Growing up I was lucky that my Dad was a natural coach to me- a great listener, he never gave me the answers, just had a knack of helping me find my own solutions. He was also amazing at staying up late with me when I’d procrastinated on a school project, always by my side to get it over the line.
When he died suddenly 18 years ago, I was really lost. A good friend of mine suggested I tried coaching and connected me to a coach who helped me gain clarity and navigate my way through.
I spent many years working at L'Oréal, and though it can’t be said for every manager, I was lucky to be managed by several that coached me- empowering me, keeping me engaged, supporting me to learn and grow.
Over time it became clear to me that it was people, and no longer shampoo, that got me out of bed on a morning, and so I retrained as an Executive Coach. Without realising it I had always naturally been a mentor and coach in the teams I had worked and lead. Today my work is supporting others through coaching and I have seen the impact it can have to change individuals, teams and organisations.
For me the power of coaching comes from the potential it can unlock. Very simply, coaching is helping some to learn rather than teaching them, so they can maximise their own performance.
What I love about coaching is not only the impact it can have on individuals, but also when it is expanded into coaching culture it means the potential benefits run through the whole system. When key elements of coaching - empathy, active listening, questioning, an emphasis on holding real two-way conversations- become part of the DNA it has the power to release the energy and potential of whole teams and organisations.
One of the key things that inspires me today is that coaching is no longer just for overstretched senior executives, nor is it seen anymore as only being remedial. Coaching can be embedded in ways of working to help people take greater responsibility for their actions, communicate better, collaborate with others more, feel more engaged, have a greater sense of wellbeing and deliver better results.
Now I’m a coach, so of course I am going to say coaching is important! So here are some resources I frequently cite that support that thinking.
In 2008, Google began research into what makes a good manager and came up with a list of 8 characteristics. They then trained and developed their managers in these areas, and as the business evolved they continued to evolve and refine their list, updating it again in 2018. Over that 10 year time period some elements of the list shifted in the ranking, some new characteristics emerged, but the characteristic at the top of the list didn’t move. And I have a hunch it would be even more firmly at the top now. What is that characteristic? Is a good coach.
In Googles words” A good coach avoids the trap of solving every problem for their team as soon as it arises. Rather they use these problems as teaching moments. They guide and share insights at the right time, letting their team gain valuable experience along the way.”[i]
Google found in 2008 and again in 2018 that managers being coaches was important. And I believe it is even more important right now.
As of 2023 there are now 5 generations in the workforce. Gen Z and Millennials currently make up approximately 38% of the global workforce and this percentage will rise to about 58% by 2030.[ii] We are just beginning to understand what Gen Z will be looking for from organisations and leaders, and research shows that what Millennials look for most from their managers isn’t more managerial direction. Instead, they look for autonomy and development, wanting feedback 50% more often than other employees and believing that their number one source of development is their manager.[iii] What we do know about Gen Z is that they are digital natives, who have grown up with information at their fingertips, so like Millennials they won’t see their managers as experts, but will expect their managers to coach and mentor them. [iv]
Not only is our workforce changing, but the environment we work in is shifting too. It only seems like 5 minutes ago we talked about living in a VUCA world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity). Cue global pandemics, war and economic volatility and VUCA is out of date. Apparently, we now live in a BANI world meaning Brittle, Anxious, Non-Linear and Incomprehensible (also check out RUPT and TUNA).[v] I have to admit this sounds terrifying! And at the same time, I think it comes with a sense of relief for leaders. A relief that in a world where the only certainty is uncertainty, the pressure is off to have all the answers, as that is simply an impossibility. Instead, the opportunity lies in coaching and being coached to explore possibilities, source understanding and create options. Leaders and organisations that embrace coaching naturally engage in curiosity. Curiosity is a prerequisite and antidote to uncertainty and complexity. “Developing coaching as an enabler of change is one way of countering the current pace of change – not just at work but across the whole spectrum of our lives.”[vi] Moving from “I know” and “I tell” to a model in which managers give support and guidance means employees learn how to adapt to constantly changing environments. And that unleashes fresh energy, innovation, and commitment.
As the saying goes: Give someone a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach them how to fish and you feed them for a lifetime
And yet there is a disconnect. In research twenty-four percent of executives significantly overestimate their abilities in coaching, rating themselves as above average while their colleagues ranked them in the bottom third.[vii]
So, I am curious to understand,
What is causing this disconnect?
What is stopping managers and leaders today from coaching?
How would you answer this for yourself, your team, your organisation?
[i] https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/google-spent-a-decade-researching-what-makes-a-great-boss-they-came-up-with-these-10-things.html
[iv] https://coachcampus.com/coach-portfolios/research-papers/cara-amores-coaching-millennials-in-the-workplace/#_ftn10