Leadership - Coaching Blog - Trusted Coach Directory https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/category/for-clients/leadership/ Your competitive edge for success Tue, 05 Nov 2024 10:30:50 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 “Johnny is useless, he needs coaching” https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/johnny-is-useless-he-needs-coaching/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/johnny-is-useless-he-needs-coaching/#respond Tue, 05 Nov 2024 10:27:45 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=14399 Is that coaching or not? What is coaching anyway? Every Olympic team and athlete has at least one coach. Every Pro Tour player has a coach. Every Premiership Team has a head coach, same for Championship teams. How come?

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In many businesses and industrial sectors having a top coach is worn as a badge of honour, though not so it seems in the construction industry. An executive who had gotten himself a coach was told by a peer – ‘that’s not a good look, you’re supposed to know what you are doing’. And some of the execs I have coached over the years have told me they would not reveal our working relationship, concerned about how that reflects on them.

It seems coaching is not widespread in the construction industry.

I think there are many reasons for this, the main one being people don’t know what coaching is including some that call themselves coaches. I even come across HR people who you’d think would know but don’t – one said to me “Johnny is bloody useless; he really needs a good dose of coaching!”.

In an attempt to raise awareness, I am going to set out here what coaching is and is not so you can take responsibility and act accordingly.

Is:

  • Coaching is raising awareness and responsibility – we all have blind spots that are holding us back. Once we are aware of them, we can do something about them, freeing up performance and progress
  • Coaching is working with healthy coping adults, enabling them to achieve their objectives
  • People want to advance, get to a better place – coaching is future focused and positive
  • Coaching is different, expect weird questions
  • Coaching is a balance between support and challenge
  • It’s about creating and holding a safe space for generative thinking
  • It’s about promoting ‘new’ thinking. You want to get to a different place which usually involves different actions. Your old thinking produces more of the same, so new thinking is needed. We are not talking about Albert Einstein, invention thinking but rather stuff you have not thought about before
  • Coaching is a partnership not a service. In a service situation you might expect me to tolerate all your peculiarities and abuse though in a partnership I might be the only person on the planet who is honest with you. Particularly if you are everyone’s boss.
  • In coaching we allocate thinking time together and stick to it and each of us turn up prepared and ready for the work.
  • As my former coach, Claire Pedrick, says the process of coaching is like an airplane flight. At the start of each session, we are going to work out what the work is today – this is the take-off. Then we are going to do the work – cruising at 40,000ft and then we are going to check we have done the work – smoothly landing the session, together.
  • At executive level, coaching is more about “being” – how the leader shows up and who they are – and much less about their “doing”. The leader brings their whole self such that their people are inspired to follow. This is not easy and yet, with the necessary inner work, it becomes natural.
  • As a coach I am listening for beliefs and values rather than: history, background, situation, detail, problems (what coaches call ‘presenting issues’), scripts and ego.

Is not

  • It’s not a friendly chat, though it can be if that’s ‘useful’ occasionally.
  • It’s not teaching, giving advice, involvement in content or leading the thinkers thinking, nor is it telling what to do or even making ‘helpful’ suggestions.
  • It’s not wrestling over opinions or fighting for airtime
  • It’s not listening passively while the thinker constantly off loads
  • It’s not counselling nor therapy or helping the thinker handle or heal from their past
  • It’s not consulting or subject matter expert input.
  • And it’s definitely not fixing people or seeking to change them to become your version of them.

 

How to find an experienced and qualified coach

Now we better understand what coaching is, is it OK to work with anyone who calls themselves a coach? I’d say, no it’s not. You need to find an experienced and qualified coach, that you get along with and trust.

Firstly, experienced. They need to be operating at your level. If you are CEO then, someone who works with C suite executives.

Qualified? If you are a recent graduate civil engineer you are academically qualified. You then put in seven years of hard work and gain chartered status – Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, MICE. You are now professionally qualified.

That’s what I mean by “qualified”, professionally qualified. Someone who has done a coaching course at a business school might be academically qualified but as yet they are not professionally qualified.

For me, becoming a professionally qualified coach took longer and was harder than becoming MICE (MICE was and remains massive for me, as does my FCIOB) and I am a much better coach for having gone through the credentialing process and done the work.

I’d recommend you look for a credentialed coach rather than a graduate. I am credentialed (PCC) with The International Coaching Federation (ICF) – “The Gold Standard for Coaching”

Having found such a coach, seek to have a few sessions with them to check out the chemistry between you; do you like working with them? Do you trust them?

Make sure you have a written Coaching Agreement – it’s an ethical requirement of the ICF. And then put your whole self into the work, you will be amazed at yourself and rightly so.

Johnny is amazing too. And he always was.

 

Leadership Team Coach Dave Stitt works with construction industry executives and project teams enabling them to deliver remarkable results in a remarkable way. Dave is the creator of  Coach for Results, an accessible online course teaching the basics of a coaching management style so managers can grow confidence, capability and enthusiasm in the people around them.

Read more blogs from Dave: ‘Coaching management style relieves pressure on younger managers’. 

