The Power of Coaching in Modern Leadership with Nancy Nouaimeh

In a rapidly changing world, how can leaders transform their teams from functional to extraordinarily dynamic? In this episode of Leadership Coaching for Excellence, I'm Nancy Nouaimeh, sharing insights from my 24-year journey as a Leadership Technical Coach. Discover how modern managers can create learning, innovation, and adaptability by shifting from command-and-control to a coaching-focused leadership style.

We’ll explore practical coaching techniques, such as the GROW model (Goal, Reality, Options, Will), and situational coaching, demonstrating their impact with real-life examples like Alex's project management challenges. Learn how to turn the tide on team disengagement and foster a thriving coaching culture.

Join us as we unlock the secrets to building a supportive team environment that emphasizes psychological safety, emotional intelligence, and continuous feedback. Inspired by leaders like Satya Nadella at Microsoft, we'll discuss actionable steps to promote diversity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging within your organization. Tune in to become the coach your team truly needs.

Transcript

Leadership Coaching for Excellence

Speaker 1 0:13

Hello and welcome to the Excellence Foresight Podcast . We often hear that the leaders of the future need to be futurists , humanists , tech-savvy as wise as Yoda , explorers , translators , great communicators , global citizens , and still they need to remain servant leaders to their team . So the question is how can they achieve that ? Today , I will share insights from my 24-year career and recent experiences as a leadership coach . In this episode of the Excellence Foresight podcast on leadership coaching for excellence , we'll focus on practices crucial for future leaders , particularly those who strive to empower and unite their teams toward their true north . So let's dive in . I'm Nancy Noemi , your host . Today , we'll discuss how modern managers can foster learning , innovation and adaptability through coaching . First , by being coached for leadership excellence and second , by becoming coaches themselves to lead high-performing teams . In the past , successful careers began by expertise in a specific domain . Doing your job well meant doing and having the right answers . If you proved yourself , you'd climb the ladder and eventually move into management . As a manager , you directed your team , taught them and evaluated their performance . Command and control was the norm , and the goal was to ensure employees could reproduce fast successes . But not today . Rapid , constant and disruptive change is now the norm . 21st century managers simply don't and can't have all the right answers . Companies are shifting from command and control practices to a model where managers provide support and guidance . Employees they learn to adapt , are leeching fresh energy , innovation and commitment . In short , the role of the manager is becoming that of a coach , challenged by how to provide the right support to their teams in times of rapid change . This shift is significant . Research shows more companies are training their leaders as coaches . Making coaching integral to a learning culture isn't just about external consultants . It's about managers within the organization engaging continuously with employees . The key to effective coaching involves asking questions instead of providing answers , supporting rather than judging , and facilitating development instead of dictating tasks . So let me ask you this first question what strategies do you use to foster a learning culture within your team ? Do you do that ? Have you ever thought about it ? Skilled coaching unlocks people's potential to maximize their performance . The best practitioners impart knowledge and help others discover it themselves , balancing both in different situations . Many managers resist coaching , finding it soft or uncomfortable . Iniel goldman study on leadership styles coaching with the least favorite style . Even if managers think they're good at it , they often overestimate their abilities . A study found 24 of executives significantly overestimated their coaching skills . This tells us there's still a lot of work to do in this area . So here's my second question to you how comfortable are you with adopting a coaching style in your leadership approach ?

Speaker 1 3:52

Having worked and coached several CEOs , I recommend using a situational coaching approach . Create a balance between the directive approach , which is all about telling , and non-directive coaching , which is about listening and questioning . About telling , and non-directive coaching , which is about listening and questioning . My professional and personal experiences have taught me that equilibrium is crucial in any situation . Understanding the context , asking the right questions and adjusting accordingly are vital . So here is a story from one of my coaching sessions with Alex .

Speaker 1 4:23

Alex is a fictionalist name in this case sessions with Alex . Alex is a fictionalist name in this case . So Alex was struggling with a project that's not moving forward as planned . So he came and he complained about that . So I asked him what's the main issue ? Alex's answer was the team seems disengaged and deadlines are slipping . So I asked him back have you tried adjusting your approach based on the situation ? Not really . How do I do that ? So I had to explain to Alex that he had two problems at hand . He needed to assess his team's needs . Do they need more guidance or do they need motivation ? Alex thought probably a mix of both . So he had to look at how to adjust his way of dealing with his team to a situational approach , looking how to motivate them but also , in the same time , providing them the right guidance .

