Leadership Coaching

Many a career begins with a qualification that starts us on a path of specialization, particularly in "technical" careers like IT, Finance or Engineering, etc.

As we gain experience and results for our employers and ourselves, we grow a broader range of skills that make us more business savvy. We start becoming more adept at learning the system.

At some point in most careers, we acquire a team or department in some area of management. These new responsibilities require a different skillset to achieve results through delegation, don't they?

Some of us have natural inclinations to the skills required to be good at managing a group. Skills like motivating, delegating, setting and monitoring goals, controlling, budgeting, etc. However most of us need to learn that, right?

The school of hard knocks

In many cases we are taught management through courses and the school of hard knocks. Even a good team can perform poorly if the dynamics aren't managed properly. Different management styles range between extremes of micro-managing through to abdication. Some styles include mothering, smothering or dictatorship. If this continues, the department can be a sinking ship of resentment and abandonment, which is tough for all involved.

The transition from managing to leading

This is when leadership coaching is needed. When a manager realizes the need for help in the transition from managing to leading, executive coaching is a great option. Even the best leaders need direction to gain respect of subordinates. Having employees who want to be there and who are willing to work without being micromanaged takes a certain individual with unique leadership abilities. The good news is... those skills can be learned through proper grooming or training. That's where I come in.

While indeed you can be a manager without being a leader, it may work unfavourably if there is a lack of inspiration and motivation. To lead a team of people to meet above average outcomes - particularly in a competitive environment - a "take charge" attitude is needed. This requires another level of skills and behaviours. Hence, conventional training isn't always the right place to learn successfully.

During the grooming phase of my coaching work, I help managers and leaders to:

  • Focus on building a team that complements strengths of the leaders with teammates
  • Differentiate tactics from strategy and vision
  • Differentiate creativity from delivery or execution
  • Take eyes off yourself and place them directly on subordinates, so they can achieve goals on their own and prepare for new ones
  • Look at management style and how it relates to the styles of the employees, using profile tools like DISC, MBTI, Facet5 or others
  • Understand different attitudes of the organization, like learning through trial and error; and exploration versus the punishment of failure
  • Align values of the manager, team and overall company
  • Build a team that could run the business even without the manager, through delegation, teambuilding, trust & respect
  • Develop and enhance a range of persuasion, influencing, diplomacy, and communication skills
  • Get comfortable with budgeting, planning and reporting
  • Learn how to motivate and inspire others
  • Set targets and goals; putting objective measures in place
  • Encourage the right behaviours and performance in dealing with substandard performance
  • Differentiate "management" from "taking an active leadership approach"


If you are such a manager that is on the threshold of transition into leadership, are these the kinds of questions that you have?
Have you ever thought about how great it would be to have an independent third party coaching and mentoring you through these vital changes?
Just imagine how much confidence and leverage you could develop for a definitive personal and company advantage!

Sound compelling? Contact me and let's book a free exploratory conversation. Become the best leader you can be.