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Six steps to inspire truly joined-up leadership in your business https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/six-steps-to-inspire-truly-joined-up-leadership-in-your-business/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/six-steps-to-inspire-truly-joined-up-leadership-in-your-business/#respond Mon, 15 Jul 2024 14:32:27 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=13898 I run a leadership development programme called Curated Leadership Conversations. I meet with leaders, put a leadership topic, concept or tool on the table and then we talk about it in the context of their business.

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Here’s a real example:

Around the time of the pandemic lockdown, I was working with a company executive team comprising seven people – the MD and his six regional directors. About halfway through the programme, one of the directors, Jane, wanted to talk about her ‘struggle’ to get people back to work in the regional office. The others said they were having similar difficulties and thought it was a good conversation to have in our session.

I asked them what their company policy on remote working was. Jane said, “We haven’t got one, this is all new.” I then asked them for their Executive view and they told me they had not talked about it.

“How about you talk it through now? Deciding on company policy is a leadership conversation.” This was my invitation for them to explore views and reach alignment.

Stephen said, “It should be mandatory, everyone back in the office.” Simon, the MD, countered, “You can’t make this mandatory, there will be some who for good reason cannot do that.” Colin then said, “Free for all, work where you want,” which was quickly ruled out as “too loose”.

Over the course of the hour-long conversation, several other options were offered and discussed. With five minutes to go, they had not decided on their collective stance on the matter. I asked, “What are you going to do now?” Simon said, “We’ve made a really good start here. I think we should meet again by the end of this week and finalise this, and have published our policy before our next session with you, Dave, in a fortnight.”

At the start of the next Curated Leadership Conversation, I asked them how they got on. “Great,” Jane said, “we met as agreed and thrashed it out and decided. HR then drafted it up in policy terms and published it across the whole company.”

Stephen jumped in, “We were talking about it yesterday; it’s going really well. Some of our people can’t comply but we are working with them on an individual basis to agree suitable arrangements with them.”

Colin said, “I’m really glad we had that conversation with you as normally each of us would have decided our own regional policy on the hoof and in this situation that would have been chaos.” Simon added, “Spot on, we are not joined up on this people stuff. Our usual focus is profit and loss, and fixing bad projects. It’s great that we are talking leadership with you Dave.”

A simple and low-cost leadership team development programme

The Curated Leadership Conversation programme usually lasts six months, with hour-long sessions on a fortnightly basis. It is highly effective, quality focused time and is great for leadership team development.

I’ve been thinking about how I can give this to you for next to nothing. The idea is a bit like a business book club. You buy a copy of the six books below and give one to each team member (based on a team of six, but you can work this as best to suit you). Each person reads the book they’ve been given and at the end of the month, you meet as a team and talk about aspects of the books that relate to the context of your business. You then swap books around and repeat for another six iterations.

After six months, you all have read the six books and had some great leadership conversations. You will have come together as a team and will be operating at a higher level and your people will be benefitting from more joined-up leadership. You will all be buzzing.

So, a six-month leadership team development programme for the cost of six books.

6 books for leadership conversations and joined-up leadership*

  1. Who Moved My Cheese? (1998) Dr Spencer Johnson – A classic book about what you want to have in life or business and how you handle change. Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life or business and the maze is where you look to find it. I used to give this to everyone I coached; it reveals profound truths and only takes an hour to read.
  2. Quality Without Tears – The Art of Hassle-Free Management (1984) Philip B. Crosby – For me, the bible on quality. Where ‘Zero Defects’ and ‘Right First Time’ came from. The four absolutes of quality are explained: The Definition, The System, The Performance Standard and The Measurement. Quality is a leadership matter rather than a management paperchase.
  3. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (2002) Patrick Lencioni – I actually bought this book about 10 years ago and never got to read it until recently. It’s amazing how many parallels there are between the author’s work and mine, as a leadership team coach. I now intend giving every team leader I am working with a copy to read so they can gain a deeper understanding of the work we are doing together and to enable them to do more of it with their team in between our Leadership Team Focus Days.
  4. Deep and Deliberate Delegation – A New Art for Unleashing Talent and Winning Back Time (2016) Dave Stitt (me!) – I was working with a top team and the leader asked me to do a workshop on ‘delegation’ … “because all of us think we are the only people who can do this and that is disempowering for our people”. I said no, but then realised he was onto something. Delegation is in every conversation I have with business people – a lack of it is a major frustration. I did the course for him and many since for others and then wrote the book. If you want to win back your time – this is how to do it. ‘Time management’ doesn’t work.
  5. Coach for Results – Empower your People to Achieve the Extraordinary (2022) Dave Stitt (me again!) – I argue, the default conversation in industry is command and control. When you tell someone what to do, and worse, how to do it, they stop thinking for themselves. And you have to do all the thinking round here. Adopt a coaching style of management (it’s easy) and watch the empowerment and engagement take off around you. Surely, this is what you really want. This book explains just the essentials of a coaching style and how to get started. Comes with lots of recommendations from people who have made the shift, their experience and the impact on them and those around them.
  6. The Song of Significance – a New Manifesto for Teams (2023) Seth Godin – Possibly my favourite book, ever! Packed with wisdom and insight for people who want to create a resilient, human organisation that does work to be proud of. That’s you and me. Read this for inspiration and then inspire your people to embrace significance and create the future. What would happen to your company if this was the best job you and they ever had? I think this could reinvigorate your company.

