Skip to main content

Leaders as coaches and the value of the ‘safe space’

I Stock 650151750

The concept of the leader as coach is resonating with many organisations and leaders, as they recognise that the leadership skills that got us here won’t get us to our next destination. This is because leaders as coaches address many critical leadership capability gaps. Leaders as coaches hold purposeful conversations in the workplace, resulting in greater collaboration, increased awareness and responsibility and overall higher performance from individuals and teams.

Leaders as coaches achieve this by engaging in coaching behaviours such as listening (when a leader is coaching, the team member does most of the talking), using goal-setting to direct and focus efforts and behaviour and creating a reflective space to learn from experience. Leaders as coaches also adopt a coaching mindset; for example, being open and curious, adopting a non-judgemental attitude (they ask rather than assume) and having a growth mindset (they believe people can learn and change).

Published 29 April 2022
Topics:
Article

You might also like

Embracing the future of work – how can you lead the change?

9 February 2021
Explore this article by Henley's Paul Lambert, who discusses what the drivers for change are and how you can use them as an opportunity to rise above the chaos of an uncertain market
Article AI and automation Flexible working

Great Leadership includes being yourself!

26 March 2021
This is a precis of an article by Suzanne Pollack, Executive Fellow in Executive Education at Henley Business School
Article

Does coaching work and who benefits most?

11 August 2022
This is a precis of an article by Dr Rebecca Jones and Dr Holly Andrews, Associate Professors in Coaching and Behavioural Change.
Research news Article