Too many leaders are hamstrung by being overly-operational, not delegating, not holding their teams accountable and not giving praise and encouragement where it is due.
In fact, James K. Harter, Gallup’s chief scientist for workplace management, believes that 75% of the reasons why people leave organisations are related to aspects that leaders can influence. But do they know how?
Since leaders are commonly promoted for their expertise rather than for their leadership skills, many don’t know how to engage, inspire and listen to those whom they lead. Too often they are restricted by their need to control, their personal fears and their blind spots.
This could cost the business dearly in terms of employee turnover if we take the above statistic into account. Thus, to develop and maintain a strong talent pipeline, you need to have the right leaders in place – and this is where investing in leadership coaching makes all the difference.
Related: 6 Questions You Should Be Asking When Coaching
Here are only a few ways in which your business can benefit:
1. Believable leaders support a believable business
According to an EY Global Generations study, less than half of global respondents trust their current employers/leaders. This is an alarming statistic when you recognise that no-one will voluntarily follow someone they don’t trust. This means disengagement at best and sabotage in the worst cases.
Coaching guides leaders to be intentional about building a consistent, believable brand that leaves a positive presence after every engagement with their teams. If your team trusts who you are, they are much more likely to trust the direction you are taking and contribute to getting there.
2. Mindful leaders enhance employee engagement
The positive impact of high employee engagement levels on the bottom line of your business is widely substantiated. Besides the importance of building trust, coaching journeys primarily focus on raising leaders’ awareness of how their behaviour impacts those they lead.
Leaders must put in constant effort to engage their teams in such a manner that keeps them switched on (inspired and energised).
The power of a coaching approach lies in being patient and asking questions to switch team members on and help them find their own solutions. Most leaders don’t intend to switch others off, but by not being mindful of their impact, they unknowingly do great harm.
3. Purposeful leaders eliminate silos
In my work I so often hear complaints about teams that work in silos. True leaders don’t only switch their teams on, they also help their teams collaborate with other teams to the benefit of the business.
Coaching guides leaders to entrust operational ownership to their team members, which frees up their time to think more strategically and collaborate with other leaders to ensure everyone in the business is pulling together. This also fosters cross-functional relationships that boost productivity and organisational culture as a whole.
So, how will investing in coaching support your business objectives? In short, it will build the trust, deepen the engagement and foster the collaboration you need to achieve new heights.
Related: How Business Coaching Can Help You Achieve Your Goals