The word ‘coach’ can either signify a means of transport or a tutor or person who provides guidance and instruction.(Although we know that real Coaches do not advise or dictate). While different meanings entirely, they still have something in common and that is to help and encourage people to move forward. And that is exactly the role that coaches have in the lives of leaders, they facilitate growth and help to build up individuals to become the leaders of tomorrow.
A coach can clearly identify what you’re made of. Let’s face it at times we get so involved with ourselves that we’re unaware of some blind spots that might hamper us from being our best. What a coach can do is to give a clear and unbiased opinion of what an individual is made of and what they’re capable of. A clear understanding of self in a way – and that is one characteristic that a leader should always have.
A coach can supply razor-sharp vision. During our formative years and even after, when we reach adulthood, we come to a point where we’re not entirely sure if we’re doing the right thing. In this a coach can help immensely can help individuals to get a clear vision of where they would really like to be and help them to create a suitable Goal and fine a path to get there. And having a clear idea of what they want to achieve is one very important aspect of being a leader and that’s something a coach can help with. They help individuals become better at defining what they truly want to be and to have.
A coach challenges the usual. We get stuck in a certain way of thinking that we get so used to we often don’t bother to think otherwise. What a coach does is to challenge what’s always been accepted and what’s always been the norm to create opportunities for greatness. A leader is someone who should always look for ways to get to the goal creatively but effectively, to always think inside and outside the box so to speak, and a coach can help in that.
A coach can help improve critical thinking. Our experiences do help us solve problems, but at times it also makes it more difficult for us to assess a situation. A coach helps by getting their clients to clearly and critically consider situations that they may be facing so that the best solution can be found. Companies are always on the lookout for an edge over the rest, and having someone who can come up with solutions faster is definitely an edge.
A coach has the knowledge to transform individuals into leaders. It’s been said that managers tell people what to do, leaders can tell people what to do and make them want to do it. Coaches can help in identifying areas that will help make a manager or any individual into a leader. They know what characteristics make people look up to leaders and want to follow them and coaches will help get these characteristics instilled in any individual.
These are just some of the things that a coach can do, but they’re very valuable skills that will ultimately help managers or even professionals of any level become the best leaders of tomorrow. In essence, what coaches do is to act as the guide or bridge by which individuals can transform them from simply being into being the best.
Learning more about coaching and the industry will give you a leverage on how to be part of it. We recommend you to check and Download Our Free Coaching Reports to help you understand about how this works. Feel free to check my blog as I regularly update it with relevant posts here: Coaching Blog