Buy the six books, ask your team members to read the short descriptions above and choose which they want to read first then hand them the book – meet in one month, talk about the books in the context of your business, agree what needs to happen and make it happen together. Repeat.

*All books available on Amazon.

 

Leadership Team Coach Dave Stitt works with construction industry executives and project teams enabling them to deliver remarkable results in a remarkable way.

Dave is the creator of  Coach for Results, an accessible online course teaching the basics of a coaching management style so managers can grow confidence, capability and enthusiasm in the people around them.

Read more blogs from Dave: ‘Coaching management style relieves pressure on younger managers’. 

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What topics do coaching clients typically bring into sessions? https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/what-topics-do-coaching-clients-typically-bring-into-sessions/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/what-topics-do-coaching-clients-typically-bring-into-sessions/#respond Mon, 08 Jul 2024 12:56:00 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=13875 This is a question I often get asked by potential and new clients. Below, I have tried to summarise some of the most common themes, in no specific order:

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  • Managing difficult decisions
  • These could be professional or personal decisions clients are facing. Generally, we work on understanding the hurdles, why they might prove difficult for my client, exploring options for a way forward, examining pros & cons, and setting clear and actionable (SMART) goals and next steps.

    1. Building resilience

    My fellow executive coaches can probably confirm that this is an important and re-occurring topic.  It means helping clients with their resourcefulness to effectively manage crisis situations and challenging times (personal and professional). It can also revolve around ways to help deal with uncertainty and change. Helping to develop a growth mindset that enables clients to view challenges and perceived failures as opportunities for growth and learning, play an important part. Working on self-care to avoid burn-out also features regularly.

    1. Managing (new) organisational culture and expectations

    Organisations spend considerable sums to recruit managers from abroad. There is then an expectation that they will hit the ground running, which can put some immense stress on my new starter clients who are trying to settle into their new work and lives without much further support. I work with my clients to tackle those first hurdles to make the process of settling in and becoming productive less stressful and more rewarding, which in turn has proven to increase their commitment to the organisation and their length of tenure.

    1. Managing workloads/ improving work-life balance

    You won’t be surprised that this is another big and frequently re-occurring theme, also closely connected to building resilience. It generally includes exploring where work impinges on personal lives and why. We work on prioritising, setting healthy boundaries, planning, delegation, and exploring how balanced clients perceive the different aspects of their lives and what they might want to change. Working on well-being strategies and how to manage energy levels also features regularly.

    1. Stakeholder management

    Particularly for clients who have taken on new responsibilities or roles, getting buy-in from new stakeholders and building alignment across new teams can prove challenging. Sometimes it involves managing rather difficult relationships and we work on exploring how to tackle that successfully and sustainably.

    1. Sense of wider purpose/ career planning and refocus 

    Many of my clients are at the brink of a big change. I have coached clients approaching retirement or other big life or career changes that they may not have initiated themselves. We work on how to feel more in control and on gaining more clarity of where to go from here and how. I love accompanying clients on parts of these journeys and then – a year onwards or so – to see the exciting life choices they have made and their accomplishments.

    1. Processing and working with psychometrics and feedback

    Particularly, when working in support of leadership development initiatives, we discuss psychometric and 360 outcomes to see where we can build on strengths and work on development areas. When I am supporting leadership training, we tend to work on how to apply learned concepts to specific work scenarios and challenges. Based on their unique need and goals, I help my clients self-reflect and identify areas where they might need some additional support or practice, developing suitable action plans.  Ensuring clients stay on track and committed through effective and manageable goal setting and accountabilities, we also work together to identify any possible barriers to learning and develop strategies to overcome them.

    1. Exploring role fit

    This is closely linked to the last two topic areas and something clients want to explore for their current or potential new roles. We explore how my  clients’ values fit with their current role, where they draw most of their energy and enjoyment from and what that might mean for their way forward in their current or a new role.

    1. Leading a (new) team

    This might be part of new responsibilities or an existing team. I have worked on inclusivity, managing varying requirements of members in diverse teams (culturally or behaviourally), managing relationships, effective communication, developing others, and ensuring ownership and accountabilities.

    1. Improving leadership presence and credibility

    Some of my clients have been promoted into more senior roles and have come into our coaching relationship to work on  areas, such as confidence, assertiveness, and greater comfort operating at senior levels.

    1. Working on time management

    This is an interesting area, as often it turns out that there is an underlying barrier which might interfere with effective time management. We explore how to overcome such barriers and help improve focus and prioritisation.

    1. Situational management (style and results)

    Sometimes clients bring examples of situations at work into our sessions, where they might not have achieved the outcomes they expected. We examine what happened and explore perceptions from all parties involved. We then explore how alternative actions might result in different and preferred outcomes.

    1. Preparing for difficult conversations

    This could involve conversation with colleagues, stakeholders, or personal situations. We work on building rapport, working on useful beliefs about oneself and the person involved and emotional states that might help get what my clients wants to get out of their conversation. Using ‘gestalt’ methods, such as the ‘empty chair technique’ have proven to be popular and successful with my clients.

