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Developing Leaders as Coaches

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This article was originally published in the newspaper “La Estrella” and is part of a biweekly column from the ICF Panama Chapter to disseminate what Professional Coaching is. It seeks to inform, create more awareness and differentiate professional coaching, in which the Coach is governed by ethical principles and is continually improving his or her skills.

See the original article in this link.

 

The three main Coaching modalities used in organisations are:

  • External coach, professional with training in coaching who is hired by the organisation for specific processes on a one-time or continuous basis.
  • Internal coach, professional with training in coaching and who practices it within a single organisation, being part of its staff.
  • Leader Coach, manager or supervisor who uses tools and coaching skills in his role as a leader.

 

Some of the challenges of the leader as coach are:

  • How can I effectively coach all my collaborators individually in the limited time I have on a daily basis?
  • How can I do this “virtually”?
  • How can I continually improve my skills?
  • How do I use coaching tools with my team collectively so they can apply them to each other and we can create a culture of team development?

 

To develop as a leader as coach, the leader needs to have specific training for this purpose, which allows the development and application of coaching competencies in the organisation in an ethical and professional manner.

 

The basis for coaching training are the 8 competencies defined by the ICF – International Coaching Federation, divided into 4 large groups:

 

  1. Foundational Competencies or Foundations
    1. Demonstrate ethical practice
    2. Embody a coaching mindset
    3. Co-Create the relationship
    4. Establish and maintain agreements
    5. Cultivate trust and security
    6. Maintain presence
    7. Communicate effectively
    8. Actively listen
    9. Evoke awareness
    10. Cultivate learning and growth
    11. Facilitate the growth of each client

 

This is a very brief description of the competencies by the author for the purposes of this article, and for a broader and more precise definition we recommend consulting them on the ICF website:

 

  • Demonstrate ethical practice, understanding and consistently applying coaching ethics and standards.
  • Embody a Coaching mentality that is open, curious, flexible and focused on the coachee.
  • Establish clear agreements with the coachee, and with the different stakeholders, where applicable, about the relationship and coaching conversations, process, plans and goals, among others.
  • Cultivate trust and security, creating in partnership with the coachee a safe and supportive environment that allows them to share freely, in a relationship of mutual respect and trust.
  • Maintain presence, giving your full attention to the coachee, using an open, flexible, grounded and confident style.
  • Active listening, focused on what the Coachee is or is not saying, for complete understanding in the context of the Coachee’s systems, supporting the client’s self-expression.
  • Evoke awareness, facilitating the coachee’s understanding and learning through the use of tools and techniques such as powerful questions, silence, metaphors or analogies.
  • Facilitate growth, to transform learning, knowledge and vision into action, promoting coachee autonomy.

For a more effective development of coaching skills, support in the training process with professional coaches, mentors and/or supervisors, and internally with peers and sponsors that promote the development of a coaching culture in organisations contributes.

 

Leaders, through the use of coaching tools, contribute to change in culture, promoting a focus on solutions, not problems. They also promote the development of communication and relationships, and an improvement in the trust and commitment of their collaborators. Lastly, the use of coaching tools helps employees become empowered, focus on solutions, and seek support to solve problems themselves.

 

International studies show that coaching is key in developing high-performance teams.

 

Author: Fatima Ribeiro

The author is ACC (ICF Associated Certified Coach), Coach in professional development, leadership and teams processes and member of the Board of Directors of ICF Panama.

Message calling for ethical leaders committed to sustainable development

Ethical Leaders Committed to Sustainable Development: Are You In?

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Article originally published in the Competitividad Ejecutiva Magazine – Page 14

 

Reflecting on what is currently happening in many of the countries of Latin America and the globe and on the evolution of technology in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous and hyperconnected world, “VUCAH” in its English acronym, I believe that the greatest threat to our society is not accelerated technological evolution.

The greatest threat is the decrease in trust in institutions and companies, the greatest threat is the existence of insufficient leaders, who believe, who practice ethics and values, who have leadership characterized by transparency and generate trust, who assume their “leadership contract.”

Technology brings challenges of adaptation and digitalization of processes, alterations of productive structures and different business models, challenges of training the workforce and identification and development of talent, challenges to educational systems and challenges of altering public policies, but in itself it is not a threat.

It is indeed an opportunity for development, productivity, efficiency and better living conditions. It is an opportunity if we are predisposed to change, to leave our comfort zone and face challenges with tenacity and vision, as a society, as a company and as individuals.

The most developed societies were built based on trust, on cooperation in respect for human rights, on the belief that, if you make an effort, work and collaborate, you can improve the quality of life.

Example and hope for a better future are strong motivators to action, to give the best of ourselves.

That trust is eroding; in many Latin American societies, institutional quality indices reveal low institutional quality compared to the most successful countries worldwide.

According to data from the World Bank, in an IDB presentation at the 2018 APEDE Economic Forum, the institutional quality of the countries considered successful is an average of 6.1 compared to a value of 1 for Panama. In the 2018 competitiveness index, Panama globally ranked in the position 64 in 140 countries and, in addition to the above, it is in position 80 in the corruption index.

Expectations on leaders are increasing and social problems in the world are more complex. Leaders are currently more exposed to scrutiny from the media and social networks. Society looks for leaders who assume their responsibilities, who can face challenges and lead change. Leaders who are an example to follow, who, from their companies, from their organisations or from public service, work to make our world a better world.

Vince Molinaro, in his book “The Leadership Contract”, a guide to being a responsible and trustworthy leader expresses:

  • “Leadership is a decision: make it”
  • “Leadership is an obligation: assume it”
  • “Leadership is hard work: be strong”
  • “Leadership is a community: connect”

When the leader assumes these four components and lives them daily, he will be an example, a model that others will want to imitate. The leader will be clear about his obligation to create value for his stakeholders, You will have the courage and resilience to do hard work. The leader will work on building trust and a culture of leadership.

Are you ready to take on your leadership contract?

 

References:

  • Book: Vince Molinaro, “The Leadership Contract – A Guide to Being a Responsible and Trustworthy Leader”
  • Conference at the APEDE Economic Forum on November 8, 2018: Carlos Garcimartín, Chief Economist of the IDB, “The reform of the state for efficient public management and its impact on the country’s competitiveness.”