A good leader is someone who understands that the key to success depends upon enhancing the capacity, competence, and skills of their team members. They understand that success means the accomplishments of the people they work with. While for some people managerial skills come naturally, others must work hard to develop these skills. Coaching skills are needed by managers at various levels. If you’re a new manager and are finding it difficult to make the transition to a managerial or leadership role, then these coaching skills come in handy.
What are coaching skills?
There are so many skills that a manager/leader needs to master to make an everlasting impression on their team members. Here are 10 coaching skills that every manager needs to have for greater success –
1. Being a good listener
2. Questioning and communication skills
3. Being non-judgmental
4. Ability to build rapport
5. Trustworthy
6. Sustaining focus
7. Being empathetic
8. Giving constructive feedback
9. Challenging limited beliefs
10. Being self-aware
Why do managers need coaching skills?
In the current corporate scenario, millennials are ruling. Their priorities and way of working are vastly different from their previous generations and when these professionals become managers, it is a totally different ballgame. Managers need coaching skills to help them understand the importance of being ethical and supportive. If you want your organization to be more successful, the employees need to be more productive and this can happen only in a conducive environment and positive work culture.
Effective management is crucial for the success of any business. When employees perform their best, the organization benefits. And for this to happen, managers and leaders need to inspire and encourage their team members.
Top 5 coaching skills needed by managers
Given below are the top 5 coaching skills needed by managers
1. Listen with curiosity
Effective listening skills are one of the most important skills that a manager needs. Lack of attentiveness, listening just to reply, and having pre-set notions about the person or the situation are some barriers that can make the listening process ineffective.
Be curious to know and listen attentively. Don’t do all the talking, let the other person explain their point, and don’t interrupt in between the conversation. This way the message will be sent across clearly.
2. Set goals
Setting goals is crucial not just at the personal level but at the organizational level as well. A coaching skill that’s often not paid a lot of attention to is setting goals. A good manager/coach knows that setting realistic goals is beneficial rather than having goals that are totally unachievable. Make sure your goal-setting techniques are smart.
3. Build rapport and be empathetic
Being empathetic has no match. You need to be understanding, supportive, and empathetic to be a good leader. Try and build rapport between your team members by winning their trust. Small actions speak louder than words and know that your team is watching you, so set an example by leading. It is one of the most underrated coaching skills, so as a good leader you should polish it.
4. Provide feedback for development
What’s a conversation without feedback? One of the most important coaching skills in providing feedback. Gone are the times when employees used to rely on yearly feedback. These days they believe in regular feedback that can help them improve and grow. Share your feedback in a positive and contrastive way for the best results.
5. Ask questions for exploration
Asking meaningful questions extends the conversation and encourages a healthy discussion. Make sure you ask open-ended questions because by doing so you give the person an opportunity to introspect and find solutions. Don’t ask repetitive or illogical questions. When you ask questions for exploration you ensure the other person that you believe in them, their skills, experience, and knowledge. Hope these tips will help you become a better leader.
