Pinpoint Your Leadership Coaching Style To Build A High-Performing Team

My Leader Coach Assessment will help you pinpoint your style and determine which qualities or traits will help you be most effective and which may render you less effective. No one style is better than another, and you are most likely a blend of more than one style. Be honest with yourself so you can determine the elements that will help you be a better leader coach. I have grouped leadership coaching personalities into four distinct styles.

Analytical Leader

This leader focuses on gathering facts and making decisions based on the available data. Analytical leaders are natural problem solvers who use a logical and practical approach to resolve issues. They are detail-oriented and cautious decision-makers who use a step-by-step, methodical approach to minimize risk.

• Coaching strengths: Analytical leaders are calm, unemotional and rational in their coaching. This is especially significant for coaching an employee who is indecisive or in an emotionally charged situation. As the leader coach, you excel in guiding them through a step-by-step approach to view the problem analytically and remove the emotion that interferes with objective decision-making.

• Coaching cautions: A leader who falls into this category may be viewed as a perfectionist who desires gathering more and more data before making a decision. Your tendency in coaching is to minimize emotion. As a result, you may miss an opportunity to explore how the employee feels, which can illuminate the best way to coach them.

It is essential for you to focus, not on the facts, but on understanding what is getting in the way of the employee making the decision for themselves.

Results Leader

This leader is more directive, decisive and focused on achieving results. They appreciate making quick decisions and achieving the overarching objectives. The results leader has a bias toward action and will be quick to take action themselves if things are not moving fast enough.

• Coaching strengths: Results leaders are decisive and will keep the employee focused on the outcome they desire. You will embrace execution and taking decisive action. This is especially beneficial when an employee is feeling conflicted or is procrastinating. As the leader coach, you encourage taking swift action from a direct and head-on approach to confront and resolve the problem.

• Coaching cautions: Leaders who fall into this category have a tendency to become impatient if things are not moving fast enough. If this describes you, you may give advice when the employee is struggling, when you really should be coaching instead.

Ensure you practice patience and empower your team members to surface their own options. The investment of time will pay off now and in the future.

People Leader

This leader is empathetic, desires harmony and enjoys making a personal connection. They are tuned in to people’s feelings and want to ensure everyone is happy. People leaders are collaborative, value consensus and emphasize working together to achieve results.

• Coaching strengths: As a people leader, you take a genuine interest in the employee and demonstrate a high level of empathy for where they are laboring. This can be extremely helpful with an employee who lacks confidence. You look upon this as a partnership where collaboration helps them succeed, and you leverage a high amount of encouragement to help them persevere.

• Coaching cautions: Leaders who fall into this category might not ask the tough questions needed in coaching. If this describes you, your natural tendency is to avoid giving critical feedback that could cause someone to feel uncomfortable. Your need for consensus and harmony may make it difficult for you to coach the employee on a challenging decision, especially if it impacts others negatively.

It is essential for you to provide both positive and corrective feedback to help the employee develop further and make the tough calls.

Thought Leader

This leader focuses on the big picture, likes creative ways to solve problems and enjoys brainstorming to resolve business challenges. Thought leaders are future-oriented and prefer looking at the problem in totality rather than getting bogged down in the specific details in their decision-making.

• Coaching strengths: The thought leader relishes opportunities to think outside the box and help employees explore alternative paths. An employee who is stuck or feels as if they have hit an insurmountable impediment will appreciate your leadership. As the leader coach, you guide the employee to brainstorm various scenarios they had not thought of to solve their challenge.

• Coaching cautions: Leaders who fall into this category may overlook essential short-term actions, given all the great ideas you are capable of generating. If this describes you, you may advocate for more out-of-the-box thinking that may cause an employee to commit to a course of action you want them to take. But if the recommended action is not of their own making, you may find accountability plummet.

Make sure you pass the baton to employees for ownership and accountability of the decision and plan of action detailing the next steps.

Reflect And Take Action

As you learn more about your leader coaching style, think about where you can leverage your strengths and mitigate areas for development around each area of caution. Ask yourself these three questions:

1. What specific qualities do I demonstrate that are most effective?

2. What specific qualities do I demonstrate that are less effective?

3. What are three steps I can take to leverage my strengths and minimize my cautions?

This reflection will help you pinpoint the qualities or traits that will help you be more effective in building high-performing teams.