When someone seeks you out to make a change to improve, develop or be more effective, they are making a choice to change. When the other person “owns” their direction or goals, coaching is a powerful way for you, as a leader, to help them achieve their vision. What happens though, when change chooses us? That’s what our world has been experiencing for three years—Covid, the great resignation, hybrid workplaces, bank failures, inflation etc. It’s no exaggeration to say that we have been experiencing an avalanche of change. Just as we imagine we have outrun it, another wave appears. We worry about being buried. How can coaching help us then? As Viktor Frankl says: When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” As a tool of connection and empowerment, coaching is an indispensable leadership practice to buffer the impact of uncertainty and engage your team to adapt. In your coaching conversations, acknowledge the context in which we find ourselves.
Take Time to Personally Connect—Before you coach your team member or team remember to check in about how they and their families are faring during this time. It only takes a few minutes and decades of research has shown that social connection and bonding can go a long way to alleviating the impact of stress! As always, when you coach, you strengthen your relationship with others and that is a powerful predictor of retention.
Acknowledge the feelings you and others are experience: Uncertainty and stress brings up emotions, many of which are hard to name and share. Yet we know from brain research, that when we “name it” we tame it. Naming it helps us access problem solving parts of our brain essential for working through issues. As a leader, be willing to be vulnerable and share your fears or difficult moments when relevant and use actively to what emotions may be part of their story.
Focus on The Person. Acknowledge and understand what forces are affecting us, but don’t get lost in the that narrative. At its core, coaching is about the person and helping them move forward. Stay grounded in your coaching. Focus the coaching roadmap–their goals and needs, strengths and resources and actions they can control. That’s how they will regain confidence and equilibrium to adapt.
Leverage Strengths & Celebrate Achievements Always remember to help your team
acknowledge their strengths, what brings them joy and fills them up. Find moments in your coaching and culture to celebrate small and large wins.
*Some of the content of this blog reflects content contained in Leaders Who Coach: The
Roadmap to Unleashing Team Genius published in 2022.
