Leadership and Management (35%) 50 items

Definition of coaching in 2022.

Who is the coach and how he works nowadays.
Coaching is a method of achieving set goals.
The coach through dialogue helps the coachee (client) to correctly set a goal, to find the best way to
achieve the goal and reveal hidden inner potential in a person.
The coach does not say how to achieve success, but asks questions through which the client himself
finds the solution to his own tasks.
The Cambridge dictionary defines the word "coaching" as "the job or activity of providing training for
people or helping to prepare them for something".
But the definition isn`t quite right, because coaching is not training or preparation - it helps and
supports on the way to achieving the goal.

What is coaching
It`s based on 5 principles:

 Everything is alright with people. There are no wrong people.

 In man, there are initial power to achieve the goal.
 All actions are carried out with positive intentions.
 People change all the time and this process is inevitable.
 A person seeks to choose the best option from the opportunities available to him.

Similarities and differences compared with psychotherapy.

Coaching and psychotherapy share the following similarities: in both cases the client is treated as he
is, without illusions and is not subject to general rules and patterns. Creates a comfortable and
confidential atmosphere for the client, in which he can fully reveal himself.

Psychotherapy is aimed to the past in order to improve the present. While working with the client, the
coach helps him to activate his inner potential, to work out the most effective way of achieving the
goal. Coaching works from the present to the future.

The coach does not try to cure his client, he considers every one as fully-fledged, healthy and
capable.

Similarities and differences with mentoring.

What is mentoring you can learn from our article "What is Mentoring?"

Coaching and mentoring are aimed to achieving a similar result - professional or personal growth of
the client. But methods for achieving goals differ. Mentor is a person who has achieved success in his
field and now helps and shares his experience with the client. Passes skills, helps to get out of
difficult situations, gives clues - provides direct assistance to the client. The coach does not give hints
directly, but helps the client to find the answers to the burning questions.
What is Coaching? Put simply, coaching is a process that aims to improve performance and
focuses on the ‘here and now’ rather than on the distant past or future.

While there are many different models of coaching, here we are not considering the ‘coach as
expert’ but, instead, the coach as a facilitator of learning.

There is a huge difference between teaching someone and helping them to learn. In coaching,
fundamentally, the coach is helping the individual to improve their own performance: in other
words, helping them to learn.

Good coaches believe that the individual always has the answer to their own problems but
understands that they may need help to find the answer.

The essential part of coaching, then, is to help people to learn to silence that inner voice and
allow their instincts, or their subconscious, to take over. Sometimes that means distracting it,
and sometimes it’s about exploring the ‘worst case scenario’ and removing the fear.

The Differences Between Teaching, Coaching, Mentoring and Counseling

Although teaching, coaching, mentoring and counseling all share some key characteristics and skills,
they are nonetheless quite different and it’s important to be aware of the differences.

Teaching and Training

Teaching and training involve an expert teacher who imparts knowledge to their students.

Although the best teachers will use participative and interactive techniques, like coaching, there is
very definitely an imbalance of knowledge, with the teacher as expert knowing the ‘right answer’.

Coaching
Coaching involves the belief that the individual has the answers to their own problems within them.

The coach is not a subject expert, but rather is focused on helping the individual to unlock their own
potential. The focus is very much on the individual and what is inside their head. A coach is not
necessarily a designated individual: anyone can take a coaching approach with others, whether
peers, subordinates or superiors.

‘Coaching’ is one of the essential leadership styles identified by Daniel Goleman (see our page on
Leadership Styles for more and take our 'What Sort of Leader are You?' self-assessment to find out
how well-developed your coaching leadership style is).

The key skill of coaching is asking the right questions to help the individual work through their own
issues.

Mentoring
Mentoring is similar to coaching. There is general agreement that a mentor is a guide who helps
someone to learn or develop faster than they might do alone.

In the workplace mentors are often formally designated as such by mutual agreement, and outside of
an individual’s line management chain. They usually have considerable experience and expertise in
the individual’s line of business.
A mentoring relationship usually focuses on the future, career development, and broadening an
individual’s horizons, unlike coaching which tends to focus more on the here and now and solving
immediate problems or issues.