    While this (not exhaustive) list summarises some of the common themes my clients have been keen to work on in their coaching journey, the focus is always on my client rather than just the goal they have set to achieve. Often my clients enter a session with a clear objective, but when exploring it, this objective might shift as there are other more pressing priorities that come to the surface. Importantly, my clients know that our sessions provide a safe space for them to reflect, explore and gain more clarity on where they want to be and how to get there. Recognising and celebrating successes plays a big role throughout our coaching journey together.

    Britta Corrigan is a multi-cultural and bi-lingual German/English executive coach. Britta specialises in coaching professionals to adjust to new work challenges, by helping them reflect and develop a deeper understanding of what they want to achieve and how to get there.

    If you’d like to know more, Britta offers a complimentary, non-obligation ‘discovery’ call to explore where you currently are and where you want to be, where the gaps are and what you might want to focus on. You can also  peruse the wide range of Executive Coaches on the Trusted Coach Directory.

    Read more blogs about Executive Coaching

     

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    Who needs Executive Coaching? https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/who-needs-executive-coaching/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/who-needs-executive-coaching/#respond Tue, 02 Jul 2024 07:52:26 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=13829 Or as Marshall Goldsmith said “What got you here won’t get you there”!
    Many of us are successful, until we get a new role that requires something different. We find the old success formula doesn’t work, we are without the tools to be effective in the new environment.

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    It could be that

    • you have been promoted and are struggling to be effective
    • you have received feedback that you would like to process and utilise?
    • you know there is more you could do but not sure where to start?
    • you have reached a plateau, or are you considering a how to change direction?

    In Executive Coaching, you have a safe space to explore possibilities, identify practical and energising ways to move forward, and even try them out! Sessions are stretching and challenging as you explore different perspectives whilst being creative, flexible and practical.

    Some topics that recent clients have worked through in their coaching sessions include:

    • Enhancing personal impact, performance
    • Leadership presence, building gravitas and confidence at Board level
    • Identifying solutions to specific work-related issues
    • Overcoming obstacles in achieving their career and developmental goals
    • Effectiveness in current role / promotion ambitions
    • Delivering in a role which is a step-up – dealing with imposter syndrome
    • Building the confidence to be effective in complex / changing circumstances
    • Strategies for managing stress, change, conflict or crisis.
    • Finding a career path that is rewarding and fulfilling
    • Self-motivation and finding a leadership style that is real and personal

    Does any of this sounds like you and the situations you are facing?

    If you would like to start exploring then get in touch with Madeline for a free 30 min taster session – or peruse the wide range of Executive Coaches on the Trusted Coach Directory.

    Madeline Cranfield is a highly experience Executive coach. She has worked internationally for complex organisations across sectors as diverse as finance and engineering, FMCG and technology. She combines strong business skills in strategy implementation with an ability to engage and motivate people to deliver more of their potential utilising a behavioural approach.

    Read more blogs about Executive Coaching

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    Adaptability and Resilience in Leadership https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/adaptability-and-resilience-in-leadership/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/adaptability-and-resilience-in-leadership/#respond Wed, 26 Jun 2024 08:01:45 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=13324 Leaders need to be more adaptable and resilient than ever before. They need the ability to pivot quickly, make decisions in ambiguous situations, and bounce back from setbacks. Whether it’s a global pandemic or a sudden shift in the market, leaders who are able to adapt and adjust are more likely to succeed in the […]

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    Leaders need to be more adaptable and resilient than ever before. They need the ability to pivot quickly, make decisions in ambiguous situations, and bounce back from setbacks. Whether it’s a global pandemic or a sudden shift in the market, leaders who are able to adapt and adjust are more likely to succeed in the face of uncertainty and change.

    Adaptation

    Adaptation is the key to survival in every aspect of life, including leadership. In the face of uncertainty and change, leaders who are adaptable are more likely to thrive. The ability to pivot quickly and make well-informed decisions is critical to navigating through crisis situations. Leaders who are not able to adapt to new circumstances may not be able to change their tactics or strategy to address the challenges they face. To become adaptable, leaders must be open to change, flexible in their thinking, and willing to experiment with new ideas.

    Resilience

    Resilience is another critical quality that leaders need to possess in order to face the challenges that come with change. Resilient leaders are able to bounce back from setbacks and stay focused on their goals. They are able to maintain calm and composure in the face of uncertainty, which enables them to make better decisions. Resilient leaders also learn from their mistakes and use these experiences to grow and adapt. Developing resilience requires self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the ability to see the bigger picture.

    The Ability To Pivot

    Leaders need to be able to pivot quickly because change is inevitable. Business landscapes change rapidly, and organisations must adapt quickly to remain competitive. Leaders who can pivot quickly have the flexibility to change direction when necessary and take advantage of opportunities that arise. They are not afraid to take risks and are willing to experiment with new approaches. They have a growth mindset and see every setback as an opportunity to learn and improve.

    Bouncing Back

    Leaders who can bounce back from setbacks are better equipped to manage their teams effectively. When leaders demonstrate resilience, they inspire their teams to do the same. Leaders who can weather the storm and remain calm in difficult situations create a sense of security among their team members. This helps build stronger relationships and fosters a culture of trust and transparency. Team members who feel supported during tough times are more likely to remain loyal and committed to the organisation.

