The coaching leadership style focuses on inspiring your team. This process works towards building their confidence while teaching them skills they will need in order to grow and be able to work together successfully. The team will need support to grow from coaches, as well as their leaders.
The coaching leadership process relies on having good communication skills because feedback is critical throughout the process. The most successful coaches will engage the employees in brainstorming and problem-solving skills. The coaching methods themselves can vary, but they are very effective ways to deal with disconnected workplace culture. They center on goals, personal plus group development, and focus on the outcomes. The results speak for the process and give the leadership team direction.
What is a Coaching Leadership Style
Coaching leadership is a leadership style where the leader is directly involved in the development of their employees. This process helps provides superior insight into an organization’s challenges and how to resolve them. A coaching leader will help to build on strengths and help to build their personal and professional growth.
Coaching leaders are effective communicators who will provide feedback from management and each individual within the organization. They will help you to visualize the plan that you need to have to reach those specific goals.
5 Coaching Leadership Styles
The most successful coaches will encourage brainstorming with their good communication and social skills. Their constructive feedback is an effective way to tackle a workplace culture that feels less than productive.
Related: A DEI Series for Leadership People
#1: Autocratic Coaching
Autocratic coaching keeps the coach in control at all times while striving for perfection through excellence. The coach will tell individuals directly what they should be doing rather than opening a dialogue between the leaders and the employees.
This rigid form of coaching can feel a bit overbearing to some employees, but the result is well disciplined and committed employees once the structure is successful and in place.
#2: Democratic Coaching
This style allows the team freedom and accountability. The coach only steps in when they are needed to during the process. Individuals on the team feel self-empowered and are in control of what they are responsible for while being encouraged to give input.
Democratic coaching results in improved communication and better decision-making through cooperation. This style can take longer to notice the results. However, it can be very effective. The team as a whole will carry the project and explore solutions together.
#3: Holistic Coaching
Quite possibly the most common style of coaching leadership. It utilizes the belief that everything is connected. To encourage growth, they teach the employees the theories so that individuals can achieve balance.
This process gives employees a sense of inclusion on the team and can help give them a better perspective on their position in the company.
Holistic Coaching helps to shine a spotlight on repetitive behaviors that could negatively impact their work. The coach will also offer solutions like stress management and other relaxation techniques.
The Holistic type of coaching can take time to achieve results, and there are possibilities that deeper problems may surface, but many employers find success with this style and grow closer with their team.
Related: Team
#4: Authoritarian coaching
Authoritarian coaching is a straightforward style of coaching. The coach will make the decisions for the team, and all they will need to do is understand what they are supposed to be doing.
Without the ability to provide input, there is a risk of the team feeling disenfranchised due to not being able to think for themselves. The benefit of this method instills discipline and rallies the team together by creating clear goals.
This style of Coaching Leadership will produce fast results and are perfect for inexperienced teams.
#5: Vision coaching
Vision coaching empowers employees through clear direction with a detailed plan for achieving objectives.
Similar to a personal trainer, this style feels more like a partnership. Vision coaching relies on feedback, reflection, and open conversation to motivate employees. Although this coaching style is more aggressive and short term, it can work well in overwhelmed workplaces that are in need of fast results. It is also useful when there are specific project goals with tight deadlines.
Need other kinds of leadership training? Reverb has many options for all of your training needs.
Which style is best for your team?
It may seem like hard choices must be made when you are looking for the best coach for your team, but it doesn’t have to be. Most coaches don’t focus solely on one style of leadership coaching. They tend to mix the different styles due to personal experience and to match their own philosophy to shape their coaching process.
The process of coaching should still result in a team that leaves their session in a better mindset than they arrived in. A good coach will be able to recognize the difference between effort and results. Finding the distinction between physical and mental mistakes. They should be confident in maintaining clear lines of communication.
Related: Services
How to Coach Successfully
There are some methods that will yield instant results, and others will take a bit longer. Knowing what style of the process would benefit the team the most is necessary. Listen to your team and utilize their creativity and ideas. Employees also benefit from feeling that their leaders are not just listening to them but also that they are engaged.
There are many ways that coaches can assist in building up your team, and not one specific way will work for every team. Finding a coach that will adjust to your company vision and goals is essential.
Before you go
There can be many benefits to each of these styles. So be mindful of a few things as you consider what styles you may want to engage your team with.
- Goals can change with our without the entire team’s approval.
- Some approaches could trigger emotional behaviors.
- There is a risk of decreasing employee morale.
Our on demand management training courses help managers increase their capabilities, whether they are a first-time manager or in need of a refresher. Although Management Training 101 was created as a six module bundle, each topic is available as a stand-alone course for those in need of refreshers or specific skill boosts.
Learn more about our course: Coaching for Development
- Define coaching and how it differs from directing, mentoring, and giving feedback
- Know when and how to use coaching
- Stay curious and open during a coaching conversation
Do you still have questions about Coaching Leadership styles? Reverb has online and in-person training to help assist you.