Counselling
Counselling is closer to a therapeutic intervention. It focuses on the past, helping the individual to
overcome barriers and issues from their past and move on. Here, the focus may be either internal or
external.

Conclusion
The term ‘coaching’ means many different things to different people, but is generally about helping
individuals to solve their own problems and improve their own performance.

It doesn’t matter whether coaching is used in sport, life or business, the good coach believes that
individuals always have the answer to their own problems. They just need help to unlock them.

What is Workplace Coaching?

Workplace coaching, employee coaching, or business coaching is the continuous two-way feedback
between the employee and the coach with the intention to work on areas for improvement and
reinforce strengths to sustain the progress of the employee’s performance. In other words, coaching
in the workplace means empowering employees to be the best performers that they can be.

Importance
Workplace coaching is important to set employees up for success in the workplace by providing the
tools that workers can use to increase their knowledge and improve their skills. Through effective
employee coaching, employers can cultivate their workers’ willingness to do the job, leading to higher
job satisfaction and productivity.

The Responsibilities of a Coach

Ultimately, a workplace coach is responsible for empowering and mentoring an employee to be the
best version of themselves at work. For workplace coaches to be effective and build up a company’s
workforce, they should be mindful of the following before coaching begins:

Develop the right mindset and perspective

The coach should have a firm belief in the value of the employee. The coach must begin with the
mindset that the employee is worth the coaching effort.

Cultivate the optimum environment for professional growth

The coaching environment ideally should be conducive to learning and communication. It needs to be
a safe space for open, honest, two-way feedback between the employee and the coach.
Uncover specific areas of improvement in knowledge, skill, and performance
The coach (and the employee) should be able to realize if the performance issue/s arise from lack of
knowledge, skill gap, or lack of direction to properly execute a job. The coach should gather
information based on the employee’s performance to identify areas for improvement.

Evaluate an employee’s readiness to be coached

The employee is likely receptive to coaching if the environment is conducive and if the coach is ready.
Also consider asking questions like how the day is going so far for the employee and observe non
verbal cues and body language to assess if the employee may be open to coaching at the moment.

Apply appropriate coaching styles and techniques

Intentionality and preparation are important for coaching to be effective. The coach needs to adjust
the method of coaching according to the employee’s learning style: visual, kinesthetic, read/write,
auditory. The coaching process needs to be communicated well with the employee to get the most
out of the session, leading to better outcomes.

How to Coach Employees Effectively

Reinforce a continuous approach
Coaching should be done daily and not just during scheduled weekly or monthly sessions. Whether
it’s just a quick huddle, via video conference, one-on-one, catch-up, team meeting, as long as it’s an
opportunity to address possible improvement, it is considered coaching.

Coach according to employee’s development needs

Similar areas of improvement or challenges may be discovered during coaching and there may be a
tendency to use one generic action plan for different employees–be aware that one approach may not
apply to all. The coach should help the employee formulate own action plans and make sure that they
are doable for the employee.

Focus on future performance

Coaching is not meant to assess past performance. The information gathered from past performance
is meant to help determine what the employee should improve on moving forward.

Practice two-way communication between employee and coach

The coach or supervisor is not supposed to do all the talking during coaching. Majority of the input
should be from the employee while the coach should guide the direction of the session with the
intention to help the employee realize areas for improvement. It can help to keep them accountable.
Once identified, the employee comes up with an action plan and the coach is responsible for helping
determine if it is a SMART action plan.

What Is the Importance of Leadership?

Leadership is a vital management function that helps to direct an organization's resources for
improved efficiency and the achievement of goals. Effective leaders provide clarity of purpose,
motivate and guide the organization to realize its mission. Regardless of your position, understanding
the role of leaders can help you contribute more meaningfully to the accomplishment of your
company's objectives.
What is the importance of leadership?
Leadership serves several functions crucial to the success of an organization. One of the most
important functions of a leader is to provide a vision for the company. The leader explains the vision
and what members of the organization must do to achieve it.

While an organization may have people with various talents and capabilities, it is leadership that
harnesses individual efforts toward the collective goal. By inspiring and motivating teams and
coordinating personal actions for the advancement of a common goal, leaders help their companies
achieve excellence.

