least made their investment back.
Satisfied Clients
Virtually all companies and individuals who hire a coach are satisfied:
99% somewhat or very satisfied with overall experience
96% would repeat the process
As one CFO asked a CEO “What happens if we invest in developing our people and they leave us?” The CEO’s response: “What happens if we don’t and they stay?”
What choice will you make?