Speaker 1 5:16

For any coaching , I recommend you the GROW model . Grow is Goal , reality , options and Will the goal establish what the coachee wants to achieve . Ask them what do you want when you walk out of the door , that you don't have now ? The reality ? Ground the conversation with fact-based questions . For example , what are the key things we need to know ? Look at the options with the coachee . Encourage broad thinking . Ask them if you have a magic wand , for example , what would you do ? Let them open their mind to new solutions , new ideas , new thoughts . And the last is the W of the GROW model Determine commitment . Ask your coachee on a scale of one to ten . How likely are you to do this ? Make sure you have a goal , you state the reality , you look at the options and you determine the commitment , the will to move forward . That's an agreement you should have with your coachee , whether he's a team member or anybody else that you are coaching .

Speaker 1 6:17

Anyone can use GRU as a way to have constructive conversations with their team members . As I've mentioned earlier , many organizations are focusing on coaching as a key leadership skill . To achieve this , they should start by articulating the why , connect coaching to mission critical tasks and model the behavior Satya Nadella did at Microsoft a great transformation in their culture . He solicited input , listened empathically and encouraged openness about mistakes . He changed the culture . Build capabilities throughout your organization . Provide tools , training and support for your managers to develop a coaching style . Remove barriers to change there are many like unproductive review systems and make sure that you encourage open and supportive conversations . Create that culture of coaching . Teach your leaders how to become coaches and provide them with the tools to be able to do that . From my journey , I've seen how a coaching mindset can transform an organization leaders how to become coaches and provide them with the tools to be able to do that . From my journey , I've seen how a coaching mindset can transform an organization .

Speaker 1 7:27

When leaders commit to developing their coaching skills , it creates a ripple effect . Teams become more engaged , innovative and resilient . This is what we aim for a culture of excellence where everyone is motivated to achieve their best . And , as a leader , that's one of your key roles . What steps can you take to build a coaching culture in your organization moving forward ?

Speaker 1 7:43

There are many dimensions into coaching . Another crucial dimension of effective coaching is creating a psychological safe environment . This means fostering an atmosphere where team members feel safe to take risks , express their thoughts without fear of judgment or repercussions . When people feel safe , they are more likely to share innovative ideas and collaborate effectively . In addition to psychological safety , use emotional intelligence . Leaders who are emotionally intelligent can better understand and manage their own emotions , as well as empathize with others . This helps in building stronger , more trusting relationships with their teams .

Speaker 1 8:21

As we're talking about these soft skills , diversity and inclusion also plays a significant role . Embrace diverse perspectives . This can lead to more innovative solutions and a more dynamic team environment . Coaching should encourage leaders to recognize and leverage the unique strengths of each team member . In addition to these , I would add one last one continuous feedback , which is vital . Rather than waiting for annual reviews , effective coaching involves providing regular constructive feedback . This helps team members stay aligned with their goals and continuously improve their performance .

Building a Coaching Culture for Success

Speaker 1 8:56

So , as a leader , you need to focus on your coaching skills . Look at psychological safety . Use your emotional intelligence to build that rapport with the teams , your team members focus on diversity and inclusion and provide continuous feedback . Now , have you thought about all this and how it can you do to make sure that you have this better environment within your team ? We live in a world of flux . Successful executives must supplement their expertise with a capacity for learning and develop that in their teams . Managers need to reinvent themselves as coaches , drawing energy , creativity and learning from their teams . Many people , when they are in a leadership position , they work with coaches to develop leadership skills . It's important for organizations also to develop those leadership skills in their managers , in their leaders , and support a culture of coaching inside the organization to benefit everyone . With this , I would like to thank you for listening to Leadership Coaching for Excellence . Join us next time as we delve deeper into practical techniques , success stories from leading organizations and teams . Until then , keep coaching and keep excelling . I'm Nancy Naimi .