10 Essential Coaching Skills For Leaders

Any leader will tell you that if you want to have a successful company, you need to surround yourself with the right people. You need people that don’t come to work just to collect a paycheck, but believe in the mission of the company and strive to make a difference. Having the right people around you can turn your startup into a thriving business.

In addition, it’s also important to build people up and develop them through one-on-one coaching. Providing leadership and coaching skills for leaders will help them successfully guide and develop their teams’ skills. We’ve compiled a list of 10 essential coaching skills for leaders to take their coaching to the next level.

1. Be Supportive:

   Be supportive of the members of your team. When you’re supportive of them you can develop a relationship of trust. Trust is vital for growth and development for both the mentor and the mentee and lays the foundation for mutual respect between both parties.

   Genuine encouragement helps your team members recognize that your investment in their success is real. Seek out opportunities that allow your team to recognize your support.

2. Define The Topic and Needs:  

   Clearly identify a problem or need with the team member. Clarifying both the leader’s and the team member’s needs and expectations will allow you to create a positive environment for growth.

   This also creates a transparent line of communication, allowing both you and your team member to openly express concerns, questions, and other topics surrounding their responsibilities. Communicating clear expectations and needs produces more accurate results.

3. Create Psychological Safety

   Providing and receiving feedback in a one-on-one setting can feel vulnerable. Vulnerability is a feeling not many are comfortable with—many avoid it altogether. But still, it’s necessary to overcome issues that are key to productivity, performance, and well-being.

   Thus, it’s essential to build psychological safety. Psychological safety is the backbone of a successful one-on-one coaching partnership. Start with listening and empathy. Both will help your team members feel seen, heard, and understood.

4. Establish Impact: 

   Show the team member how their direct actions are affecting/impacting their goals, the success of those around them, or the overall success of the company. Also, make sure that they understand their part in the strategic vision of your team and/or company and the importance of contributing their “puzzle piece” to the big picture. Doing so allows the employee to feel a sense of need, and creates internal motivation for the employee to change.

5. Initiate A Plan: 

   Create a plan that is both specific and achievable with the team member. Make sure the individual plays a significant role in helping you formulate the strategy. By jointly creating the plan, there is a sense of accountability for each party to achieve the goals.

   Layout specific steps that will yield positive results and reinforce their ability to accomplish the plan. You and the employee will gain a better understanding of each other’s working style while increasing trust.

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6. Get A Commitment: 

   Get a commitment from the employee that they’ll implement the plan. A verbal commitment is fine, just as long as you both know that there is a commitment to accomplish the plan.

   The employee will feel an increased sense of accountability and attention to detail as they complete the project. Follow up on the employee’s commitment when appropriate and show support for the progress they’ve made.

7. Confront Excuses/Resistance: 

   Make sure to layout each phase of the plan to the employee with transparency before beginning. Deal with excuses and resistance to the plan up front. Help the employee to make necessary preparations for challenging or unpleasant parts of the plan. By doing so, you can help eliminate potential roadblocks down the road.

8. Clarify Consequences, Don’t Punish: 

   Make sure both parties are clear on the outcome of the plan. Clarify any mandatory checkpoints, due dates, and completion items that the employee needs to be aware of.

   Create a link between actions and future consequences for both success or failure of the plan. Make sure that the employee fully understands both what is required of them and the consequences resulting from their efforts.

9. Foster a Growth Mindset

   A good coach maintains and fosters a growth mindset. Every individual possesses the potential to grow and better themselves.

   Fostering a growth mindset encourages team members to reach the next level of success. More importantly, it gives them the confidence to get there. Help your team members view successes and failures as learning opportunities. Invite them to voice their perspectives, even if they challenge your own. These actions and perceptions are essential to growth.

10. Don’t Give Up: 

    Discouraged employees will only become less productive if they sense that you’ve given up on them. Even when your employee is wavering on finishing the plan, continue to follow-up with them. Show them you’re invested and committed to helping them achieve their goals as they should be.

Identify Practical Solutions to Elevate Your Leadership & Coaching Skills

For over 35 years, CMOE has helped leaders, teams, and executives ranging from small companies to Fortune 500 companies improve their coaching. These essential coaching skills provide leaders with the ability to create plans, shape the future, and develop their teams. We’re excited to continue the tradition of building great leaders, and having them share that knowledge with their teams. Contact us to learn more about how we can help your team.