Why Is Coaching So Effective For Unlocking High Performance?
When speaking at the National Leadership Conference in 2023, Irish rugby legend and current La Rochelle head coach Ronan O’Gara bluntly stated: “When I mess up, which I do a lot, I put up my hand. The players respect that. They know I’m human.”
Few statements better sum up the evolution of leadership in recent years. In other words, rather than playing the rigid role of “coach” and appearing as other to the players, O’Gara here emphasises the importance of owning up to mistakes rather than trying to appear infallible, creating an environment of authenticity and openness.
Rather than commanding and ordering, your team must get to know you and what you stand for — even in the tough world of rugby, leadership starts with displaying humility and vulnerability.
Author and thought leader Rachel Botsman notes humility is vital for leaders because it exposes blind spots and knowledge gaps, whilst giving rise to curiosity, open-mindedness, vulnerability and respect. Humble leaders listen more effectively, inspire great teamwork and increase employee engagement.
Brené Brown notes displaying vulnerability is vital for building trust, elevating performance and the key to unlocking courage. Leaders who show vulnerability are more curious, ask more questions, embody their values and create more psychological safety and organisational resilience.
This is a far cry from the classically ruthless, command-and-control leader, once described by Wharton Magazine as “a take-no-prisoner competitor, a scorched-earth cost-cutter, even a push-the-ethical-envelope negotiator. With all the power in his hands, he leads from the top, with a simple message: ‘Get it done.’”
As the business world has evolved and demands on leaders changed, such a leadership style has become ineffective. Business success now requires speed, innovation, collaboration and an organisational culture that motivates everyone. Which isn’t to say the basic essence of leadership or what it means to be a leader has necessarily changed.
McKinsey defines leadership as “a set of behaviours used to help people align their collective direction, to execute strategic plans, and to continually renew an organisation,” while Stogdill defines leadership as “an influencing process aimed at goal achievement,” focusing on leadership as a process directed at influencing a specific group of people to meet a stated objective.
Similarly, Kouzes and Posner call leadership the “art of mobilising others to want to struggle for the shared aspirations,” while Maxwell states leadership is simply influence, which is the common thread piecing together these definitions.
But leaders do more than influence: leaders inspire.
An integral aspect of business success is building a strong team that shares a common vision, with a talented and motivated group of individuals aligned with the company’s mission and values. Regardless of whether the discipline is sport or business, a cohesive team that collaborates and supports one another is essential for overcoming challenges and driving growth.
Furthermore, having a clear vision that inspires and motivates everyone in the organisation is crucial for steering the team towards its long-term goals. A shared vision fosters a sense of purpose and commitment, making the journey towards success more rewarding.
But communicating this vision is easier said than done, and a far simpler task in sport than in business. Sport is measurable, with clear winners and losers, number of points scored, table positions, and so on. If a team is winning, generally they are happy, and the goal of winning trophies will be a motivator to most.
Business is not so easily measurable, so how can leaders reward and motivate their teams?
Based on years of engaging with clients, gathering insights from across industry and
academia, and understanding the needs of leaders at every level, IMI research shows coaching is an extremely effective tool for helping today’s leaders create a motivated team working towards a singular purpose. Through incisive questioning, a clear communication style and giving well-defined feedback, a leader with a coaching mindset can unlock new levels of performance in themselves and their teams.
“A coaching leadership style delivers the full capability of followers,” says Andrew McLaughlin, programme director for the IMI Professional Diploma in Executive Coaching, accredited by University College Cork. “As followers increase their input into decision-making, they feel more appreciated. Such appreciation is the secret source of productivity and job satisfaction.”
HR expert Josh Bersin emphasises the importance of coaching in leadership development, employee engagement and organisational performance. Bersin highlights coaching as a critical component of a company’s talent development strategy, emphasising its role in unlocking individual potential and driving business results.
McKinsey note the crucial role of coaching plays in driving performance improvement, with coaching considered a strategic investment in talent development and potentially yielding significant business returns.
The link between coaching and performance led to the creation of IMI’s Coaching for Business Performance short programme in 2023. This programme has been accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) under its Continuing Coach Education (CCE) designation.
The challenge for leaders remains the same as ever: inspiring and empowering people to do their best work, creating the environment that allows this, and knowing what levers to dial up and dial down. But unlike in days past, a coaching style is key today.
IMI is committed to the view that leaders who remain reactive rather than proactive will not be able to support an evolving workforce. Instead we need leaders who listen, show empathy, coach meaningfully and communicate effectively.
In a world where speed, agility and innovation rules, leaders must be equipped to build trust, get the most out of their teams and allow employees to self-direct and prosper.
For leaders committed to building the future, and ensuring their organisations are not only surviving but thriving in coming decades, the selection and training and education of people and teams for high performance is critical. Leaders must be equipped to make decisions amid uncertainty and complexity, and to empower their people to do the same.
This is how leaders create a culture where people don’t wake up in the morning and say “I have to go to work” — instead they say “I get to go to work.”
Coaching for Business Performance has been accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) under its Continuing Coach Education (CCE) designation. For full programme information click here.