    Make Good Decisions

    In a complex business environment, leaders need to be able to make quick and informed decisions even when there is limited information available. This requires leaders to be comfortable with ambiguity and to be able to weigh different options and scenarios quickly. Leaders who can make good decisions in ambiguous situations are often more successful in navigating their organisations through periods of uncertainty.

    Leadership requires certain qualities and skills. HR leaders and internal coaches should assist their teams in developing these qualities in order to build a robust and agile organisation in today’s ever-changing business environment. With these skills and qualities in place, organisations can be better equipped to face whatever challenges the future may hold.

    Read more leadership blogs: Crisis Management: Essential Skills for Every Business Leader, Leading with Agility: How Agile Methodologies Can Transform Leadership

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    Getting the Most Out of Your Business Coach https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/getting-the-most-out-of-your-business-coach/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/getting-the-most-out-of-your-business-coach/#respond Wed, 28 Feb 2024 12:07:16 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=13255 Business leaders must actively work to get the most out of their business coaching experience, and we explore six ways to effectively maximise your sessions and see significant results in your organisation.

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    It’s a well-known fact that running a business isn’t easy. However, it’s also a commonly overlooked fact that business leaders don’t have to go it alone. With the help of a business coach, entrepreneurs can take their companies to levels they never thought possible. However, it isn’t enough to simply hire a business coach and hope that success will come. Business leaders must actively work to get the most out of their business coaching experience. In this article, we will explore six ways to effectively maximise your business coaching experience and see significant results in your company.

    Clearly define your goals and priorities

    To get the most out of your business coaching experience, you need to know what you want. Before your first coaching session, take the time to sit down and determine your business objectives, priorities and what you want to achieve. This will also help your coach know which areas to focus on, making it easier to tailor coaching sessions to your needs. Being clear about your goals and priorities will help set the stage for meaningful and constructive sessions.

    Trust your coach

    One of the most important aspects of an effective coaching relationship is trust. It’s essential to trust your coach as they are there to help you, not judge you. Be open and honest, and allow your coach to see the real you and what drives you. Being willing to expose your insecurities, past failures and current challenges will help your coach craft personalised solutions for your problems.

    Take accountability for your progress

    It’s not enough to simply show up to coaching sessions and expect to see progress. You need to take accountability for your progress. Your coach can provide helpful advice, guidance and support, but it’s up to you to put in the work. If you go into coaching sessions with a growth mindset and commit to taking action on what you learn, then progress will follow.

    Implement Coaching Tips into Your Daily Routine

    Coaching is not solely based on the weekly or bi-weekly sessions that you have with your coach. It’s important that you apply the lessons learned during your coaching sessions to your daily routine. Implementing these tips will turn the coaching session from being a passive activity to an active one.

    Keep an Open Mind

    A coach’s work is to help you refine, improve, and sometime completely change the way you do things. Coaching provides many opportunities to learn but will only be effective if you keep an open mind. Make sure that you are always receptive to ideas and advice your coach provides. Be willing to accept feedback, even if it may seem like criticism at the time.

    Hold Yourself Accountable

    One way to get the most out of business coaching is by holding yourself accountable. Create a plan of action at the end of each coaching session and track your progress methodically. Review your progress and setback regularly, and celebrate milestones, no matter how small, along the way. By being accountable both to yourself and to your coach, you will stay focused on your goals.

    Business coaching can be the catalyst that takes your business to the next level. If you’re going to invest in coaching, make sure you get the most out of the experience. Your coach can provide significant value with guidance, support, and solutions, but it is up to you to implement the tips and embrace your personal development journey. When addressed through the six points outlined in this article, you’ll find that with the right mindset and commitment, business coaching can be a game-changer.

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    Leadership Development in 2024 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/the-future-of-leadership-development-in-2024/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/the-future-of-leadership-development-in-2024/#respond Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:47:20 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=13251 Explore the top 10 leadership development trends for 2024, and stay ahead in the game and give your organisation the competitive edge it needs.

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    If there is one thing that is certain in the world of business, it’s that change is inevitable, and the ability to adapt to change is critical for success. In today’s world, new technologies and data are transforming leadership development in ways we never could have imagined just a decade ago. To stay ahead of the curve, business leaders must embrace these trends and leverage them to nurture their talent effectively. In this blog, we’ll explore the top 10 leadership development trends for 2024, which will help you stay ahead in the game and give your organisation the competitive edge it needs.

    Embracing Hybrid Learning

    The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of hybrid learning technologies, and they’re here to stay. In the coming years, businesses will increasingly leverage these digital learning tools to offer remote training and mentoring that can be accessed via a range of devices. The use of webinars, e-learning platforms, and virtual coaching communities will enable businesses to offer cost-effective, flexible, and customised learning solutions.

    Personalised Learning Pathways

    As business ecosystems become more complex, it’s no longer possible to rely on a one-size-fits-all approach to training and development. The way forward for businesses is to create personalised learning pathways that take into account learners’ specific needs, job profiles, and career goals. Machine learning algorithms, predictive analytics, and smart data systems will help businesses develop and deliver these pathways effectively.

