Leaders drive the agenda of an organization. For any organization to perform at its best, it needs well-equipped leaders. Well-trained and qualified leaders are the ones who bring prosperity.
When leadership is defined as influence, it means that the leader has the competencies to achieve his vision, mission, and core values. Leadership is therefore a set of competencies such as communication, decision-making, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, delegation, charisma, conflict resolution, team-building skills, time management, and many more.
Transformational leaders achieve success through learning and development activities. Success is critical to any organization because of the fierce competition.
Organizations become stronger and more sustainable through deliberate learning and development initiatives. We are often advised that change is the most permanent event, and thus gaining new insights and perspectives. This is where coaching and training come in.
Leaders should be natural mentors. The Cambridge Dictionary defines mentoring as “the act or process of helping and advising someone younger or less experienced, especially at work or school.” In this case, the more experienced professional forms a strategic partnership with the mentor who seeks to excel in areas where he or she has gaps.
This means that the mentor shares his knowledge, experiences, understanding, insights and perspectives with the mentee so that he can perform well in his field. Mentoring can last for a very long time. Mentoring focuses heavily on skills and skill transfer, personal growth mindset, trust structure, succession management, relationship building and career advancement.
Sir John Whitmore, the father of the modern coaching industry, told us that “coaching is about unleashing people’s potential to maximise their performance. It helps them learn rather than teaching them.” Whitmore went on to explain that coaching focuses on future possibilities, not past mistakes.
For training to be successful, it is essential that leaders receive training on its models.
The most commonly used and easiest word to remember is GROW. GROW stands for goals, reality, options or obstacles, and will or way forward. It is also noted that in coaching powerful questions are asked in order to challenge pre-existing assumptions or limitations in thinking. Coaching is mostly short term.
Coaching and mentoring rely on several fundamental structures to reap the desired benefits. For leaders working to develop others, they need skills such as active listening, empathy, communication, feedback, questioning, mentoring, accountability, encouragement, observation, reflection, support, clarity, understanding building, flexibility, goal setting, patience, confidence building, problem solving, and motivation.
Why should leaders use coaching and training to make organizations exceptional? My first thought is that organizations should be deliberate in building such learning and development approaches into policies, budgets, time, processes, and procedures so that they do not become optional.
This means establishing a solid culture. The benefits of training and coaching extend from here to the farthest reaches of the planet. These benefits include developing skills, increasing confidence, enhancing self-awareness, career advancement, knowledge transfer, improving performance, making better decisions, increasing job satisfaction, strengthening relationships, and solving problems effectively.