In a recent article published by Insurance Business Magazine, Ruth Calabrese, president of Ruth Calabrese Leadership Coaching, shared some good insight into building a coaching culture and its benefits.
“Coaching is a fantastic method of leadership because it helps people take control of their decisions and their destinies,” Calabrese said.
This perspective is well-aligned with our view, as we have consistently seen coaching as the ideal next-step to training or education because it helps people turn learned concepts into actions and behaviors.
The article goes on to compare coaching to the parable, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” because it differs from the traditional command and control leadership style. In addition, Calabrese suggests that regular coaching is the new alternative to annual performance reviews.
“Forget the once-a-year appraisal between a manager and an employee,” she says. “Coaching is about managers having an ongoing conversation with team members and giving advice as well as listening to their concerns when they need it.”
This perspective aligns nicely with our posts about avoiding the “rear-view mirror” approach to management.
We have also found, over the years, that a positive coaching style that builds upon strengths is the most effective, as it tends to build confidence as well as capability.
While we have seen this positive coaching style work well in many environments, it is especially important when coaching or managing people who are involved in selling, as their confidence and positive attitude are critical components of success.
How might this approach work in your workplace?
Read the full article…