    Agile Leadership

    The pace of change in the business world is rapid, and leaders need to be agile to keep up. This means being able to adapt to changing circumstances, pivot quickly to new strategies, and embrace new technologies. Agile leadership development programs will equip leaders with the skills they need to tackle complex challenges in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

    Data-Driven Coaching

    The use of data analytics to track and improve performance is not a new concept. However, the coming years will see a greater emphasis on data-driven coaching, where real-time data is used to provide personalised and actionable feedback to leaders. This continuous feedback loop will enable leaders to identify areas of strength and growth, and make necessary improvements to their performance.

    Virtual Reality Simulations

    Virtual reality (VR) simulations are an exciting new addition to the leadership development toolkit. These simulations use immersive VR technology to put leaders in realistic scenarios, where they can practice and develop key leadership skills in a safe and controlled environment. This allows for a more engaging and interactive learning experience, which can significantly enhance the quality of leadership development training.

    Continuous Learning

    Leadership development is not a one-time event but a continuous process. Businesses recognise that continuous learning is critical to attracting and retaining top talent. This means creating a culture of learning within the organisation, where leaders are encouraged to seek out new knowledge, skills, and experiences that can help them grow professionally.

    Social Learning

    Social learning is a powerful trend in leadership development that leverages the power of social networks to drive learning and growth. This involves creating networks of leaders who can connect and learn from each other in a mutually supportive environment. Through these networks, leaders can share ideas, experiences, and best practices, which can help them develop new skills and perspectives.

    Gamification

    Gamification is a fun and engaging way to drive learning and development in the modern workplace. Businesses are increasingly using games and simulations to teach complex concepts and skills, and to encourage teamwork and collaboration. Gamification can also help businesses track learner progress and provide personalised learning experiences.

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

    DEI is an increasingly important consideration in the leadership development space. Businesses recognise that diversity is critical to success and are taking steps to foster a culture of inclusion. This includes providing DEI training and development opportunities for leaders, promoting diversity in hiring and promotion, and creating a safe and welcoming workplace environment.

    Leadership Development Metrics

    Businesses are recognising the importance of measuring the effectiveness of leadership development initiatives. In the coming years, there will be an increased emphasis on developing metrics to track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to leadership development, such as employee retention, talent mobility, and employee engagement. This will enable businesses to make data-driven decisions about their leadership development programs, and ensure that they’re getting the best possible return on investment.

    The future of leadership development in business is exciting, and the trends we’ve explored in this blog are just the tip of the iceberg. Embracing hybrid technology, data, and advanced learning technologies will be critical for organisations that want to stay ahead in the game and nurture their talent effectively. By leveraging the latest trends in leadership development, businesses can create a culture of continuous learning, develop agile leaders, and foster an inclusive and diverse workplace that attracts and retains top talent. So, are you ready to embrace the future of leadership development in business?

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    Top Tips for implementing a successful 360-degree feedback process https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/top-tips-for-implementing-a-successful-360-degree-feedback-process/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/top-tips-for-implementing-a-successful-360-degree-feedback-process/#respond Wed, 17 Jan 2024 10:30:27 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=13154 360-feedback tools are commonly used in organisations, especially for those who have been promoted into a leadership or management position, or those already in one and taking part in a leadership development programme.

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    They can be a powerful, multi-dimensional tool that draws upon the knowledge of people within a leader’s own circle of influence within their working environment. The data gleaned from a 360-feedback report can help generate awareness of blind spots and create an appetite for change on behalf of the recipient.

    But when set up and administered poorly, using 360 can generate a host of issues, such as:

    • People using anonymity to leave unhelpful comments – or to exact revenge as ‘keyboard warriors’
    • Leaders being anxious that confidentiality will be broken, with development gaps noted and held against them when the time comes for promotion
    • Leaders feeling overwhelmed by the huge amount of data that many 360 feedback tools collate.

    All of which may create a situation in which the leader could feel they’re being unfairly exposed to criticism and forced to face into things they don’t want to. They may feel vulnerable or judged and possibly that they’re being forced to adopt a more ‘acceptable’ style. This all increases a leader’s resistance and will decrease their readiness to change.

    Meanwhile the financial and time investment goes unrealised.

    However, when the top tips below are followed, 360-degree feedback can offer leaders powerful insights into ways they can improve their impact on the business and people around them.

     

    How can you maximise the benefits of a 360-feedback approach in your organisation?

    If you’re at the very beginning of the 360 process, the first question you may be asking yourself is ‘how do I know if my organisation is ready to conduct 360 feedback?’

    What are the checklist of factors to you need to consider before you start?

     

    Organisational History – the past doesn’t have to predict the future

    Has your company struggled to effectively use 360-degree feedback in the past?

    Previous disasters does not guarantee future disasters, yet they do help you learn from mistakes and form better foundations. Make sure you look at what didn’t work last time and plan ahead to avoid these pitfalls. Where there any successes that you can build on?

    Culture – a feedback-rich culture takes time

    Do you worry that there isn’t enough trust and engagement to support the open sharing of feedback?

    Are leaders not being encouraged and held accountable for coaching and developing other leaders?

    360-degree feedback when done well enhances the direct report-leader relationship. As leaders strengthen their leadership behaviours in areas identified by others, people will feel encouraged that their feedback matters and continue to openly share their thoughts and constructive advice.

    Leadership – “Great leaders do not create followers; they create more leaders”

    Did visible executive sponsorship fail last time?