Why do teams need leaders?

Teams often comprise multi-talented individuals who have the right skills and experience to deliver
results. But most organizations still choose a team leader to direct the energy of the members for
more effectiveness. Here are the reasons your team needs a leader:

Effective leadership
People have a natural disposition to follow a leader. Regardless of your level of knowledge and
experience in a particular field, you can achieve more if there is a higher authority you report to. This
is because a leader provides guidance and helps you minimize potential threats that can affect your
productivity. A leader doesn't have to be a senior colleague, but they can still improve your chances
of success through effective mentorship, accountability and delegation of duties.

Purpose
Leaders have a clearer understanding of the team's purpose and what it must do to make it a reality.
Effective leadership not only guides but identifies, understands and communicates the organization's
vision to motivate others to support them to achieve objectives. During the designing and
implementation of a project, it is the leader who ensures every team member understands their roles
and provides an enabling environment to help them perform at their best.

Promote values
Team leaders can encourage others to take up essential values vital for the organization's success. If
you are upright, honest, and punctual and serve as a good role model to your team members, they
will emulate your behavior. Values such as accountability and taking responsibility when things go
wrong can also make the organization a better place for employees and clients.

Promote creativity

Team leaders can also foster an atmosphere of creativity in an organization. While leaders help
others see the vision of the business, they can also provide more flexibility on how employees do
their work. This can help produce new insights on how to perform tasks, make decisions and deliver
on

Why is leadership important?

Leadership is important for the success of an organization because it provides guidance, purpose and
helps others understand the long-term strategies and goals of a business. Here are 11 reasons to
value effective leadership:
1. Vision

Successful leadership creates a clear vision of what the organization can achieve. Leaders provide a
roadmap outlining the steps and resources their company needs to arrive at the preferred destination.

2. Communication

Leaders help to communicate the vision and mission of the firm to employees. This provides direction
and helps everybody identify the roles that best fit skills and experiences. Through clear
communication, leaders encourage their subordinates to act for the actualization of objectives.

3. Decision Making

Decision making is one of the top leadership skills. Successful leadership takes the best decision for
the organization in all situations. Leaders are experts at taking the right decisions based on the
prevailing circumstances. They weigh their organization's strengths and weaknesses to ensure their
choices put them at an advantage now and in the future.

4. Passion

Leaders are passionate about their vision and infect others with their energy to achieve it. Effective
leadership inspires others to buy into the company's objectives and provide a powerful reason for
everybody to remain dedicated to their duties.

5. Guidance

Once employees know what to do to deliver on projects, effective leaders oversee their work to
ensure they perform their roles effectively. Leaders make sure employee efforts align with
organizational goals for improved efficiency.

6. Commitment

Effective leaders are committed to the success of their organization and its employees. They remain
focused on the company's long-term goals and do not allow temporary setbacks to dampen their
spirits. When they face a setback, good leaders motivate their teams and help them see beyond the
problems preventing them from reaching the common goal.

7. Integrity

Successful leadership teaches the organization ethical values. Regardless of their problems,
successful leaders do the right things to achieve their goals. For them, integrity, truthfulness and
fairness are core attributes they want to see in their company and its relations with contractors and
clients.

8. Confidence

Leaders help subordinates to excel at their work and every aspect of life by expressing confidence in
their abilities. They listen to employees' worries about their work, provide positive feedback and
ensure the office environment brings out the best in them.
9. Morale

Leadership boosts staff morale by winning their trust. It assures employees of the leader's confidence
in their abilities to deliver on the vision and mission of the organization. High morale among
employees reduces distraction and motivates them to devote their energies to achieve organizational
goals.

10. Growth

The best leaders create an environment where others can grow. They are open to new ideas and
methods of achieving results and are flexible enough to admit their mistakes. Successful leaders
encourage subordinates to provide inputs on how to improve work processes and reward excellence
to increase creativity and loyalty.

11. Coordination

Effective leadership balances personal interests with organizational objectives. Leaders know that
employees have personal reasons for working with their company. They create an environment
where the organization can achieve its goals without sacrificing employee satisfaction.