It’s a privilege to coach; such a privilege that it should never be forgotten that it’s never about the coach. The explanation that follows explores each of the coaching elements outlined the the figure above. They are presented in what might be described as a “logical sequence.” In practice each of the elements are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle: it doesn’t matter in what order they are laid down, merely that you need all of the pieces to complete the picture.
Indeed, coaching that seeks to make leadership of self the initial focus may be stepping into private space too quickly. A more comfortable discussion focusing on the team, culture and/or leadership competencies is often the best way to build rapport. There are, of course, circumstances that dictate that the initial coaching focus be on performance.
1. Leadership of Self
Personal priorities, managing family commitments, giving back, charting a rich and fruitful life and striving to be the best you can be, define leadership of self. Whatever the challenge, self-awareness and how we lead ourselves must always be the genesis of anything approaching leadership excellence.
If you don’t know where you have been … it’s tough to know where you are going. If you don’t know who you are … you can never fully access your talent. If you surround yourself with people who drain away your creative energy … being more of who you have always been is the best you can hope for. If you are not living your own story … you are living someone else’s.
Critical Tools: (1) the coachee’s story; (2) their life priorities; (3) their relationship with the rest of the top team; and (4) their support – or otherwise – from the Board.
Coaching Imperative: (1) Focusing in on what is essential vs. what is merely important; and (2) challenging defensive routes.
2. Career
I have interviewed – at times in front of an audience – a good many senior executives with a view to understand how they had reached such an exalted position. Did they have a career plan? How did they implement that plan?
Managing one’s career means finding the “golden thread” that charts a meaningful passage between the emerging context, personal goals, the expectations of others and career opportunity. It’s the challenge of becoming oneself, while concurrently shaping what’s possible:
▪ Step one: exploring possibility. If you can imagine it, you have made the first step in realising it.
▪ Step two: setting both personal and career goals.
▪ Step three: an investment in learning … being ready.
▪ Step four: responding to opportunity.
| ▪ | Step one: exploring possibility. If you can imagine it, you have made the first step in realising it. |
| ▪ | Step two: setting both personal and career goals. |
| ▪ | Step three: an investment in learning … being ready. |
| ▪ | Step four: responding to opportunity. |
Critical Tools: Exploring how the coachee learns. In that career success rarely follows the route defined by “the plan,” how people learn is more important than what they learn.
Coaching Imperative: Finding the golden thread.
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To read the entire article which explores the remaining eight coaching elements that follow the above two, CLICK HERE.
John O. Burdett is founder of Orxestra® Inc. He has extensive international experience as a senior executive. As a consultant he has worked in more than 40 countries for organisations that are household names. John has worked on organisation culture for some of the world's largest organisations. His ongoing partnership with TRANSEARCH International means that his thought leading intellectual property, in any one year, supports talent management in many hundreds of organisations around the world. Get in touch with John O. Burdett »