    Are your company’s senior leaders unwilling to be personally involved in the 360-degree feedback process?

    Senior leaders must lead the way and set the example for the rest of the organisation. Be sure to find ways for them to be champions for the process, including sharing openly their personal stories of how they have learned from 360-degree feedback in their own career.

    Resources – giving and receiving feedback as an essential skill

    Has there previously been a lack of support for leaders receiving feedback to assist them in interpreting and understanding their 360-degree feedback report?

    Are they not very good at giving and receiving feedback?

    Two of the biggest predictors of a successful 360-degree feedback process is whether observers are engaged upfront to provide feedback, and if leaders have a proper debrief of their report allowing them to create and to act upon a development plan.

    Get your leaders to take our quiz at www.jmaquiz.com to find out how good they are at giving and receiving feedback – and what they can to do sharpen their skills.

    Tools – use the right tool for the job

    Do you lack a leadership competency framework or set of behavioural expectations?

    Is a plan for the practical implementation of the 360-degree feedback process missing?

    Many consultancies specialise in the design and development of leadership assessment tools and can assist you in aligning your 360-degree feedback initiative with your competency model (either one you have developed in-house or one you are adopting from an external source).

    If this has prompted questions or concerns, I would be happy to discuss and share approaches that will facilitate a successful 360 process.

    Reach out to me on + 44 (0) 1604 340990 or via: info@jmaleadership.com

     

    Jo Manton is an Executive and Leadership Coach, a Strozzi Institute certified Somatic Coach and qualified facilitator for The Leadership Challenge Workshop and Leadership Practices Inventory. Jo specialises in helping clients feel as successful on the inside as they look to others on the outside.

    Read more blogs from Jo: Leadership Workout: 6 Ways to Develop your Leadership Muscles – without going to the gym!

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    Leadership – a useful definition https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/leadership-a-useful-definition/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/leadership-a-useful-definition/#respond Mon, 20 Nov 2023 09:22:02 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=12913 People who are inspired get stuff done under their own steam. People who are not inspired need pushing, cajoling and incentivising to get stuff done – you have to drag them screaming and kicking, sometimes literally. So how do you inspire them en mass?

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    As I coach leadership teams, I study how they wrestle with their biggest challenges, how they decide on the future direction of their organisation and how they create an environment where their people can come and do their best work. I’ve been doing this for nearly twenty-five years. Prior to that I was in a leadership position in the construction industry.

    For all this time as practitioner and coach I’ve been an avid reader of leadership books – I’m a student of leadership both in terms of what I read and my work with project and organisational leaders.

    Over time, I have come across many definitions of leadership – a Google search for ‘definition of leadership’ shows over three billion results!

    Of the definitions I have come across, my favourite and most useful is this: Leadership is having a vision of where you want to get to and a clear understanding of where you are now then inspiring the people to get from here to there. I think I came across this in a ‘Management Today’ magazine article by Charles Handy, the British management guru, in the early nineties but I can’t find it to verify it. I also think he called it The Trinity of Leadership: Vision, Location and Inspiration – let’s unpack each in turn.

    Vision – where we want to get to

    There is so much in the literature about the importance of having a vision of the future that I’m not going to try and summarise it here. Suffice to say, if you and your people don’t know where you are headed, there will be much muddling through and uncoordinated effort.

    Think about when you were climbing up through the ranks or now in your institution or organisation or in politics. How often do you hear yourself or others say, “I don’t know where we are going, there is no leadership round here, s/he has no vision.”

    People need to know where they are going, where ‘we’ are going – that’s what we are talking about here, vision.

    When I start working with a leadership team, it’s usually one of my first challenges: “Where do you want to be in five years’ time, as an organisation, as a leadership team?” I enable them to get to a picture of that in about half an hour, which is usually ‘good enough for today’ and often good enough to provide direction for their people. Five years is a long way into the future, so it doesn’t need to be accurate, rather just good enough to give a sense of where we are headed. And then we start in that direction from where we are now, location.

    Location – where we are now

    Often when I ask “Where are you now, as a team, as an organisation?” I’m met with stunned silence, and then “Well, we all know where we are, it’s obvious.”

    There are a dizzying array of team and business diagnostics, along with psychometrics and profiling tools to help people determine where they are at. It seems a whole industry has evolved in recent decades to satisfy the hunger for nailing, exactly, where we are at. And yet the leaders in front of me say, “It’s obvious and we all know.”

    Instead of producing reams of pages of ‘interesting but so what’ analysis using the latest ‘scientific’ team or organisation diagnostic, I simply ask them for twenty incontrovertible facts that describe the team or organisation as it is today. Usually, they work in pairs and generate lots of Post-it notes and then present back to each other, scrapping the duplicates and opinions so we end up with just the facts – which no one could argue with.

    They then stand back and look at these twenty facts, often amazed, sometimes gobsmacked. And then “Really?” or “I never realised that” or “That’s brutal” or “We should have done this a year ago”. It’s often surprising given their ‘obvious, we all know’ starting point.

    So now we know where we are and have a sense of where we want to be, what about inspiring the troupes to get from here to there?

