It is remarkable how many smart, highly motivated, and responsible leaders rarely pause to contemplate their behavior. In our world of leaner, faster-moving organizations, there is a need for a subtler set of competencies: the communication and relationship skills required to influence and energize employees, adaptability to rapid change, and respect for people of diverse backgrounds.
Emotional intelligence is a given expectation. Objective assessments and candid feedback are essential to employee development, yet leaders of all ranks generally don’t provide such feedback to subordinates. Why don’t they? Candor generates emotion, and emotion can be scary.
I have been a coach and hired coaches for my leaders. At the most basic level, coaches serve as suppliers of candor, providing leaders with the objective feedback they need to nourish their growth. Coaching gets leaders to slow down, gain awareness, and notice the effects of their words and actions. On a larger scale, the best coaching fosters cultural change for the benefit of the entire organization. It provides a disciplined way to deepen relationships with employees while also increasing their effectiveness.