The transformative impact of coaching on leadership and well-being

Sailing through the corporate world can be like navigating a stormy sea, requiring a skilled captain to keep the ship on course. Coaching serves as a guiding compass for leaders to grow, respond effectively to challenges, and make positive impacts on their organizations.

It is evident that coaching is incredibly effective, as shown by the International Coaching Federation's 2022 Global Coaching Study. The study reveals that there has been a significant increase in organizations utilizing coaching over the past five years, with a 33% rise. This demonstrates that more and more organizations are recognizing the value of coaching and how it can aid in nurturing their leaders.

Coaching plays a crucial role in enhancing not only leadership performance but also promoting overall well-being. According to the 2021 report by the Human Capital Institute, 70% of individuals who received coaching noticed significant improvements in their work performance, relationships, and communication skills. Moreover, over 80% of them experienced a surge in self-confidence.

Workee interviewed Michelle Kempton, a Professional Coach certified by the Coaches Training Institute, Master Certified Coach by the International Coaching Federation & founder of Kempton Coaching & Training. She does leadership development and organizational change. 

Michelle has 18+ years of experience in coaching, leadership, and course design. She is a supervisor and examiner for the CTI (Coaching Training Institute) Certification Program.

What impact does coaching have on leadership?

1. Coaching unleashes the potential of leaders

Leaders have a lot of potentials, like a locked treasure chest filled with valuable things. Coaching can help them unlock this potential by discovering their strengths, weaknesses, and unique leadership style, which makes them better at leading.

2. Coaching makes it easier to navigate change

Leading in a dynamic business environment can feel like being in a maze with walls constantly shifting around you. Coaching is a reliable compass that enables leaders to navigate change with agility, make sound decisions, and confidently lead their teams through transformation.

3. Coaching can help leaders cultivate empathy

As a leader, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the individuals on your team. Coaching helps leaders develop empathy, broaden their perspectives on their team's viewpoints, and establish a collaborative and inclusive work environment. Coaching helps leaders understand that by taking the time to connect with and understand their team members on a deeper level, they would be better equipped to lead them toward success.

4. Coaching teaches leaders to communicate effectively

Effective communication is essential in any organization, as it can greatly impact the success of projects and the overall morale of a team. Unfortunately, messages can easily become distorted or lost as they are passed from one person to another. This is why coaching can be highly beneficial for leaders, as it can improve their communication skills and help them deliver clear, impactful, and inspiring messages to their team. Through coaching, leaders can learn how to effectively convey their ideas, clarify any misunderstandings, and ensure that their team is aligned with the company's goals. Ultimately, this can lead to a more productive and cohesive work environment.

5. Coaching inspires innovation

Innovation, often sparked by sudden inspiration, is a valuable asset in any workplace. Coaching is a proven method for cultivating this mindset in leaders, empowering them to challenge conventional methods and inspire their teams to develop innovative solutions to complex challenges. By fostering an environment of creativity and curiosity, coaching can help organizations to achieve their goals and stay ahead of the curve in today's rapidly evolving business landscape.

What impact does coaching have on well-being?

1. Coaching boosts confidence

Remember the feeling when you first rode a bike without training wheels? That's the kind of self-assurance coaching can instill in individuals. Coaching is a valuable tool for enhancing self-assurance, elevating job performance, and overall contentment. Through constructive feedback, targeted skill development, and consistent reinforcement, individuals can develop deeper confidence in their abilities and feel more empowered to tackle challenging tasks. This can profoundly impact personal and professional success, as individuals who feel more secure in their skills and abilities are better positioned to achieve their goals and thrive in their chosen career paths.

2. Coaching promotes balance

Finding balance is crucial for leaders, whether between work and personal life, strategic thinking and operational tasks, or confidence and humility. Coaching is a valuable tool that can aid leaders in achieving this equilibrium. By reducing stress and promoting a healthier work-life balance, coaching helps leaders maintain their well-being while performing their duties effectively.

3. Coaching allows you to develop emotional resilience

Emotional resilience is the ability to navigate through tough times. Coaching provides tools and strategies to help individuals build emotional resilience, enabling them to manage stress and adversity better.

4. Coaching teaches you to foster positive relationships

Think about a time when you felt truly heard and understood by someone. That’s the kind of connection coaching can help foster in the workplace. By improving communication and understanding, coaching can help build healthier, more positive relationships, leading to a more supportive and productive work environment.

5. Coaching enhances life satisfaction

Coaching has proven to be an effective means of improving one's overall life satisfaction. Through goal-setting, individuals can map out a clear path toward personal growth. Additionally, coaching allows individuals to align their work with their values, enabling them to fully embrace their passions and achieve greater fulfillment in their lives. Coaching is a powerful tool for anyone seeking to enhance their quality of life and achieve their full potential.

What advice would you give to coaches venturing into leadership coaching?

1. Be ready to stretch your comfort zone. Leaders need to be challenged by courageous coaches who will help them move into new areas of development and boldly go where they’ve never gone before

2. Invite and allow for as much emotion as possible when coaching leaders. Many of them don’t have anyone with whom they can vent their fears and process their strong emotions. If they don’t learn to do that with their coach, they will likely find it difficult to be emotionally intelligent with their teams, and employee well-being has become a priority for organizations.

3. You don’t have to be an expert in leadership to coach leaders effectively. It’s a good idea to understand the current trends, but leaders need to be seen, heard, understood, and challenged by someone willing to do whatever it takes to help them be the best leader they can be.

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your insights and supporting Workee!

You can connect with Michelle and learn more about her on LinkedIn.