    Inspiring the people to move from location towards vision

    For me, this is the really interesting bit, the hard bit, the bit that gets little attention and that needs continuous work from start to finish. How do you inspire all the people involved and necessary for your venture to get from where you are to where you want to be? Because if you don’t, it is going to be hard; hard for you, the leader.

    People who are inspired get stuff done under their own steam. People who are not inspired need pushing, cajoling and incentivising to get stuff done – you have to drag them screaming and kicking, sometimes literally. So how do you inspire them en mass? This is [the] leadership challenge.

    ‘Inspired people embrace the challenge to get from here to there without a precise map. (1)

    When coaching a leadership team, I ask those in front of me “Where do you get your inspiration?” Again, this is often met with stunned silence. They haven’t thought about it before. I then ask “Why am I even asking you that question?” Occasionally someone gets it – “’Cos if we are not inspired, we can’t inspire other people.” Spot on – you cannot give what you haven’t got. So where do you get your inspiration, what raises your spirits?

    First step to inspiring your people, you have to be inspired yourself so notice where you get your inspiration and get more of it. It’s not a one-time event, a conference or a roadshow, this is how you show up day after day as a leader, and this is who you are as a leader. This is who you want to be as a leadership team – from start to finish, from location to vision delivered.

    So, this is the most useful definition of leadership I have come across; useful because I use it in my work as a coach to leadership teams who want to deliver remarkable results.

    If you are a leader looking to deliver something remarkable, then our DeliverStart2Finish™ programme will be useful for you.

    (1) ‘The Song of Significance – A new manifesto for teams’ by Seth Godin (pp x).

     

    Leadership Team Coach Dave Stitt works with construction industry executives and project teams enabling them to deliver remarkable results in a remarkable way.

    Dave is the creator of  Coach for Results, an accessible online course teaching the basics of a coaching management style so managers can grow confidence, capability and enthusiasm in the people around them.

    Read more blogs from Dave – ‘Coaching management style relieves pressure on younger managers’. HR Director

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    Managing The Remote Workforce https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/managing-the-remote-workforce/ https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/managing-the-remote-workforce/#respond Wed, 08 Nov 2023 16:26:45 +0000 https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/?p=12827 The rise of remote and distributed workforces has necessitated new skills to manage teams and foster collaboration in virtual environments. This blog will discuss why leaders must embrace these new skills to ensure the longevity of their organisations.

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    The COVID-19 pandemic forced many companies to shift to remote work environments virtually overnight. This sudden shift created unprecedented challenges for leaders responsible for managing and building highly effective teams. The rise of remote and distributed workforces has necessitated new skills to manage teams and foster collaboration in virtual environments. Leaders must understand that effective communication, trust building, and team motivation are vital in enabling remote teams to succeed. This blog post will discuss why leaders must embrace these new skills to ensure the longevity of their organisations.

    Communication

    Communication is essential in fostering collaboration in virtual environments. In a traditional office setting, team members can depend on face-to-face interaction, body language, and other subtle cues to communicate their points effectively. However, virtual settings often require a high level of verbal and written communication skills. Leaders must train their teams to communicate clearly, regularly and with consistency to ensure everyone is on the same page. Virtual meetings and online collaboration tools like chatrooms and video conferencing software can facilitate effective communication even from remote locations.

    Building Trust

    Building trust in a remote team can be challenging without the opportunity for in-person interactions. Leaders must work to ensure that team members feel comfortable, valued and included in virtual meetings and events. This can include virtual coffee break times for non-work conversations, structured team-building activities and targeted online training. It is also essential to set clear expectations around work deliverables, timelines and performance metrics to avoid misunderstandings and missed deadlines that can lead to mistrust among team members.

    Team Motivation

    In any work environment, team motivation can play an essential role in productivity and morale. However, in a remote team environment, motivation can be harder to maintain due to the absence of physical cues, cues linked to in-person activities and human interaction. Leaders can employ various approaches to keep motivation high, including recognising and celebrating individual and team achievements, providing coaching and support, and regularly assessing the work environment’s pulse.

    Flexibility

    The rise of remote work has shown that leaders who are more flexible are better positioned to lead remote teams effectively. In today’s business environment, it is essential not only to identify the right skills for remote work scenarios but also the right mix of policies that support remote work. Leaders should be open-minded and open to new ideas and willing to adjust current policies in line with remote work requirements. They should monitor their company’s policies and training regularly to keep up with the ever-changing business environment.

    Technology

    The technology landscape has expanded in recent years, enabling virtual workforces to thrive. Companies have installed cloud-based software to facilitate virtual collaboration and communication platforms to facilitate real-time feedback. Effective leaders need to provide secure technology tools to their distributed teams to enable the effective collaboration and communication needed to thrive in this environment. Proper training for the virtual products that will be used is essential as part of the overall technology plan.

    The rise of remote and distributed workforces has required leaders to develop new skills to manage and foster collaboration in virtual environments. Without in-person interactions, effective communication, trust building, team motivation, flexibility and technology are all crucial components in leading remote teams to success. Leaders must be willing to adopt and adapt to new policies and procedures that are designed to support remote work. HR leaders and internal coaches should tackle this head-on to ensure a successful and prosperous future for their organisations.

     

    Read more leadership blogs: Crisis Management: Essential Skills for Every Business Leader, Leading with Agility: How Agile Methodologies Can Transform Leadership

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