Transformational cultures use the manager as a coach
Nov 14, 2024
auto_awesome
Tiffany Gaskell, co-author of 'Coaching for Performance' and co-CEO of Performance Consultants, dives into the transformative power of coaching in workplaces. She shares intriguing insights about the history of coaching and its evolution into a vital practice for leadership. Tiffany discusses the shift from micromanagement to empowering coaching, emphasizing the need for managers to foster engagement through Socratic questioning. She also highlights the significant impact of a coaching culture on safety performance, illustrating how interactive methods lead to profound improvements.
Regular feedback from managers is vital for employee engagement, with 80% of engaged workers receiving direct feedback weekly.
Adopting a coaching-centric approach empowers employees and transforms leaders into facilitators of growth and collaboration within teams.
Deep dives
The Importance of Feedback for Engagement
Regular feedback is crucial for employee engagement, with studies indicating that 80% of engaged workers have received direct feedback from their managers in the past week. This highlights the need for managers to allocate time for observation and meaningful interactions with their team members. Constructive feedback facilitates a supportive work environment, promoting job satisfaction and productivity. Without it, employees may feel disconnected or undervalued, impacting overall organizational performance.
The Evolution and Impact of Coaching
Coaching has grown significantly, with its roots traced back to the pioneering work of Sir John Whitmore, who defined the practice and established coaching as a formal industry. The shift from early models like the 'seven Cs' to the popular GROW model demonstrates how coaching evolved to better address individual and organizational needs. This evolution reflects a broader recognition of coaching's value in unlocking human potential and improving workplace culture. As organizations adapt to a coaching-centric approach, they empower employees to achieve their best, resulting in higher performance and fulfillment.
Transformational Leadership through Coaching
Transformational leadership, characterized by coaching techniques, emphasizes collaboration and talent development within teams. As leaders adopt coaching skills, they can create an interdependent workplace culture where employees feel valued, empowered, and engaged. The coaching approach shifts the focus from traditional directive management to facilitating individual growth and team success through guidance and support. This method not only fosters personal development but also drives organizational performance and innovation.
Creating a Coaching-Driven Culture
To achieve a high-performance culture, organizations must embrace coaching as an integral part of their operations. This involves training leaders in coaching methodologies, enabling them to engage with employees meaningfully. Successful coaching initiatives have shown measurable improvements in performance, employee satisfaction, and retention, ultimately fostering a more agile and adaptive organizational environment. By prioritizing a coaching culture, companies can navigate challenges more effectively and attract top talent in a competitive landscape.
Tiffany Gaskell outlines coaching as a route to transformational leadership
Tiffany Gaskell is the co-author of Coaching for Performance, the top-selling guide to coaching first published by Sir John Whitmore the inventor of the discipline.
It's curious to consider that there was a founder of coaching, and Tiffany takes me through the history of the practice, how it took hold and where it is today.
This is a powerful insight but also poses a huge challenge - how can any of us find the time to observe and then feedback to every worker in our team. Tiffany explains that this is where a culture of coaching comes in, transferring the burden of observation from the manager to facilitating a socratic questioning approach.